Teen achieves sporting dreams after years of doubt

A teenager with cerebral palsy thought she would never be able to play a team sport is now getting ready to play in the Para World Cup.

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A teenager with cerebral palsy thought she would never be able to play a team sport is now getting ready to play in the Para World Cup.

Karina Grigorian was born with cerebral palsy, which predominantly impacts her right side, which can make things that many Aussies take for granted — such as holding a pen — incredibly difficult.

She never felt like there was a place in sport because of her disability, even though football was particularly ingrained in her family due to her father’s love of it.

“I was never really encouraged to play it as much as my older siblings were,” she said.

“I really hated it to begin with. You watch soccer on TV and it’s so fun and vibrant and then you’re playing on a Sunday with girls you don’t really know.

“With my cerebral palsy to behind with it was hard to feel like I fit in. I didn’t have friends on the team and it was so exhausting.”

Karina grew up with a father who adored soccer. Picture: Supplied

But, in 2014, Cerebal Palsy Alliance held a football camp and everything change for the teenager. She quickly fell in love and started going twice a month.

It was there that Grigorian met Tahlia Blanshard, who was trying out for Paralympic swimming. The pair kept in touch and then two years ago Blanshard asked her if she wanted to go to a football NSW women’s training.

“I thought I would just kick a ball around. I loved football but I never really thought I could play in a team,” the university student said.

“The assistant coach of the ParaMatildas was there and asked if I wanted to come to Queensland to play in the ParaNationals.”

Grigorian was in Year 12 and the Para Nationals was on the same weekend as her school formal. She made both work, getting her high school rite of passage and sporting dreams accomplished at the same time.

She never thought she could play team sports due to her cerebral palsy. Picture: Supplied

Her parents, who are from Soviet Russia pushed education first so when Grigorian was invited to a training camp she had to turn it down.

But, in 2023, they called her up to the ParaMatilda’s training camp once again. She kept progressing and soon she was asked to play in Japan and the Asian Cup.

The teenager is now constantly training for the World Cup.

She still remembers the first of three games in Japan, where she didn’t play but got to see the National Anthem on the bench.

“I couldn’t stop thinking, ‘is this real right now?’ I’m literally seeing the Australian national anthem in my jersey on the bench with the coolest people. It was all so surreal,” she said.

Grigorian tied on her boots and played in the second match, even scoring a goal for her team and country.

She is now set to represent Australia in the World Cup. Picture: Supplied

Now, she and the team are training for the World Cup.

“In 2023, everything fell into place. I was invited by my friend to train at the camp and the coach was there. It happened so naturally,” she said.

“Now I am really feeling deep down how much I want to make it. I just want to be an avid player. I am training constantly.”

Another reason she is so proud to play in the Australian team is getting to wear her last name on her jersey.

“My parents migrated from Soviet Russia. Having an opportunity where their child who has a disability can shine and make a name for herself and make her parents proud, I think that is something that is so amazing,” she said.

“In Australia we have a platform where people with disabilities can shine within sports is something incredible.”

She said for others who are like her, the key message is you can do anything you want.

Cerebral Palsy Alliance is the global leader in cerebral palsy research and treatment. CPA offers a range of sporting programs to suit all skill levels and interests. Visit cerebralpalsy.org.au to find out more