We are delighted that Kayla has joined our BRIT Ambassador family. Kayla is a Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball European Champion and World Championship medallist.
“Having experienced mental health challenges and living with a disability all my life, I am passionate about the importance of supporting and improving young adult mental health and fitness. As a former student, and having studied psychology at the University of Worcester, I appreciate the importance of students receiving timely support and access to vital services when they need it.
I feel honoured to be joining the BRIT Ambassador family; especially at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is compounding existing mental health challenges faced by many young adults and students, including feelings of loneliness, isolation and depression.
BRIT are determined to support and improve the mental health, wellbeing and fitness of all young adults and students in the UK; their annual BRIT Challenge is an exciting opportunity that every UK university and college can embrace for the benefit of all their students and staff.
As a disabled athlete, I know the importance of feeling part of a team and being treated as an equal. The BRIT 2021 Challenge is inclusive and has been designed so that young adults and students of all abilities can take part in many different ways; at home or on campus.
BRIT are delivering inspiration and encouragement to students and young adults by inviting Olympians, Paralympians and sports personalities to unite and join their BRIT Ambassador family. I will encourage as many of my fellow current and retired athletes to join me and support a university or college of their choice in order to encourage their students and staff to enter teams and take on the BRIT Challenge.. I look forward to supporting students and staff at the University of Worcester should they enter teams in the BRIT 2021 Challenge.”
Kayla is a 1.5 point Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball player and began playing at the age of nine after she was introduced to the game by a teaching assistant. She initially played for the Thames Valley Kings and represented the team in the U15 and U19 competitions in the Lord Taverners Junior League. Kayla went on to represent the South East region in the National Junior Championships, England South in the National School games championships and played for the Sheffield Steelers before moving to Coventry Wheelchair Basketball Academy (CWBA). In 2016, Kayla was part of the Great Britain U25 Women’s team that won the first ever U25 European title. In 2018 she helped them retain the title. She also competed at the 2019 World U25 Championships in Thailand where the team won bronze.
Between 2014 and 2017, Kayla completed her Bachelor’s degree in Business Psychology at the University of Worcester. She received support from Britain’s Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Kayla then played for the Great Britain Women’s Senior team at the Osaka Cup in Japan. Kayla’s first major tournament was the 2018 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. The Great Britain team won silver and it was the best ever performance of the Women’s team.
In 2019 she was selected to represent the team in Rotterdam, Netherlands for the European Championship where they claimed silver, again the best performance at a Europeans. To learn more about Wheelchair Basketball. Please visit the British Wheelchair Basketball website.