Name: Kaitlyn
Age: 18
Team: Phoenix Allstars- Team England AAA
Position: I am a wheelchair user base
Cheerleading Goal: I eventually want to do some sort of coaching in cheerleading so that I can pass the message along that all disabilities can be adapted to a sport that people love.
Instagram name :KaitlynParfrey

How many years have you been Cheering?
4 years

Which team are you a part of or have you been previously a part of?
Phoenix Allstars is the club I attended and over the past couple of years I have participated in the teams smoke and wildfire and now team England

Have you been to Worlds before?
No, I have never been to worlds before, this will be my first time.

What’s your favourite Cheer memory so far?
My favourite cheer memories so far would be competitions.

This is because all of the pressure on our teams all just goes away at competitions we all let go and have fun with each other. Whether this is dancing after the rewards or going out for food with each other after.

Favourite skills e.g. cheer stunt, tumble or dance move.
There are certain skills in cheerleading that aren’t allowed to be done in Adaptive Abilities cheer, this is because it can be more dangerous for a wheelchair user to catch a stunt over the top of them. This is skills like baskets, ball ups and anything that a wheelchair user has to catch on them. So my favourite stunts that we currently do are full ups, switch ups and things that are harder to do.

What does Adaptive Abilities Cheerleading mean for you?
Being a wheelchair user since I was 2 years of age meant that lots of opportunities others had I was unable to participate in. Finding a club that took into account my disability and adapting routines so that I can be included means a lot to me. Phoenix has opened a lot of doors that previously would have been inaccessible. I enjoyed watching cheer and seeing others participate in it before I even knew it was possible for me so knowing that something I already loved to watch is something I can do, is amazing.

How did you get involved in Adaptive Abilities Cheer?
I was looking for a sport that I could be a part of for a while and someone that was already part of one of the other teams reached out to me saying that an adaptive abilities team was starting in Phoenix and that I should try out.
Are there any stunts/technique or training adaptations you make which you find especially interesting?
In adaptive abilities, adapting stunts and different techniques can sometimes be quite tricky as there are some ways that work for some and not for others. So finding the different ways that you need to adapt techniques to your group to make a stunt work is really interesting

Why did you want to try out for this team?
I wanted to try out for this team to show others that may think the same as me with regards to cheer being inaccessible. I would like to show others out there that anything can be achieved as well as challenging myself to better myself in a sport I love.

What was it like when you attended try-outs for Team England AAA?
Tryouts were really fun but challenging, there was a really good supportive environment which helped me feel included.

What will you miss about Team England AAA and why?
I will miss the team mostly and everyone involved with our training sessions, although we all work really hard during the training sessions we also make sure that we all have fun. That is what I will miss most, everyone being together and working together towards something we all love but having the best time whilst doing it.

What does it mean to you to represent your country?
Being able to represent my country is a massive achievement and something I will never forget

What does Worlds mean to you?
Worlds is a massive accomplishment, to be able to show everyone how much our team has pushed ourselves to get to the place we are today is an amazing feeling. Being able to show the world on a bigger stage how adaptive abilities can be just as enjoyable and competitive as normal cheer is incredible.

What are you most excited to experience at Worlds 2023 other than competing?
Other than competing at worlds I am most looking forward to bonding with the rest of the team and everyone involved in worlds. I’m looking forward to the atmosphere along with meeting people of all nationalities.

Name a team from the United Kingdom and internationally that you are most excited to watch and explain why?
I am really excited to watch Senior Elite because I enjoy seeing what range of techniques and the variety of routines that take place.

Are there any other AA teams you’re excited to watch?
I am excited to watch all of the AA teams to see the different techniques they use to adapt the skills and generally just to support them internationally as they have all worked towards the same thing.

Name a quote that keeps you motivated.
A quote that really keeps me motivated is “ Know your limits, but never stop trying to break them. “ This quote keeps me motivated because it demonstrates that you should try your best in everything you do.
Share something that makes you happy
Being around friends/ family and always laughing is really important to me as well as helping and supporting others around me makes me happy.

What advice would you give to someone who was scared to try-out for Team England this year?
If you’re scared of trying out for team England this year, just remember that you’re trying out for something that you love. You would be supported by so many other athletes around you that are all working towards the same goal and want to support you in the best way they can. It also helps boost your confidence so much as you push yourself to be out of your comfort zone.

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