Armless Archer pushes students to think positive, no excuses

MT. PLEASANT — Iowa Wesleyan’s new Diversity, Inclusion and Student Rights Office welcomed Olympic medal-winning armless archer Matt Stutzman to speak with students in the Ruble Arena Wednesday afternoon.

“We try to do a holistic approach to diversity,” Director of the Diversity, Inclusion and Student Rights Office Tina Young said.

Through personal stories, Stutzman engaged the audience in themes that there are no excuses, and each person really can do anything they put their mind to.

“Only you decide who you want to be and how far you will go,” he said. “I feel like a living example of what can be accomplished.”

Being born without arms has not held Stutzman back.

“My parents, when I was younger, told me I could do anything,” Stutzman said. “They also told me that if I wanted something then I had to go do it.”

“Because I grew up on a farm, there was nothing in my life that I could get out of,” he said. “I remember we would get up at six o’clock in the morning and I had to help go get the pigs onto the trailer so we could go get them to the market.”

He told stories of his parents expecting and pushing him to do everything for himself.

“I remember one day dad was like, ‘Hey son, you need to go out and shovel the manure,’” he said. “I was like, ‘Hey dad, I don’t know if you didn’t notice, but I don’t have any arms,’ and he’d be like, ‘Well, I guess you aren’t eating today,’ So, I was like, ‘well, where’s the shovel?’”

“It taught me, that if I wanted something I had to go after it,” Stutzman said. “They were teaching me how to adapt to the world versus the world adapting to me.”

He told stories of riding a bull and learning to play basketball.

During his presentation, Stutzman invited a young man to play a game of P.I.G.

While he didn’t win, Stutzman did make a number of baskets himself.

A few of his most notable accomplishments, in addition to the ability to shovel manure, include 2022 ParaArchery World Champion, 2012 Paralympic Silver Medalist, and Guinness World Record holder.

“From 2012 all the way through 2021, which is the last games, I maintained a world ranking of third or better,” Stutzman said. “I pretty much, in the time frame, podiumed at every single major tournament that I’ve ever been to.”

According to Stutzman, he started speaking close to 10 years ago when he started archery.

“I had someone say, ‘Hey, you know, this isn’t about shooting a bow,’” Stutzman recalled. “’You have a talent that nobody else has. This is your chance to change the world. This is your chance to help other people and it’s not about archery.’”

After showing the crowd how he is able to shoot his bow and arrow using his feet, he gave one last bit of wisdom.

“The only thing that is keeping you from getting there is yourself,” Stutzman told the crowd. “Think positive. No excuses.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com