By: Matt Florjancic '07
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Focus is a key trait in successful people, especially athletes playing in loud environments, and when the time comes to compete, regardless of the challenges faced, being sharp is of utmost importance.
Whether it was at Elyria Catholic High School or Baldwin Wallace University, when Academic All-OAC Megan Scheibelhut (Avon Lake/Elyria Catholic) steps onto a basketball court, she does not experience a practice or game in the same way that most of her teammates do, and it stems from something that happened nearly 20 years ago.
When Scheibelhut was five, she caught a virus, and that proved to be a turning point in her life, as the illness permanently damaged her hearing.
"Ever since that moment, I've just never been able to completely hear out of my right ear," Scheibelhut said, a star senior forward for the Baldwin Wallace women's basketball team.
"Since I was so young, I don't remember what it was like hearing out of both ears. Since I've been going to the doctor, they said that my other ear is 100 percent, and it's been taking over for my right ear.
"I can still hear everything perfectly clear. It's just that I do struggle hearing where sound comes from since I only can hear out of the one ear. Then, if someone's on my right side, I can't hear them as well, but those are the only things that I really struggle with."
Learning to Adapt
Scheibelhut came to Baldwin Wallace after a stellar career at Elyria Catholic, where playing in front of large crowds became the norm, as the Panthers were one of the best teams in the state of Ohio during her senior year.
Scheibelhut helped lead the Panthers to a District championship and appearance in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division III State Final Four at the end of the 2017-2018 season.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scheibelhut played in front of large crowds, both in rivalry games against Ohio Athletic Conference competition, or in non-league play at top-ranked programs like Hope College.
During those experiences, Scheibelhut had to keep focused in timeouts to understand any adjustments to the game plan that Hall of Fame coach Cheri Harrer wanted to see from her players.
"I really try to understand what's going on with our opposing team and what's going on with our team," Scheibelhut said. "I take a lot into account, like when we're scouting teams and trying to know what their plays are so in case I can't hear like my teammates calling out a screen, I already know that screen's coming. I'm prepared for it.
"With my team in high school and in college, the coaches have been doing a great job of using hand signals for our plays, so that's been a great help for me. I don't necessarily have to hear a vocal call, and I can see the hand signals, and then, know right away what play we're in."
Alternate Communication
Whether it is listening to teammates and coaches out of her left ear, meticulously studying film prior to games or interpreting hand singles, Scheibelhut has learned to communicate with others using alternative methods, but in recent years, that has been slightly more difficult.
Scheibelhut had gotten used to reading lips, which has been quelled by mask requirements over the last two seasons because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"I was pretty good at that," Scheibelhut said. "Obviously, with COVID and the masks, it's harder to understand that now, but yeah, I would say that reading has helped too.
"I think in the beginning, it was probably harder for me. Now, when I listen to people speaking, I mostly look at their mouth so I can understand exactly what they're saying, to fully understand everything."
Helping Others Through Challenges
Scheibelhut never has had a teammate who, like her, had hearing loss in just one ear. During his sophomore year at BW, she had a teammate who could not hear out of either ear and required hearing aids, and that helped Scheibelhut without her even knowing it at the time.
Wanting to get an early start on her post-playing career, Scheibelhut coaches AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) teams, and she has guided players who required hearing aids.
"It actually does help a lot," Scheibelhut said of her previous experiences.
"It's just nice to see that I'm not the only person dealing with this and that there's a whole group of people out there that can still deal with this and compete and play basketball at the same level."
Choosing Baldwin Wallace
When Scheibelhut was a senior at Elyria Catholic and looking into colleges, Panthers coach Eric Rothgery, informed her that Gallaudet University, a private school in Washington, D.C. wanted to recruit her.
Gallaudet University is dedicated to providing an education to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, and while Scheibelhut was flattered by the interest, she decided to stay closer to home and compete for Baldwin Wallace.
"It's a winning program, and I came from a winning program in high school," Scheibelhut said. "It was nice to be able to transfer from one to another, but it's also really close to home, and I know I wanted to stay close to my family, so it's easy for them to come watch all my games.
"A lot of EC people come to BW for academics or even sports, like Riley Schill '20. She was a senior when I was a sophomore at EC, and she came to play at BW. I always came to her games, and I always traveled with her family to the games. Then, I just fell in love with the team and the program and the coaches.
"I would definitely make this decision 100 times again and again. There's no other place I'd rather be playing basketball right now, and I think over the years, I've had a lot more fun than I was expecting to. I would never decide on another place."
Stepping Up in Competition
When Harrer puts together her team's game schedule, she likes to include playing a difficult non-conference slate to prepare the Yellow Jackets for what they will face in the Ohio Athletic Conference, and if all goes well, the NCAA Tournament.
After learning to deal with her hearing impairment, Scheibelhut has come to embrace a similar mindset, which is part of the reason she came to BW. The Yellow Jackets played two top-10 teams in non-conference games this season, and have lost only once since opening OAC play.
"It's awesome," Scheibelhut said. "If you want to be the best, you've got to play the best. I know Coach preaches that a lot. We played Hope and Trine. We didn't really know what to expect, but we know now what it takes to be one of those great teams in the country.
"Just being able to play them shows us, and especially shows the younger kids that don't have as much experience, what it's like to play one of the top teams in the country."
Setting An Important Example
This season, Scheibelhut has started all 18 of BW's games, averaging 6.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. She has shot 50 percent from the field, 22.6 percent from three-point range and 75 percent at the free-throw line.
With Scheibelhut making significant contributions on both ends of the court and playing a key leadership role, the Yellow Jackets have posted a 15-3 overall record and are 12-1 in OAC play. That lone loss in OAC play was a three-point setback at No. 12 John Carroll in mid-January, and the Yellow Jackets have a chance to atone for that misstep in the rematch on Wednesday, February 16.
"Megan is extremely talented and can change the game on both ends of the floor," Harrer said. "She has always been an extraordinary teammate, but she's become even more important as she has become more aggressive on the floor. She understands the game at a very high level, and helps her teammates be better.
"Her communication on the floor is spectacular. She has never used her hearing challenge as an excuse in any way, which sets a great example for her teammates. Her understanding of our systems and communication sets a great example. She is an incredible teammate, and that sets a fantastic example in that area. She has become a much more vocal leader as well. I'm extremely proud of Megan!"
Taking Nothing for Granted
Despite having an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Scheibelhut plans on this season being her final as a college competitor. As such, Scheibelhut is working to make the most of her senior year at BW, especially after having an opportunity to compete at the national level taken away from her and her teammates in March of 2020.
The Yellow Jackets had traveled up to Hope College for the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 12, 2020, and that proved to be the day that the sports world changed, as players and coaches learned the remainder of the winter and all of spring seasons were cancelled.
Because of that experience, Scheibelhut has tried to enjoy every part of the journey, and that includes the final weeks of the 2021-2022 season.
"I just got a chill thinking about that," Scheibelhut said. "Even earlier this year, our game got canceled against Capital because they had COVID.
"It just changes our perspective that every game matters, and you never know what game is going to be your last."
