Car accident as 9-year-old didn’t deter athlete
By: Vic Monaco
Her smile and optimism are contagious.
Her speed is world class.
The latter has brought her to Sydney, Australia.
The former is awe-inspiring, given the fact that her life was radically changed at age 7.
Jessica Galli was a young gymnast preparing for her first meet in 1991 when a car accident on Route 206 fractured her spine. After spending a couple weeks at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, she transferred to Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside.
Jessica wasn’t exactly excited when the hospital’s coach, Andy Chasonoff, suggested she take part in track events in a wheelchair.
"I didn’t want to do it at first," she said. "I don’t like to try new things."
But very soon, Jessica said, "I got the hang of it and I was doing well enough that I didn’t want to stop."
Her will and talent has translated into Jessica becoming one of the top female track and road racers in the United States. She currently holds Junior national records in track, road racing and swimming. She has won medals at the 1998 World Games in Birmingham, England, the 1999 Australian Junior National Games in Perth, Australia, the 1999 Roosevelt Cup Games in Georgia and the 1999 Pan American Games in Mexico City and the past four Windsor Indoor Track and Field Games in Canada.
In June, she was named to the U.S. Paralympic track team and was one of three American women to compete in the 200 Olympic 800 meter Wheelchair Demonstration Semi-Finals in Switzerland.
Now the junior from Hillsborough High School is competing with the best disabled athletes in the world as one of 72 members of the U.S. Paralympics Team in Sydney.
"It’s very exciting," she said in a recent interview at her home, "especially now that the Olympics have started and knowing I’ll be there."
Jessica left for Australia Oct. 16 with father Philip; mom Betsy; 14-year-old sister Katy; and grandmom Edith. She’ll be competing through the 30th.
Before leaving, Jessica was looking forward to seeing Jean Driscoll in Sydney, with whom she has trained a couple times. Ms. Driscoll has won the Boston Marathon eight times in the Women’s Wheelchair division.
"She’s a big influence or idol I guess," Jessica said. "She shows just how good you can be."
And competing also does that for Jessica.
"It motivates you. I have no plans to stop," she said.
Jessica puts her interviewer totally at ease, not just with her constant smile, but also by offering frank talk about her disability.
"I have no lower ab muscles," she says without being asked a specific question.
She explains that her legs are tucked under her during races.
"Your legs don’t do you any help," she says matter-of-factly.
Talking about the change in her life at age 9, she speaks in athletic terms.
"Since I couldn’t do gymnastics, I had to go to track," she says.
Philip Galli, a high school football player, has served as Jessica’s primary coach.
"Being an athlete, I could help her until she got to this stage as an international athlete," he said. "Since then, every competition is a great event."
Jessica has competed in 100-, 200-, 400- and 800-meter track events, with the last being her forte. She finished tenth in the world in the 800 meters in Switzerland in August.
All this, it seems, is gravy to her dad following the 1991 accident that changed his daughter’s life.
"We didn’t have a clue what the future held," Mr. Galli said. "You’re just so happy that … you have someone who doesn’t have any head trauma."
"I have a daughter in a wheelchair but she’s still the same person."