She Can Athletes

#FHCSheCan Stories are an opportunity for Field Hockey Canada to showcase the amazing things that girls and women do in this sport. By featuring some of the inspiring stories of women within our community, we can motivate and empower girls to stay involved and keep playing.

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#FHCSHECAN ATHLETE STORIES – JPAC REFLECTIONS

In August 2021, The Junior Women’s National Team claimed first place at the Junior Pan American Championships, qualifying them for the 2021 Junior World Cup.  A historic accomplishment, this team has become the first Canadian Outdoor Team to accomplish this feat, the following are stories and reflections from the women involved in this success.

Rebecca Carvalho (She/Her); Caledon, ONT, University of Toronto, MF.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing field hockey at the age of seven; playing both outdoor and indoor field hockey for Toronto Titans Field Hockey Club. At the age of thirteen, I made Team Ontario for the first time and thereafter played for Ontario for seven years in the U16, U18, and U23 age groups. I was invited to numerous National Talent Identification Camps during the outdoor season and finally made it onto the Junior Development Squad (now called NextGen) at the age of 16 and have been on a couple of tours with the Junior National Team to Ireland and USA. I also played in the recently concluded Junior Pan American Championship, where our team qualified for the 2021 Junior World Cup in South Africa and won gold! As for indoor field hockey, I have been a part of the Indoor National Team since 2017 and had the privilege to play the Indoor Pan American Cup in 2017 and 2021. Upon placing 2nd at the tournament in 2021, we earned a spot to the 2022 Indoor World Cup in Belgium!

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
The most memorable moment from JPAC was seconds before we qualified for the Junior World Cup in our semi-final game against Chile. During the last quarter, they were pressing us and applying a lot of pressure and we were trying to keep possession and move the ball, all while staying composed. Towards the end of the fourth quarter, I remember looking at the clock and thinking only five more minutes, we’ve got this. There were a few seconds left on the clock, I threw an aerial and just as the ball dropped, the final horn went off ending the game. As I was sprinting to join the rest of the team, I remember thinking, we did it.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
If I could describe JPAC in one word it would be ‘process’. We knew our end goal, to qualify for the Junior World Cup which meant we had to come top 3 in the tournament. But to get there we knew we had to stick to the process, meaning when we played each match, we weren’t thinking about the next match, our attention was solely on that game. And in every match, we played minute by minute, quarter by quarter. By following the process, not only did we achieve our goal, but we surpassed it and claimed the championship title! We really proved to ourselves and others that Canada is a force to be reckoned with and I am excited to see what lies ahead for our team.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
I am looking forward to the selection process and earning my spot on the team headed to the Junior World Cup. My pathway begins with having a strong season with my university team as well as continuing to develop my skills.

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
The advice I would give to my younger self/other girls wanting to follow in my footsteps is to embrace every opportunity that comes your way and make the most of every minute you are out on the field. And when things get tough, just remember why you love the sport.

Thora Rae (She/Her); Vancouver, BC, UBC, Striker.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started field hockey playing for the Vancouver Hawkes as a young athlete in spring league. As my love for the sport grew, I played regional training, high school fh, and did extra trainings. I spent my summers playing for team BC where I was identified to attend junior national team camps. Since my first junior national team camp at age 14 in the summer of 2014, I have attended every junior national team camp and tour. It has been a challenging and amazing 7 years of playing for Canada’s junior national team. I’m currently playing my last season of university hockey at UBC and training with the senior national team.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
My most memorable moment from the PanAm games would have to be scoring the backhand shot to give us the win against Argentina and advance to the final. It was after that game that we knew we had qualified Canada for the Junior World Cup and we were all so excited to be able to do that for each other, and for our head coach Patrick who would be able to return to his home country South Africa.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
The main takeaway from the entire JPAC process was that the journey of a group committing and sharing a passion for one goal is the most powerful and unstoppable feeling. The connection and unwavering commitment gave our team so much strength to never lose hope in our collective journey.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
I’m hoping to watch the girls play amazing games at the world cup and as much as I wish I was still eligible to go, I’ll do everything I can to help them get there. [For the Junior World Cup, only athletes born in 2000 or later are eligible to compete, this means Thora, and other athletes born before 2000, will be unable to compete. however, watch out for them on the WNT roster for the upcoming training tour to Chula Vista]

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
The advice I would give is to other athletes would be to enjoy every moment of being a part of teams. No matter what level you are at or what you achieve, you will love the game and grow as a player and individual if you love who you are playing with.

Bronwyn Bird (She/Her); West Vancouver, BC, Dartmouth College, MF.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing field hockey when I was 6 because my entire extended family played as well. In high school, I started focusing on it and played for as many different programs as I could, such as Rob Short Coaching Academy, Field Hockey BC, my high school program, and West Vancouver Field Hockey Club. In grade 10 I played my first tryout camp with Field Hockey Canada, and have been fortunate enough to be practicing and playing with the program ever since.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
My most memorable moment from JPAC was when we won semi-finals, and I gave my teammate Nora Goddard-Despot a hug that lasted even as we walked from the D to the halfway line.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
The main lesson I’m taking away is something I always like to think about but that Patrick really ingrained in us: the importance of getting over the line. Essentially, always working hard to make that final step ahead of Argentina or Chile or Uruguay or whoever we are playing against, because “you can never have a bad game of running” (Patrick said this to us in San Diego last February). Also, I have formed new friendships with girls all over the country that I think will stand the test of time.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
For the rest of Fall 2021, I am playing for my school, Dartmouth College, in Ivy League play. With my team, we hope to have success in both conference and non-conference play. I am super excited to play not only for the chance to compete again, but also because I get to see and play against friends from home that also came to the US to go to school.

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
One piece of advice that I should have listened to when I started playing for Field Hockey Canada is don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This sounds cliche, but I would always get in my head about any mistake that I made during play, because the game pace and pressure was that much higher. But I realize now that making those errors comes as a result of you trying to make yourself better, so remember what you did wrong and learn from it, but don’t beat yourself up over it. That one rep you made a mistake on is one closer to you perfecting it.

Katie Lynes (She/Her); Oakville, Ontario, University of Toronto, Def.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing field hockey for my high school in grade 9. Had previously played rep ice hockey and soccer. Got more serious about it and joined A&C Field Hockey Academy that summer. Made Team Ontario the following summer and was invited to a talent ID Camp. Became a member of NextGen in the summer of 2016. Have been on NextGen ever since and I’ve lucky to train for many years with this team and go on multiple tours (China, Ireland, Belgium etc.)

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
Beating Argentina in pool play. We had a high-pressure second half in a high-pressure game, with Argentina producing lots of offense. We really had to hold together defensively. It was a really special moment when the time finally ran out and we knew we’d not only made the semis, but we’d won our pool- giving us the greatest chance at qualifying for the World Cup. Running into that group hug at the end of the game is something I will not forget.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
I think just that hard work pays off. We were centralized in Vancouver this summer training 6 times a week, working on our skills, our tactics, our fitness, and our connection as a team. This all paid off as we were able to put everything together and get the job done at JPAC.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
I’ve unfortunately aged out of the Junior program so will be unable to compete at the Junior World Cup. I’m currently finishing my degree and playing field hockey at the University of Toronto. Our goal is to make the USports final, so that is my current short-term goal. Looking more long term I would love to continue to play field hockey after my undergrad and fight to crack onto the Women’s National Team Squad. (FHC Note:  Katie will be on the WNT roster for the upcoming training tour to Chula Vista)

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
I think that you should embrace the opportunities given to you and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and put yourself into uncomfortable situations because that is where growth comes from.

Nora Goddard-Despot (She/Her); Vancouver, BC, Providence College, MF

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started field hockey when I was 6 years old, my mom was the one who got me into the sport. She had heard from a family friend that their daughters really enjoyed it so she put me in as well. Field hockey was more of a second sport to soccer for me until I was 15 when I made my first provincial team. That summer and that team was such a positive experience for me that I really fell in field hockey. I was fortunate enough to make JDS that next summer when I was 16 and in the next couple of years during high school, I was selected for a few tours with NextGen. After high school, I went to Providence College in Rhode Island to play field hockey and get an education. I’m in my third year here now and I really love it. My coaches are so supportive of my want to play for the Canadian team and I’ve learned a lot from them. My mom is a huge reason for why I’m where I am today, she has coached me at spring league, high school and a few other tournament teams and also encouraged and supported me the entire way.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
There are so many moments to pick from, the whole experience was so fun, but I’d have to say my favourite happened when we won in the semi-final against Chile. When the game was over I just remember rushing over to our goalie and then being absolutely surrounded by teammates and we were all just yelling and crying and just so happy. Bronwyn Bird was right next to me and I just remembered looking at her and hugging her and saying “we just made the world cup” over and over, we were so shocked that we had done it.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
Something I learned (that definitely sounds cheesy) is that having belief in yourself and your team is such a huge advantage. After our video sessions or team meetings before games, Patrick and Jenn would tell us all that they knew we could do this, and that we were chosen to the squad for a reason. That really helped me out because on the field I felt confident that we could execute even if we were spending a lot of time defending. I think the whole team knew that we had the ability to do something great every game but we weren’t overconfident, we knew we had to stay humble and keep working. I wouldn’t say that this is something unexpected that I took away but the friendships we built this summer will definitely be something that I take with me. We had really good team chemistry and it was so fun getting to know everyone better, I actually really missed being with everyone now that I’m back at school.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
I am eligible for the Junior World Cup so my goal is definitely to make that squad and then to do well in that tournament. I’m looking forward to working towards that goal and getting home and seeing everyone. (FHC Note:  The women’s roster was announced earlier this week and Nora will be traveling to South Africa!  see the full announcement and roster here)

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
I’d say to watch as much hockey as possible and make sure that you are trying to have fun when you play. I’ve played for a large part of my life now and I’ve really learned that you can play with intensity and a want to win but also enjoy yourself doing so. I think one of the reasons that we did well in this tournament is that all of the training and playing we did together in preparation was fun, so we were able to play with creativity and joy in the tournament.

Julia Ross (She/Her); Vancouver, BC, University of Maine, Fwd

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I was a multi-sport athlete and juggled alpine ski racing and field hockey all the way through high school. I played field hockey for my high school team at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary school, Vancouver Hawks FHC and polar bears academy. My first series with the Junior team was in 2018 against Chile in Victoria and then I scored my first international goal in Ireland at the 4 nations tournament.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
I think the most memorable moment was feeling the energy at our evening practice on the tournament field. It was pouring rain and dark out. It was before the tournament started and everything just clicked and I think it was the first time we really realized how much we had worked this summer and how far we could go.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
I learned how powerful a positive mindset and supportive team environment could be. I left with so much pride for my team. I didn’t realize going into this tournament just how big a mark we would leave on the international stage.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
I am looking forward to supporting our team in reaching our best-ever ranking in the Junior World Cup.

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Do not stop believing in yourself. You never know what opportunity is around the corner. And remember to have fun.

Jordyn Faiczak (She/Her); Waterloo, ONT, University of British Columbia, MF

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing in Grade 9 when it was offered in my high school in Waterloo, ON. I played on a few Ontario provincial teams and played for the Guelph Cobras for a couple of summers. I got my first chance with the Junior National team in 2016 at the JPAC in Trinidad and Tobago. From there I played in 21 international caps and now play with the UBC Thunderbirds.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
The most memorable moment was the end of our last pool game, vs Argentina. We won this game and secured top of the pool which was huge for us. It was special because we defended so strongly and with so much heart. Argentina put us under a lot of pressure but we put our bodies on the line and kept strong discipline to keep the ball out of the circle. It was a really proud moment to know that we defeated Argentina, we won our pool, and felt so connected to the team through such tough defence.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
I learned to value every moment on the field. Tournaments like this do not happen very often so although it requires a high level of focus, sometimes you need to take a deep breath, look around at where you are, and soak it all in. This tournament meant so much to me because it represented a 5 year journey of going from 4th in 2016 to 1st in 2021. The journey certainly had many challenges, injuries and long days at the turf but was all worth it for those moments to perform on the big stage.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
Because I am 22 I am not eligible to be selected for the WC. So, in the next several months I am focusing on winning a championship with UBC, and pushing for selection for the Senior WNT to qualify for a World Cup berth next January. [For the Junior World Cup, only athletes born in 2000 or later are eligible to compete, this means Jordyn, and other athletes born before 2000, will be unable to compete]

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Always believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to fully commit yourself to your goals. With that, always be honest with yourself about the effort and commitment you are making. Above all else have fun and love playing the game!

Anna Mollenhauer (She/Her); Victoria, BC, University of Victoria, MF

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing field hockey at the age of 4. Since a young age, I have loved the game and as a child, in the springtime I spent nearly every Sunday at the field, playing or watching my sister or mom play. I played nearly every sport I could growing up and didn’t start playing field hockey competitively until high school. In high school I participated in the FHBC regional program and from this program I was given opportunities to play provincially for team BC and attend junior national team training camps. Locally in Victoria, I participated in the Rising Stars program run by the University of Victoria, spring league and women’s league. I am extremely grateful for the coaches in Victoria that I was able to learn from and idolize and I for sure would not have gotten to where I am today without their support and belief in me. I now attend the University of Victoria and this team has become my second family. The positive impact that my Vikes team and coaches have had on my life and my field hockey journey is beyond measurable so I am forever grateful for them. Throughout my university years I have also been lucky to represent Canada at both the junior and senior national levels. There have been many highs and lows throughout my pathway. From injuries and heartbreak to championship titles and making history, I believe that in order to experience success and the highs, you must persevere and overcome the lows. I attribute the success that I have been so fortunate to experience not only to all of my teammates and coaches over the years, but notably to my parents and family. They have been by my side through the highest of highs and lowest of lows and I am so beyond grateful for their role in my field hockey pathway.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
It is hard to pick only one moment from JPAC because the entire experience was memorable. I think one aspect that was very memorable for me was when we signed the flag prior to our final pool game against Argentina. Each player introduced their roommate and wrote a little blurb about them. Within this blurb one could write about the strengths of their roommate, their admirable qualities, what they bring to the team or share special memories, the sky was the limit. It was such a special moment to share as a team and to hear everyone speak so highly of their roommate. There were some laughs shared hugs given and some tears shed but I think that the belief that we had in one another and the trust that we had built really set the tone and fuelled the fire for our all-important game early the next morning.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
Again, it is extremely hard to highlight only a few takeaways as I have so many. Firstly, trusting the process. This is a phrase that we heard over and over again and one that Patrick truly reinforced on a daily basis. There was so much uncertainty surrounding the tournament and with it being rescheduled multiple times, occasionally I was doubtful that the tournament would even happen. Patrick would constantly remind us to trust the process and to trust our training. In our 6 week centralization period leading up to the tournament, we had put in countless hours of work, connected as a team both on and off the field, and ran more sprint repeats than I could have ever imagined. This is the process that we all bought into as a team and the process that I believe contributed to our success down in Chile.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
School season is always a lot of fun so I am really looking forward to the upcoming university season. I am also super excited to cheer on the junior team as they head down to South Africa to compete in the JWC. Although as a ’99 we are unable to participate, we will be supporting and cheering on the team loud and proud from back home. [note: Due to the initial COVID-19 postponement, the age restrictions for the Junior Pan American Championship shifted to reflect originally eligible athletes. For the Junior World Cup, only athletes born in 2000 or later are eligible to compete, this means Anna, and other athletes born before 2000, will be unable to compete]

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Keep chasing your dreams and have belief within yourself that you can achieve greatness. Having a good mindset is a key factor to success I believe so dream big and work hard to achieve your goals, don’t let anyone tell you any different.

Stephanie Sajko (She/Her);  Victoria, BC, University of Victoria, MF/D

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing field hockey at the age of seven through the Victoria Junior Field Hockey association spring league and the Rising Stars Program at UVic that was and is still currently coached by the assistant coach of the Vikes and the Vikes players themselves; this is where my love for hockey started to grow. I wanted to continue my journey to the next level, so I decided to join the regional program in 2013, where I started with Learn to Train. The next year I was eligible to join Train to Train, which was very exciting as this was when I made my first Team BC team.

I continued to play within the regional program and Team BC until about 2018, but I was also a part of many other teams in my community. I played within the women’s league in Victoria where I played for Division 1 and 2 Lynx, I played for the Wildcats Premier Team, and for my high school, the Mount Doug Rams. I graduated from Mount Doug in 2018, and that fall, I started my first season with the UVic Vikes. I was also invited to attend many Field Hockey Canada Talent Identification camps during the years I was a part of the regional program.

From these camps and my other hockey commitments, I was invited to come on tour with the FHC Wolfpups for the first time in 2019 at the Four Nations Tournament in Dublin, Ireland. I was very honoured and excited to have the opportunity to broadcast and test my skills at the international level. Ireland was an amazing experience, and I was very fortunate to also go on the tour to Chula Vista in 2020 before the pandemic hit. During the pandemic, we were lucky enough to still be able to participate in hockey in a different way, through our virtual learning environments. In British Columbia, we were granted the opportunity to begin training again that fall with the Vikes and through NextGen, which helped ready my skills for the JPAC selection camp that was held in June 2021

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
The most memorable moment from JPAC for me, was when we won the semi-final match against Chile. The major focus of the tournament was qualifying for the Junior World Cup, which is something everyone in the NextGen program had been working towards for a while. The game was super intense as we were playing the host team, so the stands were going absolutely wild. But we said to ourselves, we can either let the noise get to us, or pretend that they are cheering for us! Once there were a couple seconds left on the clock and the buzzer went, I remember feeling immensely overjoyed and ecstatic. All the time, effort, commitment, blood, sweat, and tears we put in were finally worth it as we had a secure spot to go to the Junior World Cup. And of course, finishing off the tournament winning a gold medal was the cherry on top!

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
One of the main takeaways I have from JPAC is to trust the process. During the six weeks we were at UBC training, some of the drills started to become very repetitive. I would sometimes wish Patrick would switch up the drills more, but he knew what we needed to work on and what would make us successful at JPAC. Over the duration of the tournament, I began to realize that Patrick really had prepared us in the best way possible. If we had not worked on aspects of our game like circle defense, 2v1’s, 3v2’s, penalty corner attack and defense, etc., we would not have had the same outcomes in our games that we did.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
In the next year or so, I am really looking forward to my varsity field hockey season with the Vikes. Unfortunately with COVID, we did not get a season last year, which was a real upset as our team has been doing quite well over the past couple years. I am very excited to see what my team has in store for this season! Through training and playing with the Vikes, I am also excited to work on my skills and hockey IQ in order to prepare for the Junior World Cup this December.

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
The advice I can give to my younger self or younger athletes is to make sure you keep having fun while playing. The experience of playing sports is more enjoyable if you have a good balance between pushing yourself and working hard, but also having fun and enjoying each experience with your teammates. If you keep this balance, everything else will fall into place!

Nora Struchtrup;  Victoria, British Columbia.  University of Victoria, Striker.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing at age 10 with the Uvic Vikes Rising Stars program and loved it from day 1. I began playing in the FHBC high-performance programs and played on BC provincial teams from grade 8 and onward. I began playing in div. 1 of the women’s league in grade 11 and that year also began playing for the island premier team. I was a pretty average provincial level player until something clicked the summer of grade 10 and in spring of grade 11 I was invited to be a part of the NextGEN program. Since I have been training with NextGEN and have participated in multiple training camps and tours to Holland and Chula Vista. I also train and play for the Uvic Vikes.

What was the most memorable moment from JPAC?
I think the most memorable moment was when Thora scored her goal in the semi-final against Chile. I was on the bench at the time and everyone jumped up and hugged each other. No one said anything (can’t jinx it) but I think we all knew that goal meant we’d make it to the final and to South Africa.

What are your main takeaways from JPAC?
I think the biggest takeaway has been the importance of trust and belief in yourself, your teammates, coaches, and staff, but most importantly in the process and the training everyone has put in.

What are you most looking forward to in the next year or so?
I will be training and playing with the Vikes in hopes of helping the team to another U-Sports win. I am hugely looking forward to the Junior World Cup and really want to make it to the quarterfinals (at least) with the team there. I am so excited to reunite with the team and see if we can make some more history in SA and place the highest team Canada ever has.

What advice can you give to your younger self / other girls wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Trust in the process. In grade 10 I was cut from pretty much every team I tried out for while many other girls my age made the team. It was very very tough for me but taught me so, so many lessons.

#FHCSHECAN ATHLETE STORIES – SHE’s GOT IT ALL

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I was introduced to field hockey watching my older brothers play from the sidelines for Vancouver Hawks. Eventually, I was old enough to get off the sidelines and after our family moved to Chicago, Illinois and I played with Windy City Field Hockey under Barb Liles and Olympian Katie Beach. During this time, I trained and competed with the USA junior national teams and graduated high school a year early to attend Princeton University.

Over my four years, we were 2x Ivy League Champions and had two Elite Eight and two Final Four appearances in the NCAA tournament. I had advanced standing with the University and was also able to take a semester off to live and play abroad in Holland at SCHC. In my final season at Princeton, I was named a Honda Sport Award Finalist, First Team All-American, Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team and Mid-Atlantic Region First Team.

In August 2018, I had the opportunity to join the Canadian program at a training camp with Giles Bonnet. I made my officially capped senior debut for the Canadian Women’s National Team in a six-game series in China in January 2019. That spring, I traveled between Belgium to train with the team and New Jersey to defend my thesis and graduate. Over the summer, we finished in second place at the FIH Series Finals in Valencia and at the 2019 Lima Pan American Games, where we were finalists for the first time since 1991. In the fall of 2019, I joined the rest of the WNT in Belgium and signed on as a player and coach for KMTHC in Mechelen along with fellow Canadian Karli Johansen. We competed in the Honour Division for our club in addition to training and playing with the WNT in preparation for our Olympic Qualifier. I was a part of the team that competed against Ireland in the two-game series for the Olympic berth and lost in overtime sudden death shootouts.

In December 2019, I joined the Canadian Women’s National Indoor program and played my first cap during our tour to Belarus. After we paused during COVID, I rejoined the WNT in Vancouver. Coming back to Vancouver has brought me full circle, where I’ve been able to give back to the Vancouver Hawks as a lead coach while simultaneously training for the indoor and outdoor Pan Am Cups, our World Cup qualifiers.

What Motivates you?
The relentless pursuit of better. My parents always encouraged us to fully commit to whatever we set our minds to, to seek excellence, and to give back at every opportunity. As an athlete striving to qualify for two World Cups and upcoming Olympic Games, I believe these values have served me well as a teammate and competitor — to reach for greatness despite the setbacks and challenges set in our way. For me, that means asking how I can serve my teammates on and off the pitch. How can I serve the program, my country, the sport of field hockey, and the future players better?

Could you share a highlight or key moment in your career that you are proud of?
Beating the USA 2-0 at the 2019 Lima Pan American Games to advance to the championship for the first time since 1991.

What do you think is the biggest barrier in women’s field hockey?
Field hockey is already a comparatively small sport in North America. Add gender inequity in support and visibility to that and you have a massive barrier to the growth of women’s field hockey. Throughout my career, we’ve always had to work five times as hard to get half the coverage. Growing up, I woke up at ungodly hours to watch the early morning time slots for women’s sports and loved seeing kickass athletes I could aspire to be like. It’s so important for young athletes not only to watch their sport being played at a high level, but also to see unapologetically strong female athletes competing on the international stage.

What advice can you give to young Canadian girls wanting to be involved in high-performance hockey?
Dream Big. Surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed and want to help drive and guide you towards your goals. At the end of the day, your community — your teammates, coaches, family, and friends — are who you play for and what makes it all worthwhile.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up playing ice hockey and took up field hockey when I got to High School. It was an easy transition and I went on to play Team Alberta. I always knew I wanted to stay home for University and attend UofC. I earned a spot on the Dino’s Field Hockey Team and was recently recommended to the WNT program by my coach. I am in Vancouver training with the National Team for the summer and I plan on returning to Calgary for my last year with the Dinos. I will hopefully have a long career with the program as an athlete, or in a supporting role.

What were some of the challenges/obstacles during your journey?
Throughout my field hockey career, it was always challenging being in a position of losing more games than winning. From playing Team Alberta to Dino’s, we worked very hard but did not always get a result. This stems from the nature of field hockey in Alberta where there is less participation and less year-round opportunity to practice. It was discouraging at times because we put in a lot of work as individuals and as a group, and struggled to win. My team and I overcame this obstacle by changing our perspectives on what winning meant for us. Instead of looking for wins on the scoreboard, we could become a winning team by improving every time we step on the pitch.

What Motivates you?
I am motivated by my goal of competing for Team Canada at the Olympics. I am also motivated by my desire to grow the sport in my home province. Hopefully, through my dedication and drive, I can inspire younger players to follow in my footsteps.

Could you share a highlight or key moment in your career that you are proud of?
Following the 2019 season, I was named a top 11 USports player. I was proud to be able to represent Alberta and the University of Calgary.

What do you think men, governing bodies or the sports industry as a whole can do to help drive visibility of female sports? What radical things must change?
Equal government funding for men’s and women’s sport will minimize the gap in visibility and participation. This should be emphasized at the grassroots level. Funding and promotion from the ground up will create a community of support and engagement that will transfer to the top.

What advice can you give to young Canadian girls wanting to be involved in high-performance hockey?
Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t seem like there is a clear path to the top. If you work hard and stay dedicated, opportunities will present themselves.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing field hockey in 2015 with A&C and began playing provincially that same year for the u16 B team after lots of encouragement from my coaches. I went to lots of tournaments and showcases in the US where I gained experience and began to take the sport more seriously. I’ve played for Team Ontario at nationals every year since then and I’m now in the u23 age group. In 2017 I was selected for a JWNT talent ID camp where I was invited to train in Chula Vista on my first trip with the Junior National Team. Since then I’ve been to training camps and tours with the Junior National Program in Canada, the US, Ireland, and China. In 2019 I started attending the University of Virginia where I currently play NCAA Division 1 field hockey in the Atlantic Coast Conference and I’m going into my third year.

What were some of the challenges/obstacles during your journey?
When I first began playing field hockey, I was still playing rep soccer and rep ice hockey, so it was a challenge to manage my schedule as well as the stress and injuries that could arise from playing so many high-level sports. In 2018 I suffered a stress fracture in my shin which ended up keeping me out of field hockey for almost 3 months, and as an extremely active person, this was very difficult for me. I’ve found injuries to be one of the biggest physical obstacles but also mental obstacles as an athlete because of the drastic changes in lifestyle you must endure in order to recover properly. By being diligent in my recovery and taking the necessary measures to stay connected to the sport and stay fit, I was able to transition back into playing field hockey fairly smoothly once I was cleared.

What Motivates you?
The countless opportunities field hockey continues to bring me motivates me to keep growing and improving as a player. I strive to play at the highest level possible to challenge myself whenever possible. In the NCAA I get to play against top collegiate programs on a weekly basis which pushes myself and my teammates to become stronger as a team. On the Junior National Team I am motivated by the fact that I am privileged enough to represent my country and play on the international stage. International competition is the highest level of hockey there is and I am excited by the potential Canada has to compete with the best nations in the world.

What do you think is the biggest barrier in women’s field hockey?
The biggest barrier in women’s field hockey is the lack of exposure to the sport. Especially in Canada, not many people know about the sport and it limits the amount of opportunities available. Also with the two main Canadian hub cities being on opposite sides of the country, it makes it difficult to have regular, high-level competition on a consistent basis.

What advice can you give to young Canadian girls wanting to be involved in high-performance hockey?
Take advantage of as many opportunities presented to you as possible. Every practice, game, and tournament is an opportunity for growth as an athlete and will only make you better. Also, make an effort to surround yourself with other people who have similar goals and intentions as you. These are the people who will push you beyond your perceived limitations and help you become the best player you can be.

Describe your pathway within field hockey. How did you get to where you are today?
I began playing recreationally and eventually fell in love with the sport. That love mixed with my competitiveness allowed me to pursue it to a point where I now represent my country and play semi-professionally in Belgium

What were some of the challenges/obstacles during your journey?
Self-doubt has been something that I have had to overcome, especially when I was released from the Women’s National team in December 2014.  Thank you to my family and close friends who supported me and an opportunity to play overseas I was able to begin shifting my mindset in a more self-love and positive perspective. I still struggle with it, but I now have grown and have the tools to manage and cope when I find myself going into that place of self-doubt.

Could you share a highlight or key moment in your career that you are proud of?
Winning Silver at the Pan American Games in 2019 in Peru. But also the overall accomplishments that team achieved from our Chile tour in January of 2018 up until the Olympic Qualifier in Ireland in November of 2020.

What advice can you give to young Canadian girls wanting to be involved in high-performance hockey?
Never stop. Believe in yourself. And do not let anyone believe you cannot do it, because you can.