Tokyo 2020 Paralympian Siobhan Fitzpatrick believes The National Lottery’s ‘Play Your Way’ campaign is instrumental in inspiring the next generation of para-athletes.

The wheelchair basketball player was back with her old club The Warwickshire Cubs, who have been supported by National Lottery funding, to join an inclusive session and show the impact of grassroots sport for disabled young people.

Taking to the court during the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Fitzpatrick hailed the initiative which aims to highlight the vital role child-first coaches play in helping disabled children and young people have positive and enjoyable experiences of sport.

Fitzpatrick noted how her own experience of sport as a child was hindered due to the barriers she encountered, and it was not until she found para sport through a National Lottery-funded initiative that she was able to soar to the heights of a Paralympian.

"It’s a very common story for a lot of disabled children that when you reach senior school, exposure and being able to be included in sport is very difficult," she said.

"It wasn't a case that my school didn't want to include me, they just didn't know how to as there was no education about how to have that coaching conversation.

"I think that's why this campaign of 'Play Their Way' and putting children’s coaching first is so important.

"It wasn't until I took part in another National Lottery campaign when that I found para sport and fell in love with wheelchair basketball.

"I never even thought I could ever achieve going to the Paralympics, but it gave me that opportunity."

The National Lottery raises more than £30M every week which supports Good Causes, including elite Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes who have been competing in Paris and providing the grassroots facilities, coaches, and support to inspire young people in the UK.

Play Your Way puts the child first, which Fitzpatrick perceived as a key aspect to coaching at grassroots level, allowing for greater adaptability depending on a child’s disability.

"The campaign has a massive focus on child first coaching” she said.

"It's essential within disability sport, especially when you have a mixture of impairments, a mix of everybody, for disabled young people to come together and be able to find their way in sport.

"I'm just so glad to see that The National Lottery is really focused on grassroots sport as well as elite sport. They know the importance of being able to get young people into sports."

Fitzpatrick helped ParalympicsGB clinch a seventh-place finish at Tokyo 2020.

Britain’s women’s basketball team are now hoping to win a historic first Paralympic medal in Paris and Fitzpatrick was in no doubt that they can achieve the long-awaited dream.

"We have a World Championship silver medal and have a European medal, but the Paralympic one is the one we want to add," she said.

"This group of women genuinely can be the first team that do it.

"They are playing with so much heart and attack and have produced some of the best battle I've ever seen them play, which is really exciting."

Thanks to National Lottery players our Olympic & Paralympic athletes are supported to live their dreams and make the nation proud. With more than £30M a week raised for Good Causes, The National Lottery has enabled Great Britain to become a global force in Wheelchair Basketball and has provided more opportunities for people inspired to take part in the sport. For details visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk.