Paralympian and two-time sitting volleyball gold medalist Monique Burkland Matthews said it was “fate” that she ended up in Oklahoma.
Born in Nevada, Matthews’ family followed her grandfather to Oklahoma after he received a transfer to the state. She grew up active and athletic, graduating from Plainview High School as a three-sport athlete.
But two months after graduation, Matthews’ life changed when she lost her foot in a forklift accident. Instead of softball, basketball or track, Matthews was spending time getting fitted for a new prosthetic foot. But it was at her prosthetist’s office where fate intervened.
Matthews was sitting in the office waiting room when her gaze fell on a brochure for sitting volleyball.
“I had no idea what it was or anything, but I decided to contact them to see what it was about and what I would have to do to try — to see if I liked it,” Matthews said.
The sitting volleyball program was just about 90 minutes away at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Fate, that she ended up moving so close to a place that would end up influencing her life so much.