Committee Profile – Pippa Wauthier

I have been a member of the DSA for 10 years. I work as a teacher of the deaf, and have Cartilage Hair Hypoplasia which was diagnosed when I was 4 years old. I spent my childhood living in Cambridge. Both my parents are average height and quite sporty so encouraged me to be active.

I left home at 18 for Manchester University where I trained as a teacher for the deaf. I‟ve always been interested in team sports, I loved rounders and hockey and made the school teams for both. I also played hockey for Manchester University Ladies 2 nd Team.

I learnt to swim at 9 years old, with help from a local pool and swimming became a sport I adore and do on a regular basis. Growing up in Cambridge cycling was also something I enjoy, I‟ve taken my bike around the world even to Vancouver, I‟ve enjoyed cycling holidays in the Loire Valley and also in Brittany. On a holiday to Austria, I found a passion for skiing and went on to get my ski instructors qualification during a season in Vermont, my weekends were spent on the local mountains teaching on a disabled ski programme.

Settling back in the UK in 2002 I joined the DSA and love meeting up regularly with others to enjoy sport on a level playing field. I especially enjoy the table tennis, badminton and ladies football, but cycling and swimming will always be my favourite. I have attended the World Dwarf Games three times and have entered many National Games, 4 Nations Badminton and also the European Games in 2007.

In 2008 I threw the qualifying distance at the DSA games and was invited to compete at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester. It was an amazing experience, and I was very nervous, I did my best but came last. Still it was a great honour to be selected and a memory I will treasure forever.

I now have a husband and toddler to keep me busy as well as a new job. We are based in Warwick and are supporting the West Midlands Region in setting up lots of activities and sports. I have joined the DSA committee because I know how important sport has been to my life and health. The DSA is a small charity that makes a big difference to many lives. I hope to be able to support the great work that it does so that it can continue to offer access to sports for all its members. Sports are such a fun way to staying healthy