Professional soccer player Carson Prickett became the first player with a limb difference to compete in the U.S. Women’s National team last week.
Prickett was born without her left forearm and hand. The athlete has spoken about her confidence in herself on her social media platforms, especially throughout April which is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.
In an Instagram post she said, “While I know that I am confident and comfortable with showing my arm, I know there are so many people in the world who aren’t. The feeling of being different and the anxiety of not fitting in is something that I have been through.”
The defender stayed on the field for the full 90 minutes, and it was the 28 year old’s first time as a starting player.
The United States won their game against Columbia 2-0.
Prickett has been a professional athlete for nearly eight years. After college, she went to the NWSL in Seattle, and later she played for Australia’s W-League with Brisbane Roar, according to The Guardian.
It's ALWAYS cool when people have the chance to look up to someone who's just like them 🙌 https://t.co/rlKsCb9aoy pic.twitter.com/chWxlmRNRX — TOGETHXR (@togethxr) June 22, 2022
She has proved to be a role model for young children who also have limb differences. Prickett called her experience playing with the U.S. team a “dream come true” and her win “the best night of [her] life,” on Twitter.
19 June 2022; Ellen Keane with her silver medal as she arrived home from the IPC Para Swimming World Championships 2022 at Dublin Airport in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Prominent Irish athlete Ellen Keane was also born without part of her left arm. She was Ireland’s youngest athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games in 2008, where she swam the 100M breaststroke. She placed 6th at just 13 years old, according to Paralympics.ie.
When Keane was on the show Dancing with the Stars, she shared how she maintains her confidence.
“Be with people who are the same person with you, whether you succeed or fail. Sometimes that means you have to walk away from people you love, but it’s for your own growth. You have to do what’s best for you,” Keane told Irish Mirror.
Keane won gold in her 100M breaststroke in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. Recently, she won silver at the World Championships.
Now, Keane is preparing for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
