mentor rather than inspiration . To me inspiration is an overused word in our community . I have gone through massive swings of identity , worth , confidence and ability since getting hurt . I don ’ t claim to be a mentor either . I ’ m just doing the best I can and what feels right . Over these past 16 years in a chair , I ’ ve watched others lead a life of happiness while I struggled daily and a lot of times , hourly . It ’ s taken so many years of fighting to get back who I was and to truly lead a life of laughter and love and that ’ s all you want for people . I ’ m thankful for each day that I get to learn , create memories , travel , love deeply and laugh ridiculously hard .
AfA : What is your proudest accomplishment to date ?
Tara : You might be looking for a sport-related answer to this question , but for me it might just be moving to Canada with no real support system other than my ex . I had all my friends from before my injury , my mom , my family , and had just started to cultivate a great support crew of friends in the disabled community and then I moved . I think having those friends in the disabled community was almost the most important because they were the first group of people back at home that I could talk to about anything and everything and I knew they KNEW exactly what I was going through . I needed that the most right in that moment . In the end and after a lot of difficult years I was able to find myself all over again here in the Great White North .
AfA : What can we expect to see from you in the next year ?
Tara : In 2023 , we have two majors — which isn ’ t normal . We usually only have one major . A major is either a World Championships , ParaPan Am Games or Paralympics . Because Tokyo 2020 was pushed to 2021 we now have two majors in one year . The World Championships in Dubai in June determine how many spots a zone will get in the Paralympics . A zone is the Americas , Europe , Africa and Asia / Oceania . So , you want your zone to place well at Worlds .
The second major we have are the ParaPan Ams in November in Chile . This is big ; the top two teams that place at this event go to the Paralympics . If you place third , you don ’ t go . It ’ s a big year for us with a lot of travel so I ’ ll either be on a plane , training or at home sleeping . Lol .
AfA : What advice would you give to your younger self ?
Tara : To enjoy every moment . Enjoy the little things you get to do with your teammates . Enjoy the wins , the losses and the ridiculous moments in between — because you don ’ t get those back . I have a much better understanding of that now , but it ’ s taken me a long time to appreciate them . It ’ s hard when you have a goal in front of you and that is all you see . Sometimes that hinders you from seeing the present . I ’ m thankful now that I focus on the present .
AfA : What message would you like to share with the world about the importance of inclusivity and the power of sports to unite people ?
Tara : I believe wheelchair basketball to be the most inclusive para sport out of any para sport . The reason for that is because we allow minimally disabled people to play . What that means is that people that have knee , hip or ankle injuries that deem them unable to play stand-up basketball to be classifiable . If they are classified in our sport they can play at the national level . These are players that would have most likely never found wheelchair basketball . They are players that can walk but can ’ t play ablebodied sport . We as everyday wheelchair users and amputees get to show them what our everyday looks like . It ’ s a second hand look at the struggles of everyday life and travel . What better way to spread that word ?!
54 Accessibilty for All