Incapacity has lengthy been considered via a lens of limitation moderately than potential. Society typically associates it with weak point, dependency, and a scarcity of alternative, reinforcing outdated stereotypes that hinder inclusivity. Many individuals with disabilities face systemic obstacles in sports activities, training, and the workforce, typically being underestimated regardless of their talents. This damaging notion not solely impacts societal attitudes but in addition impacts the boldness of these with disabilities, making it tougher for them to entry equal alternatives. Nevertheless, the Canadian athlete and Paralympian Allison Lang is proving that incapacity shouldn’t be a limitation however a unique sort of energy.
Though we will say a whole lot of superb issues about Lang (and we’ll!), it might be unfair to disregard the challenges she confronted alongside the best way. Rising up with a incapacity, Allison Lang encountered relentless bullying, societal stigma, and the fixed strain to show herself in a world that usually missed her potential. Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, the athlete was born lacking her left leg, and that resulted in her battle with physique picture and self-confidence. It took her a whole lot of years to embrace her uniqueness and see her incapacity not as a limitation, however as a supply of energy that might in the future encourage numerous others. Whereas rising up, she preferred doing out of doors actions and performed sports activities reminiscent of soccer, swimming, and snowboarding. Nevertheless, at 15, she selected to stroll away from these sports activities due to how she felt about herself and her physique. However quickly, she found one thing that might redefine her id and goal—sitting volleyball, a sport that turned her perceived limitation into an plain energy. She achieved a whole lot of success whereas taking part in the game, and represented her nation, Canada, on the 2024 Paralympic Video games in Paris. For her, representing her dwelling nation at such an enormous occasion was already a monumental feat.
Nevertheless, she was at all times meant to realize larger issues in life, and her relentless dedication led her to the grand stage of worldwide competitors. Representing Canada in sitting volleyball, Allison Lang proved her excellence on the courtroom. Her exhausting work and perseverance paid off when she helped her crew safe a bronze medal, marking a historic achievement in her athletic profession. This victory was greater than only a medal—it was a testomony to her resilience, proving that disabilities don’t outline limits however moderately open doorways to new prospects. Right now, she isn’t just an athlete: she is a mannequin, she is a incapacity advocate and a content material creator, however most significantly, she is an emblem of resilience. I had the glory of speaking to Lang about her life journey, how she coped with mindless bullying and have become the lady she is now. Actually, I’ve taken numerous interviews in my journalistic profession, however speaking to Lang made me imagine that she is what the “human spirit” is all about.
(For readability functions, the interview has been divided into two elements and the second half might be revealed quickly.)
Allison Lang representing Staff Canada for Sitting Volleyball on the 2024 Paralympic Video games ((Picture Courtesy: allisonelang/Fb)
Right here’s the interview:
Aayush Sharma: Was there a selected second or expertise that served as a turning level in your life—the place you stopped seeing your incapacity as one thing that set you aside in a damaging method and as an alternative acknowledged it as a strong a part of your id?
Allison Lang: It’s been a protracted journey. I might be sincere. Rising up, I used to be severely bullied. At one level, I didn’t wish to be alive anymore due to the damaging issues that have been stated to me and the way I used to be excluded from the whole lot at school. I ended up hiding my incapacity as a youngster and at the same time as a younger grownup. I’m 31 now, for context, however I’ve solely actually been snug with my incapacity id for like six years, which is unhappy to say. I’d say my massive turning level was actually simply as COVID was beginning. That sounds so bizarre, however, you already know, folks turned to, as an alternative of being in individual, being on-line. I began sharing somewhat bit extra on-line and connecting with different folks like me. The incapacity neighborhood is very large. I imply, we make up the most important marginalized group of individuals in your complete world, with 18% of the worldwide inhabitants. Lastly, I began discovering function fashions of my very own and connecting with folks on shared experiences. Then I assumed to myself, Okay if I’m connecting so deeply for the primary time, it appears like in my complete life, why do I’ve a prosthetic leg that I’m attempting so exhausting to make look actual? Why don’t I simply, you already know, reduce it aside? At the moment, you couldn’t go into a physician’s clinic as a result of the whole lot was shut down. So I ended up—that is harmful, and I don’t advise any youngsters this—however I took a knife to my prosthetic leg and reduce the froth off. I stated, if I’m going to authentically stay as myself, I ought to present my steel prosthetic. I’ve been rocking a steel prosthetic ever since. I was embarrassed by it, and now once I see it, I’m like, it sort of makes me really feel like a badass, you already know? Yeah, I’d say that might be my massive turning level.
Aayush Sharma: Having confronted and overcome childhood bullying, you perceive the deep impression it may possibly have on vanity and psychological well-being. For younger folks as we speak who’re fighting physique picture, self-confidence, or feeling completely different from their friends, what would you say to assist them navigate these challenges? What methods or mindset shifts helped you rise above negativity and embrace your true self?
Allison Lang: Yeah, the very first thing I wish to say is that, you already know, physique acceptance and self-love shouldn’t be linear. I might sound assured and, you already know, share so much on-line and speak about my susceptible story, however I’d be mendacity to everybody if I stated I used to be assured each day. It’s like a curler coaster, and it’s one thing that I’ve labored on. I really wish to encourage anybody to start out this self-love journey as a result of it has solely made me extra assured for the long term and extra calm. I’ve extra assured days than damaging days now. The way in which that I’d do it once I was actually younger—I truly had a full-length mirror in my bed room. I’d get a whiteboard marker and write issues I cherished about myself in there. I’d attempt to chorus from writing something about my look and focus extra on what’s on the within as a result of that’s really extra essential. How do you make your self really feel? How do you make different folks really feel? How do you join with others? So I’d write issues like, ‘You’re hilarious’, or ‘You could have a household that loves you’ or ‘You’re sensible, and you bought accepted into college’. Simply these reminders of issues which are a lot extra essential than our physique picture.
As a younger teen, I at all times centered extra on what I appeared like than the impression I had on the world. Along with that, I’d begin a gratitude journal and write three little issues that I used to be grateful for that day. So typically, we concentrate on what’s going fallacious and complain about little issues that occur, however trying on the grand image and pondering of three stuff you’re grateful for sort of modifications your mind chemistry. Specializing in the optimistic has actually helped the best way I’ve navigated via life, and I’m actually hoping that different folks can begin to do this as effectively.
(Picture Courtesy: allisonelang/Fb)
Breaking Boundaries and Making Historical past: Allison Lang on Paralympic Triumph and Psychological Resilience
Aayush Sharma: What was the primary second that made you understand that you simply wish to be an expert athlete? And the way was that call important for you?
Allison Lang: I want I used to be an expert athlete. We don’t pay Paralympic or Olympic athletes as professionals in Canada, sadly—hopefully in the future. However yeah, it’s completely different in each nation. Right here, we’re thought-about elite athletes. I’ll be sincere, I by no means knew that I wished to be an elite athlete, and it’s unhappy as a result of I’ve been disabled my complete life. I used to be born with my incapacity, and the Paralympics aren’t broadcasted the identical method because the Olympic Video games. Although I used to be a younger little one with a incapacity, I didn’t even know the Paralympics existed. That nearly appears like placing a glass ceiling over disabled youngsters. I didn’t know I might aspire to do one thing like this. Actually, I grew up taking part in sports activities fully completely different from volleyball. I performed soccer, did swimming, and began snowboarding at 11. I cherished these sports activities, however as I obtained older, I attempted hiding my prosthetic. I give up swimming as a result of I couldn’t cover my leg anymore. In soccer, I pulled my socks up over my knees so that they met my shorts, hiding the colour distinction. At 15, I give up sports activities altogether due to my physique picture. It was Staff Canada and a lady I knew on the crew invited me to strive sitting volleyball. It was a brand-new sport, and I used to be reluctant to go. My mother insisted, saying, “I do know it’s an adaptive sport, however you’ll want to strive it. Who is aware of? You may like it.”
At the moment, I distanced myself from something disability-related and didn’t wish to play an adaptive sport, fearing folks would suppose much less of me. However once I went, I not solely cherished the game—I sucked at it at first. Shifting on the bottom is difficult, and it’s a lot sooner than indoor and standing volleyball. However the group of ladies I met modified the whole lot. I talked about missing function fashions rising up, after which I walked right into a room stuffed with feminine athletes identical to me—ladies with companions, properties, careers, youngsters—the whole lot I wished however didn’t know I might have. Folks with disabilities have been by no means proven as essential characters in a optimistic method. That’s what stored me on the crew. I took a break for college, however I’ve now been taking part in for nearly 9 years with the identical ladies. They’re a few of my closest buddies, and they’re sturdy advocates. This 12 months, we made it our mission to raise the Paralympic motion and speak about us as Paralympic athletes. That’s why I shared a lot on-line whereas I used to be on the Video games. I wished to showcase that, sure, they’re much like the Olympics but in addition completely different and distinctive. Folks at all times ask, “Why aren’t they mixed?” Primary, that might be unimaginable—there are far too many athletes to accommodate unexpectedly. Quantity two, the Paralympics deserve their very own id. There’s one thing deeper: exhibiting that individuals can undergo sickness or accidents and nonetheless come out on high as elite athletes representing their nation.
Incapacity isn’t a scary factor. Anybody can develop into disabled at any time, however you’ll be able to nonetheless develop into or stay an athlete and never be stripped of your private id. The Paralympic neighborhood is welcoming. This previous summer season, I felt so graciously embraced, and I really hope persons are studying what the Paralympics stand for. Folks typically suppose “para” in Paralympics means paraplegic, but it surely truly means “parallel,” working alongside the Olympic Video games. It’s such a fantastic message.
Aayush Sharma: Profitable Canada’s first Paralympic podium end in sitting volleyball is historic. What feelings ran via you in that second?
Allison Lang: Simply speaking about it makes me somewhat emotional. It nonetheless feels surreal. I do know it occurred, however on the similar time, it glided by so rapidly. We labored as a crew for 3 and a half years since Tokyo to get to this. Our purpose was to hit the rostrum, and we reached that. Such as you stated, we received the very first sitting volleyball medal ever for Canada and the primary summer season sports activities crew medal since London 2012. We broke two data on the Video games, which is loopy to say—I’ve goosebumps simply speaking about it. I used to be so emotional that day. The second the whistle blew after we beat Brazil in that final set, I instantly began crying and couldn’t cease. Each photograph of me exhibits tears streaming down my face, making an unpleasant crying face. (laughs) I stated it in an interview proper after, and I’ll say it once more—it means a lot in my coronary heart. We weren’t simply doing this for ourselves. We did this for our nation, however extra importantly, for younger disabled youngsters, to point out them they’ll aspire to do something. They will obtain nice issues with their incapacity, make historical past, and produce dwelling a medal.
At that second, I felt like an interior a part of my youthful self was healed. For therefore lengthy, I used to be picked final in fitness center class, made enjoyable of, pushed over. Youngsters stole my prosthetic or buried my crutches within the sandbox. I felt like I had such a limitation in comparison with others due to bullying. However to go symbolize my nation, win a medal, and develop into a Paralympic bronze medalist—it’s indescribable. Actually, my dream has been to not show something to others, however to show to myself that I’m greater than able to reaching something I set my thoughts to. It feels monumental to share this second not solely with myself however with my crew and so many others. I like it. Now, each time I communicate at faculties, I carry my medal. I let the youngsters contact it, hoping it exhibits them that they’ll aspire to something they need. And yeah, it nonetheless makes me emotional—most likely for the remainder of my life.
Staff Canada posing with their Bronze medal on the 2024 Paralympic video games (Picture Courtesy: allisonelang/Fb)
Aayush Sharma: How do you mentally put together for high-pressure competitions, particularly ones with historic implications?
Allison Lang: Yeah, it was an enormous psychological hurdle for me. Actually, it was my first paralympics. Lots of my teammates had been to Rio and Tokyo, however Tokyo had no spectators, so it was quiet. In Paris, we had a sold-out stadium with 20,000 folks—the largest crowd I’ve ever performed in entrance of. It was additionally proof that individuals wished to look at the Paralympics. Bought-out arenas of over 20,000 only for sitting volleyball! Observe had 80,000, additionally offered out. And 11 million folks tuned in from Canada alone. That’s loopy—so many individuals watching. I knew I’d be nervous, and I figured my teammates can be too, even with expertise. You may see it in our first recreation in opposition to Slovenia and our first recreation in opposition to Brazil. We truly misplaced to Brazil within the preliminary spherical, then beat them within the bronze medal match. It was superb to shake these nerves off and are available again stronger. It’s about confidence, realizing you’ve ready for that second. However I received’t say we lacked assist—we had a lot. My crew alone had a psychological efficiency coach who helped us focus, block out distractions, and take it one level at a time.
We additionally had a psychological well being lead as a result of each day life impacts efficiency. Distractions occur, so how do you shut them out and focus? Trusting teammates is essential. A few of them are lifelong buddies, however in a match like that, you haven’t any alternative however to work collectively. You take a look at one another, even after shedding some extent, and say, ‘I belief you. We’ll get the subsequent one’. For 3 years, we centered on the psychological recreation. You might be bodily match, however excelling in sports activities requires psychological health too. I even got here up with little tips to make use of on the courtroom.
(Half 2 of the Interview might be revealed quickly)
