Caroline Jantz inspires by overcoming obstacles to play the games she loves

Caroline Jantz never set out to be an inspiration to others. She just wanted to play sports and compete with, and against, her siblings.It turned out she was able to do all of the above.Jantz, who recently graduated from Avon Lake High School, suffered a perinatal stroke before birth that left her with limited use of her right hand, made her right arm and leg shorter and forced her to walk with a limp.That didn't keep her off the court, diamond or track.She played three years of basketball for the Shoregals, the final two at the junior varsity level, and has been playing softball since she was 3 years old. When she was younger, Jantz also played soccer and ran track and cross country.She's wrapping up her youth softball career today with her final game for the Avon Lake DirtDiamonds, a team that plays in the Emerald Necklace Girls Fastpitch Softball Association."I knew that I had unique challenges but I never thought about it too much," Jantz said. "When I was young I just really didn't care, I just wanted to play with my friends and my sisters."Jantz's softball career started when she was 3 and would fill in on a team with her sister Julia, who is two years older.Jantz' parents, Ron, who has been her coach for almost all of her softball career, and Stacy, helped her learn to pitch and field primarily using one hand in what they called "Jim Abbott style." The former major league pitcher had a 10-year career despite being born without a right hand.When Jantz pitches, she cups the glove over her right hand so she can slide it onto the left hand after she releases the ball. Upon fielding, she quickly tucks the glove under her right arm and throws with her left hand.If that fails, Jantz, who also plays second base, has the bruises to show she's become proficient at stopping the ball with her feet, shins or whatever other body part may be available."I practiced and learned all the skills and how to do everything with one hand," she said. "The thought of not being able to play wasn't an option."Jantz is able to wrap her right hand around the bat, but the left side does all the work when she swings."We tried to put a glove on her right hand but we were worried about her not being able to protect herself," Stacy Jantz said. "That's when we decided to teach her Jim Abbott style."The Jantz family learned Caroline had suffered a stroke in the womb after the doctor ordered an MRI when she was 6 months old because she was favoring her left side."When the diagnosis came down I thought about all of the things like, would Caroline be able to ride a bike, or drive a car, or hold a baby?" Stacy Jantz said. "Within a year or so I knew we'd never have to worry about her doing these things. She has never, at any age, let her situation stop her."And, yes, as she gets ready to head to The Ohio State University to study journalism, Jantz is able to ride a bike, drive a car and do all of the things her peers and siblings do.Jantz doesn't use "disabled," because that's not how she views herself. She will speak of the "situation" that forces her to do some things in a different way."Sports helped me realize I can do stuff people didn't think I could do," she said. "Even the doctors said they didn't think I'd ever be able to ride a bike or play sports."She credits the support of her parents and three siblings, sisters Julie and Maggie and brother Riley, for helping her overcome the unique challenges."My family is amazing, I could not do it without them. My mom and dad always supported anything I wanted to do," Jantz said. "It always helped me having my dad coaching me, having him in the dugout with me, he knew the issues I had."Stacy said the family grew to expect Caroline to do the same things her siblings were doing."We never coddled her. We always just assumed she would figure out a way to do things normally, so to speak," Stacy said. "Having siblings to emulate was very important to really motivating her. I think about this a lot, I really think trying to keep up with them was the biggest thing for her."Growing up in an athletic family, sports was a way of life, so she never stopped to think about what she overcame just to be able to step on the softball field or basketball court."I don't think about being an inspiration to others," Jantz said. "But there have been times where people have came up to me and told me I inspire them. It makes me happy if I can inspire others."All I ever wanted to do was play a sport, but if I have the extra bonus of being able to motivate someone that's even better."Asked what advice she would give others going through similar struggles, Jantz kept it simple."Keep going. Keep trying. You're going to face challenges no one else has found along the way," she said. "As long as you keep working at it and don't let it affect you in any way, you will get to where you want to be. You've got to be determined and competitive."There's always going to be more challenges. I know I'm going to be able to fix it like I always have."Contact Todd Shapiro at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.