Unstoppable: Shelby Baron’s Rise to the Paralympic Tennis Stage

Unstoppable: Shelby Baron's Journey to Paralympic Tennis

From struggling to keep up in PE class to becoming a two-time Paralympian, Shelby Baron’s story is a powerful testament to resilience, discovery, and the transformative power of adaptive sports. Born with spina bifida in Hawaii, Shelby found new possibilities through wheelchair tennis—ultimately representing Team USA in Rio and Tokyo.

In this episode, Shelby shares how her introduction to adaptive sports opened doors she never imagined, how a last-minute phone call changed her life, and why the Tokyo Paralympics challenged her in unexpected ways. Now working with USTA player development, she’s paying it forward to support the next generation of athletes.

Whether you're an athlete, coach, or someone looking for inspiration, this episode offers powerful insights on inclusion, independence, and the joy of sport.

Key Themes:

• Adaptive sports as a life-changing force

• Inclusion in athletics

• Mental resilience & rediscovering joy

• The power of community in Paralympic sport

• Shelby’s ongoing impact through player development

“When I was younger, I didn’t even know what adapted sports were... I definitely did not know that this was the path for me.”