Westfield native takes his brother with him in spirit to Tokyo Olympics

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Standing astatine 6-feet-5 and 230 pounds with a recognizable hairstyle, Joe Schroeder is simply a civilian technologist who enjoys sailing successful his escaped time, was a assemblage cheerleader, and a rugby standout who earned a roster spot connected Team USA.

“There is specified a heavy consciousness of pride,” Joe’s parent Susan Schroeder said. “Joe is afloat of grit and determination, helium ever chased his dreams, and this is 1 of his biggest ever. He has been relentless.”

The astir caller summation to Schroeder’s robust resume reads “member of TEAM USA Eagles rugby sevens squad.”

Beginning astatine property 15, helium collected a fewer rings astatine Cathedral High School.

“And arsenic helium moved onto college, helium decided to spell to Trine (University) for civilian engineering, and they did not person a rugby program,” Jim Schroeder said. “So, helium conscionable decided not to play sports. Sophomore twelvemonth determination was a telephone retired for cheerleading, and Joe showed up and said helium was funny successful it.”

“I started hitting the gym a batch due to the fact that I started throwing radical successful the air,” Joe Schroeder said. “Um, so, you know, I was going to enactment connected 20ish, 30 pounds, you know, done my assemblage career.”

Eventually, the nationalist squad got upwind of Joe’s rugby acquisition portion helium was playing for a nine squad aft graduation. 

Since 2017, helium has been successful California, earning his roster spot.

“To get to this level done each the adversity that he’s been through,” Jim Schroeder said. “We are conscionable truthful arrogant of him and arrogant of the full family.”

Joe Schroeder volition proudly correspond Trine University arsenic their first-ever Olympian; he’s besides 1 of 2 Cathedral grads to vie connected the world’s biggest stage. 

And the cardinal Indiana prima should beryllium casual to spot connected the rugby tract successful Tokyo acknowledgment to his unsocial hairstyle, which serves a peculiar meaning for the full Schroeder family.

“My member Will, unfortunately, we mislaid a twelvemonth and a fractional ago,” Joe Schroeder said. “He loved to stone mullets. That was benignant of his hairstyle. And helium did it, helium rocked it the best, and helium was evidently a large protagonist of mine. He loved watching me, loved, loved the information that I was, connected the USA team.”

“Just to grant him a small bit, it (mullet) comes connected the back. So, he’s going to beryllium covering my backmost retired there.”

Schroeder’s Olympic debut is Sunday nighttime erstwhile the United States takes connected Kenya.