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When Team USA competes for gold in wheelchair rugby at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, MeMe Earnest-Stanley, an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati, will be by their side as a physical therapist and Athletic Trainer.
Earnest-Stanley, who earned her doctorate in physical therapy from UC, teaches in the College of Allied Health Sciences and has been working with Team USA since December 2020. However, this will be her first Paralympic experience.
“I’m glad that this is my first one and not Tokyo because this is going to be an actual, true Olympic and Paralympic experience with all the fans."
In her role, Earnest-Stanley travels with the team to training camps and competitions around the world.
Her responsibilities include assisting athletes with warmups, injury management, and post-game recovery. During games, she works closely with the team’s dietician to ensure the athletes stay fueled and ready.
Wheelchair rugby is a physically demanding, full-contact sport, and injuries such as shoulder and elbow overuse are common. In addition, athletes with disabilities often face unique challenges, including heat intolerance and frequent illnesses that require careful monitoring.
“Athletes who have been disabled for a while know their bodies,. While I have my own medical knowledge, they tend to have a pretty good feeling for when something is wrong with them.”
Beyond her work with Team USA, Earnest-Stanley is passionate about adaptive sports, a field she became interested in during her undergraduate years.
She teaches an adaptive sports elective at UC and co-founded The Bridge Adaptive Sports and Recreation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding adaptive sports opportunities in Cincinnati.
Reflecting on her journey, Earnest-Stanley expressed gratitude for the support she received from UC, which helped her achieve her "wild, crazy dream" of working with Team USA.
Now, she’s excited to help her students pursue their own dreams and make an impact in their communities. Check out the full story here!
