Help Deja Get Family To Rio 2016
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DEJA YOUNG will be representing the U.S. Paralympics Team in Rio 2016!
1st –The importance of the Paralympics vs The Olympics – The Paralympics is the 2nd largest sporting event in the world to the Olympics. It is for athletes with physical impairments and has existed for more than 100 years. These athletes aren’t any less talented or less of an athlete because of their impairment. In many cases, if put on the same level, the competition would be very close to the same.
2nd – The Paralympic athletes receive all the benefits as the Olympic athletes. i.e.: the uniforms, housing, travel and hotel expenses, USA team gear, etc…
Deja’s Story - Deja was injured during birth with a shoulder dystocia. Basically, it’s were the baby’s shoulder muscles and nerves were torn during delivery. Currently, it’s an injury that only us, as parents, recognize because we know that it is there. She had some amazing doctors to perform surgeries at ages 16 months, 3-1/2, and 6 years old. It never slowed her down.
In middle school, when Deja started participating in sports, the coaches counted her out before they could see what she was capable of. That frustrated the entire family. However, Deja pushed through it by proving her capabilities. She was shot down in basketball and lost any love for the game because of the criticism. She was put on the ‘B’ teams when she deserved to be put on the ‘A’ teams in volleyball even though she was one of the few overhand serving and the only one that was spiking. She was spiking and serving so hard that no one could return either. But, because she didn’t use both arms equally, she was looked at as handicapped. THEN track season came around. There were tough moments throughout her entire childhood but as a family, we made it seem as if it was nothing. We dealt with issues as they came and moved on. We never let her think that she was less capable than anyone. We’ve battled with principles, coaches, other parents and teammates. We let people know that she was not asking for special consideration but we were not going to accept anything less than fair. There was an instance when once of the coaches told her head coach that she would never go any further than high school sports because of her arm. There were times when we would be sitting in the stands at sporting events and we would over-hear other students or parents talking about her. We confronted each situation. We would let them know that her arm wasn’t holding her back. We would tell them to watch and pay attention. 99% of the time, they would be cheering with amazement for her by the end of the event.
She jokes about her arm as her golden goose all the time. What seemed to be heartbreaking in the beginning turned into a blessing. She knows that if it were not for her arm, there is a great possibility that she wouldn’t have had all the opportunities that she has had. Not because she has gotten special treatment but because she has been introduced to a different level. She has always been an over-achiever. She is self-motivated. She goes over and above and everything that she does. She works out on her own. She doesn’t take shortcuts. She realizes the opportunities that she has been given and appreciates them. More so…she deserves the world.
Currently, she is the world champion in the 100m and is ranked 2nd in the world in the 200m.
We’ve always managed to travel and support her. We didn’t make it to Doha, Qatar but fortunately, she has an amazing uncle who literally went to the ends of the earth to support her. We are asking for your support to enable us to go to Rio 2016 to support Deja and her much deserved teammates. Please give what you can and anything is greatly appreciated. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED!!!
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
1st –The importance of the Paralympics vs The Olympics – The Paralympics is the 2nd largest sporting event in the world to the Olympics. It is for athletes with physical impairments and has existed for more than 100 years. These athletes aren’t any less talented or less of an athlete because of their impairment. In many cases, if put on the same level, the competition would be very close to the same.
2nd – The Paralympic athletes receive all the benefits as the Olympic athletes. i.e.: the uniforms, housing, travel and hotel expenses, USA team gear, etc…
Deja’s Story - Deja was injured during birth with a shoulder dystocia. Basically, it’s were the baby’s shoulder muscles and nerves were torn during delivery. Currently, it’s an injury that only us, as parents, recognize because we know that it is there. She had some amazing doctors to perform surgeries at ages 16 months, 3-1/2, and 6 years old. It never slowed her down.
In middle school, when Deja started participating in sports, the coaches counted her out before they could see what she was capable of. That frustrated the entire family. However, Deja pushed through it by proving her capabilities. She was shot down in basketball and lost any love for the game because of the criticism. She was put on the ‘B’ teams when she deserved to be put on the ‘A’ teams in volleyball even though she was one of the few overhand serving and the only one that was spiking. She was spiking and serving so hard that no one could return either. But, because she didn’t use both arms equally, she was looked at as handicapped. THEN track season came around. There were tough moments throughout her entire childhood but as a family, we made it seem as if it was nothing. We dealt with issues as they came and moved on. We never let her think that she was less capable than anyone. We’ve battled with principles, coaches, other parents and teammates. We let people know that she was not asking for special consideration but we were not going to accept anything less than fair. There was an instance when once of the coaches told her head coach that she would never go any further than high school sports because of her arm. There were times when we would be sitting in the stands at sporting events and we would over-hear other students or parents talking about her. We confronted each situation. We would let them know that her arm wasn’t holding her back. We would tell them to watch and pay attention. 99% of the time, they would be cheering with amazement for her by the end of the event.
She jokes about her arm as her golden goose all the time. What seemed to be heartbreaking in the beginning turned into a blessing. She knows that if it were not for her arm, there is a great possibility that she wouldn’t have had all the opportunities that she has had. Not because she has gotten special treatment but because she has been introduced to a different level. She has always been an over-achiever. She is self-motivated. She goes over and above and everything that she does. She works out on her own. She doesn’t take shortcuts. She realizes the opportunities that she has been given and appreciates them. More so…she deserves the world.
Currently, she is the world champion in the 100m and is ranked 2nd in the world in the 200m.
We’ve always managed to travel and support her. We didn’t make it to Doha, Qatar but fortunately, she has an amazing uncle who literally went to the ends of the earth to support her. We are asking for your support to enable us to go to Rio 2016 to support Deja and her much deserved teammates. Please give what you can and anything is greatly appreciated. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED!!!
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
Organizer
Delora Young
Organizer
Mesquite, TX
