Julie Kozun

Started: She began playing standing volleyball while at school, and took up sitting volleyball in 2015 in Edmonton, AB, Canada. (melfortjournal.com, 15 Mar 2016; Athlete, 15 Dec 2015) Reason: While she was in hospital after her accident, she was visited by Canadian wheelchair basketball player Erica Gavel. Gavel told her about sitting volleyball and introduced her to the Canadian team. (paralympic.ca, 01 Feb 2020) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (paralympic.ca, 11 Nov 2023; cbc.ca, 16 Nov 2023) Additional Info: LEARNING THE SPORT She played standing volleyball before and after her accident and says it took time to learn to love sitting volleyball. "I Googled it and I thought, 'Well, that looks weird. That does not look fun at all. I don't know if I'll like this. Sitting on the ground, how do you get on top of the ball?' The first time I tried it, it was almost faster and harder. I liked that about it. It was more of a challenge. When I first started sitting, I liked standing more, because I knew the game better. But now, I definitely like sitting more." (worldparavolley.org, 01 Jan 2018) OTHER ACTIVITIES She has been an ambassador for Canadian non-profit organisation The War Amps, which supports people with limb deficiencies. In 2018 the mayor of Melfort in Saskatchewan, Canada, presented her with a Certificate of Appreciation, recognising her involvement within her community as a safety ambassador with The War Amps programme. (paralympic.ca, 01 Feb 2020)