Allison Lang

Started: "I got scouted around the age of 15 or 16 for Team Canada and started working with them during high school." (ca.style.yahoo.com, 23 Aug 2022; Athlete, 01 Sep 2024) Reason: "Growing up, my parents put me in soccer and swimming, and I even did some skiing. It gave me the freedom to keep up with other kids my age, able-bodied or disabled. When I was a teenager, I was invited to come try out for Team Canada's women's sitting volleyball team. I was invited by a player, Amber Skyrpan. It was in its grassroots era of just developing the programme, and it was at the peak of my body image insecurities. I was finally surrounded by other resilient women from all walks of life with disabilities, just like me, giving me that confidence back, that I can do and achieve things that I want to, while being surrounded by other people with similar mindsets." (She's4Sports YouTube channel, 09 Nov 2023; thelinknewspaper.ca, 23 Jul 2020; Athlete, 01 Sep 2024) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Outside of sport she hopes to create her own adaptive 'active wear' clothing brand. (Athlete, 01 Sep 2024; Instagram profile, 06 Jan 2024) Additional Info: BREAK AND RETURN She took a break from sitting volleyball at age 21 to focus on her university studies before returning to the sport in 2020. "I was slacking on my fitness levels to focus on my schoolwork, and I felt like I couldn't properly commit to either one. I just made the executive decision to pull out of volleyball and focus on finishing school and starting a career. I had been thinking about going back ever since I left. I followed the team from afar, watching their games and seeing them win a gold medal at a tournament in Halifax. That made me so happy for the girls and just made me miss it more." (ca.style.yahoo.com, 23 Aug 2022; thelinknewspaper.ca, 23 Jul 2020) OCCUPATION She has worked as a model. "A girl I worked with was connected with a modelling agency and she showed them a portfolio of my photos. I never originally set out to be a model. I started sharing photos of places I travelled to on social media and posted my authentic self. I don't know how people found me but people with disabilities started messaging me really positive and empowering things. I realised there was never anyone who looked like me in the media and it made me realise that maybe I can be that person for others." (ca.style.yahoo.com, 23 Aug 2022) OTHER STUDIES She has also studied education at the University of Alberta in Canada. (thelinknewspaper.ca, 23 Jul 2020; Athlete, 01 Sep 2024)