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April 6, 2005 A Lifelong Battle LHU’s Tom Skrivanek contributes to five team titles while living with a heart condition |
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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – With all the adversity one faces in life, one of the biggest may be self-motivation. For Lock Haven University senior soccer player and track athlete Tom Skrivanek, a native of St. James, N.Y., overcoming challenges first came at an early age. When he was only two years old, Skrivanek’s parents learned that he needed a pacemaker, which is a small, battery operated device that sends electrical impulses to the heart to help keep it pumping at regular intervals. At the age of five, he had two major heart surgeries and had his first pacemaker implanted into his chest. |
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“The doctors told me I was lucky to live,” Skrivanek recalled. “When I was young, I knew I was different, but I didn’t want to ever use that as an excuse or as a crutch. I just wanted to be like everyone else.” Skrivanek may have been born with a faulty heart, but his desire and passion to be competitive has always been there. At the age of four, he started playing soccer and continued to play throughout his adolescent years. Because of his pacemaker, his doctors would not allow him to play lacrosse and hockey, which were two popular sports in St. James.
“My pacemaker does not help or hurt my running. It kicks in when my heart beat goes below 50 beats per minute, which is usually when I’m sleeping or really relaxed, like in a really boring class,” Skrivanek laughed. Many people find it difficult to get motivated and lead an active, healthy lifestyle. For Skrivanek, that motivation came mainly from his parents, Frank and Trudy Skrivanek. “My parents are awesome,” he said. “They were so solid and positive when I was growing up. They were always there for me and kept me in line. They always told me I could do whatever I wanted to do. I was blessed with good parents.” One of Skrivanek’s goals was to prove to all those who said that he couldn’t be successful wrong. When he came to LHU, he continued to run track and field, and during his sophomore year he was part of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Indoor Track & Field distance medley relay team. During his junior year, he ran a leg of the PSAC Indoor Championship 4x400 relay squad. Tom also started playing soccer again his junior year, and with his help, his teammates were PSAC Champions last season. In total, he has been part of five PSAC championship teams. His determination to succeed has led to an impressive list of accomplishments throughout his athletic endeavors. Mark Elliston, LHU Track and Field coach, was impressed by Skrivanek’s drive to be successful. “It was more of a concern to us as coaches than it was to him,” Elliston said. “As he trained, he had the desire to do well. It hasn’t put a damper on his desire and ability.” “Tom is an absolute delight,” said Doug Moore, Skrivanek’s soccer coach at LHU. “He’s a terrific guy and in great condition. He doesn’t want his pacemaker to be an issue, so it’s not an issue with us. He is a great teammate and role model.” In November, Skrivanek had another pacemaker implanted, his first one in 11 years.
He missed six weeks of training, and although he wasn’t supposed to run per doctor’s orders, he ran anyway. “I have that competitive personality; I don’t like to lose,” he said. “I’m proud of what I’ve done, and I really don’t think there is any difference between me and the next guy. I’m just part of the team.” ###LHU###
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When
he was 10, Skrivanek had two more major heart surgeries within a one-month
time period in which he had another pacemaker implanted. The surgeries did
not sideline him for long, as he continued to be active and compete in
soccer. In seventh grade, he started running track and field.
“The
wire from my heart runs under my collarbone and up into my neck,” he said.
“From all the excessive lifting I had done, the wire actually wore down and
started to shock my whole chest.”