The first time I tried wheelchair rugby, I was terrified of falling out of my chair. The game is basically like bumper cars at a funfair – but with a ball and strategy!
I was pretty anxious when I turned up to my first session and saw all these people whizzing around in beefed up wheelchairs crashing into each other. But I was determined to give it a go.
Where I live in Kent, there’s not much on offer locally for wheelchair users and the gyms aren't very accessible. So, when I started uni, it felt like this was my chance to try something new.
Only a few minutes into my first game, it happened. I collided with another chair and found myself tipped upside down. The thing is I couldn’t stop laughing. All I could think was ‘This is amazing!’
That was nearly three years ago and I’ve been playing wheelchair rugby ever since. My team is fantastic – I love them all.
As I'm a children’s book illustrator, I spend a lot of time at my desk.
So, I really look forward to our weekly training sessions where we do stuff like throwing, catching, building speed, gaining muscle and refining strategy. In summer, we play in tournaments – ok, so we’re in the second-to-bottom league, but secretly, we know our team is the best!
When I was 12 and first started having symptoms of my disability at the same time as going through puberty, I felt so scared and othered, like I didn’t belong anywhere.
Now I’m part of a community that gets me. Having people I can talk to – about my disability but also about everything else – is very special. I feel at home.
People often ask me when I’ll be competing in the Paralympics, but that’s missing the point. Like a lot of people, I just know that being active makes me feel happy and less anxious.
Considering that activity for me used to be going to the physiotherapist, it feels good to be doing something fun that may also be slowing the progression of my disability.
To other disabled girls and women out there thinking about trying wheelchair rugby, I would just say, it’s ok to be shy. It’s ok to be scared. Just give it a go anyway and be the representation you want to see in the world.