Categories: All - stereotypes - achievements - advocacy - perseverance

by Paula Silva 5 years ago

173

WHAT MAKES ME UNIQUE

Embracing perseverance and discipline, a determined individual challenges societal stereotypes through rugby. As a proud player in Bogotá's rugby league and Javeriana's female rugby team, they defy medical prognosis and continue to break barriers.

WHAT MAKES ME UNIQUE

My ability to know that I can go beyond the standards MAKES ME UNIQUE.

¡Rugby breaks stereotypes!

WHAT MAKES ME UNIQUE

MY CHILDHOOD AND THE MEDICAL PROGNOSIS

They told me that I would never be able to do high exigency exercises due to my deficit in cerebral oxygenation
The doctors recommended me to do exercises /sports of low or medium demand
For me it was very difficult to perform any type of exercise because I frequently fainted
When I was 7 years old I was diagnosed with syncope
Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness usually related to insufficient blood flow to the brain.

PAAULA - Pase au Large-

Passe au Large is a French association that promotes women's rugby in Latin America. The foundation aims to have a group of women going to France representing Bogotá and also being ambassadors of rugby in Colombia. However, this goal is difficult to achieve because of the stereotypes imposed by society that rugby is not a sport for women. In addition we don't have the economic support of the country or the city even though we are representing them internationally with this initiative. ¡But we will achieve it!

MY PROJECTS

SPORTS
To get the project "PAAULA - Pase au large-" forward and promote women's rugby around the world
PERSONAL
To graduate from university as a lawyer and get a scholarship at the University of Salamanca to continue my studies

MY TEAMS, MY FAMILY.

LEARNINGS
Many people think that rugby is just a wild and rough sport. But this sport and my team have taught me values of life that they do not teach you in college. I have learned the value of teamwork and what it means to leave the heart on the court for the girl who is playing next to me, who is my team, my family. I don't win the matches by myself, they are won by 7 brave, empowered and mentally strong women who stand on the field to defend our university and our city. I feel very proud to be one of those 7 women who show that rugby is not a sport only for men, and that it is not just a sport of blows.
ACHIEVEMENTS
We are the current district and regional rugby champions, and have been for several consecutive years. We have represented Bogotá and Cundinamarca in the national annual games. This year that national championship is based in Barranquilla, for which we are officially classified once again.

¿HOW DID I OVERCOME THE MEDICAL PROGNOSIS?

Nowadays I am a proud player of the Bogotá's rugby league and the Javeriana's female rugby team