The first Tuesday of each month, we interview someone from Charlotte Latin Athletics with twenty questions to help the CLS community get to know some of our athletes, coaches, and supporters a bit better.
 
This month, meet Elle McFall, a seventh grade student in her second year at Latin who has embraced opportunities in the arts and athletics, exemplifying the traits of a curious learner and humble collaborator. A stand-out on the cheer squad for her energy, encouragement of others, and her height, Elle is also a resilient navigator of life with Marfan syndrome – a genetic condition that affects the body's connective tissue. With the support of her family, including her mom, Lea Fitzpatrick, Director of Giving in the Philanthropy office, Elle is learning to advocate for herself while introducing others to the signs of Marfan syndrome and the importance of early diagnosis. Read on to learn more about Elle in this month's Tuesday 20.
 
1. This is your second year as a Hawk. What brought you to Charlotte Latin?
We moved to Charlotte during Covid, but before that both my dad and my stepdad were in the military so we moved around a lot. I went to McAlpine Elementary for second through fifth grades, but since my mom was working here, I decided that I wanted go here for sixth grade.
 
2. How was the transition to a new school?
It's been great. I love all of my teachers and my friends, and everyone was super welcoming. I started cheer before school began and I met a lot of people through that.
 
3. What has been your favorite class (or classes) so far?
I really like history, both with Ms. Bullock last year and Mr. Hutchins this year. I like teachers that have a lot of energy and Mr. Hutchins is really fun.
 
4. What has been your most challenging class?
Math has been the most challenging because it's definitely not my best subject, but I've gotten better about prioritizing it and I love my teacher. I have Mrs. Korkowski and she's amazing. She kind of adopted me last year because I was new and I'm so happy to have her again this year.
 
5. Other than athletics, what extracurricular activities have you tried at Latin?
I take band and play drums. Well, percussion. I don't like the mallets, but I enjoyed playing jingle bells last year at the holiday concert and I like playing traditional snare. I also did the musical and the play last year and plan to do that again. I'm also thinking about trying dance team this year.
 
6. Did you enjoy being in both Middle School productions last year?
Yes! Last year's musical was Elf and I played Doug, a policeman. It was a really humbling experience because it was a small part but it was really nice just to be with everyone. The play was Wind in the Willows and I ended up as the train driver, which was a more important character. It was definitely challenging but also really fun. I'm looking forward to Matilda, Jr. and Treasure Island this year.
 
7. What has been your sports journey leading up to your current involvement in MS cheer?
I did dance when I was two up until Middle School. I stopped because I thought it might be too much when starting a new school. I feel like everybody does baby soccer, and in sixth grade I did Talons basketball with Coach Nikki and that was really fun. But in basketball, there are so many things going on at once and I didn't have that kind of coordination. With cheer, there are very specific movements to do at specific times and I take it very seriously.
 
8. Has your knowledge of football grown through your involvement in cheer?  
I watch the college football teams that my parents went to and my stepdad grew up in Green Bay, so we cheer very hard for the Packers. I knew the basics but I definitely understand it more now and have gotten a lot more into the games. Coach Chapman makes sure we understand the scoring and that we know what to do when the team is on defense versus offense. It's also important to understand the tone of the game. When it's not going well on the field, we know the guys are trying their best and it's important to try to keep them motivated. It helps to see the smiles and pride from the cheer parents in the stands too.
 
9. How did you first discover that you had Marfan syndrome?  
When I was three or four, we found out through a screening that I didn't have the best eyesight. When I went to the eye doctor, we found out that I needed glasses, but also that I had a displaced lens in one of my eyes. The doctor knew that it could be a symptom of Marfan syndrome, particularly combined with some of my physical characteristics, and suggested I get checked. My mom is one of those people that researches a lot and she had actually read about it. We went to a specialist and took the test, and I saw a cardiologist who determined that I have an enlarged aorta, which is another symptom. I got the glasses and I started medication, which doesn't shrink my aorta but helps slow the growth.
 
10. What are some of the long-term concerns for people living with Marfan syndrome?    
The biggest concerns for me are if my aorta continues to grow and if my eye lens continues to dislocate. Eventually, I may have to have heart surgery, or possibly eye surgery. It's kind of hard to wrap my head around even now, but I've started to understand more how it all works. Honestly, it does worry me, but it is not in the near future and I have a great team of doctors to help me through.
 
11. How has living with Marfan syndrome impacted you?
It doesn't really impact my day-to-day life. The glasses, the medicine – I've had those as long as I can remember so it's normal for me. Obviously, I'm very tall, which comes up in conversation quite a bit. My hands are large. I can't go on certain roller coasters and I can't play contact sports. My mom says I can do anything I put my mind to, we just have to figure out how to do it properly. I went to a camp this year for kids who have connective tissue conditions and made some of my best friends there. There is a great sense of community and understanding.
 
12. What would you like people to know about Marfan syndrome?
I would just like more people to know about it. A lot of people who have it aren't diagnosed and it can be very serious. People in the medical field should be educated about it and know what to look for. Nurse Greathouse and my coaches know about it, and some of my friends know I have it but don't know the details.  (Click here to learn more about Marfan syndrome.)
 
13. Alright, let's finish with some easy questions. Do you have any siblings?
Yes, I have three little brothers. My parents split up but happily and they both remarried, so there's Thomas who is in first grade here at Latin. Then there's Henry, who's five, and Samuel, who's two.
 
14. Do you have any pets?
Yes, two dogs. A dachshund named Dolly, who's one, and a labradoodle named Lucy, who's seven. Dad named her Lucy because he wanted to be able to say "Lucy, you got some splainin' to do."
 
15. What has been your favorite vacation so far?
I went to Paris with my mom and two of her best friends to see Taylor Swift and it was really fun. We had lunch with friends and went to really pretty churches and we had crookie, which is like a croissant with cookie dough inside and it was so good.
 
16. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?  
I would want to be able to teleport. I could get to class in two seconds, so I would always be on time. And I have the travel bug, so that would allow me to go anywhere I wanted.
 
17. So if time and money were no issue, and you could teleport, where would you travel?
I would do a big tour of the world. Before we came to Charlotte, we moved a lot, but we've been here for six years and now I want to go places.
 
18. If you could have one real-life ability that you don't currently possess, what would it be?
I wish I could tumble. I have never been able to do a cartwheel or a handstand.
 
19. What's the best thing so far about being a Latin Hawk?
The community. The people.
 
20.  Is there anyone who inspires you or serves as a role model?
My family. The people that surround me on a day-to-day basis. Everyday superheroes, like my parents, my family, my friends, my teachers, and people like doctors who make the world a better place.