The Canadian Baton Twirling Championships are set to begin this weekend, and a young athlete from New Brunswick is inspiring athletes headed to the competition with her remarkable comeback.
“It has been really hard,” said Janie Ouellette of Dieppe, N.B., who is a twirler with Baton Atlantik set to compete at the national in Edmonton.
Ouellette has faced a whirlwind of struggles over the past two years. Born with a condition known as 3M syndrome, which causes dwarfism, the 15-year-old underwent multiple leg surgeries.
“The first surgery was about a recovery for about six months. It was to straighten my leg because it was not straight,” said Ouellette.
Following her surgeries, Ouellette faced uncertainty about whether she would ever twirl again. Her coach and the owner of Baton Atlantik, Brenda Arsenault Leblanc, said the journey took an emotional and physical toll on Ouellette, who has had a passion for twirling since she was seven years old.
“We had to try to find a way for her to not let go of the sport because it really dampened her spirit,” said Arsenault LeBlanc.
Ouellette, however, is not a stranger to working hard to achieve her goals. With the guidance of her coach, she transformed her frustration into motivation, dedicating months to rebuilding her physical and mental strength.
She was “very, very focused,” said her coach.
Her determination has inspired her teammates, who rallied around her during her fight back to the baton.
“I think that it is really inspiring that she was able to just come back from it and be better than ever,” said Elora Wheaton, a fellow twirler.
Following her surgeries, Ouellette faced uncertainty about whether she would ever twirl again. Her coach emphasized the profound emotional impact this had on the young athlete.
“It is really, really cool to see her come back from the surgeries and be OK and still have a positive attitude around everything,” she said.
Ouellette said she still has “a little bit of hurt here and there, but it is normal.”
“I am always going to have pain. But it is not that bad,” Ouellette said.
Regardless of the outcomes at the nationals, Ouellette is already considered a champion in the eyes of her teammates.