Being a varsity athlete has allowed me to proudly represent my school. Varsity athletics has been a channel to develop strong relationships and lasting friendships. My participation on the Laurier lacrosse team has been a tool in providing indispensable life skills.

Being a varsity athlete means having the responsibility to promote the female game and inspire the generations to follow. Too often you hear of young girls quitting sports due to societal pressures, so it's important for us athletes to be role models and make sports something that anyone can pursue, no matter your gender.

As a varsity athlete, we have the ability to inspire young girls in the crowd to be their best self through hard work, determination, and perseverance. Every time I step on the field I play for my teammates and for the little girl in the stands who is aspiring to be a varsity athlete just like me.

Being a woman in sport and supporting women in sport is imperative in upholding this mindset to push other women to be their best. The hope is, that when others see you being the best athlete and student you can be, it pushes others to be the best versions of themselves. Women in sport are so important. Our society in general is healthier and happier when each sex is supported equally and is given the same opportunity. The more female competition that can be driven from female support and promotion, the better.

Being a student-athlete means that I get to put the black and gold on my back and represent my school while doing what I love. Many people look up to student athletes and it feels good to be respected in that way. We have the power to influence the people around us and that’s what motivates me to keep playing the sport I love.

Engaging in a sport like soccer gives me an undeniable identity with something greater than myself. I started out as a very timid player who was set on picking every dandelion on the field rather than kicking a ball into a net. That all changed when my older male cousin tried to insinuate that I was doing that because the sport wasn't 'made' for me. I was determined to prove him wrong and after scoring my first goal, I found myself hooked. Hooked to this belief in myself. Hooked to pushing boundaries. Hooked to being a woman in sport. Soccer has consistently been my outward expression of the statement 'Anything you can do, I can do better'. I have been lucky enough to have an incredibly strong and talented woman dedicate considerable time into developing every part of my physical abilities. That, in and of itself, is the entire essence of women supporting each other that keeps me playing.

I set my goals high and I work as hard as needed until I achieve them. It has always been hard to combine studying with sports, but I like challenges, I like overcoming obstacles. It has only made me stronger and I wouldn't have been the same person as I am today. Playing sports has really helped me become more organized, improved my time management skills, taught me how not to give up, how to overcome myself, how to  push even when it seems impossible and when no one believes in you.

Being a varsity athlete means that I can inspire other girls and help show them that there is opportunity for them to compete at a higher level in basketball.

To be a female athlete who is able to compete in a high level sport is a privilege to me. To be a female athlete means to have strength, courage and commitment. I am involved in sport to push my own limits, step outside my own comfort levels, set my own goals, and be apart of a second family full of talented female athletes. My teammates and my coaches inspire me to maintain my involvement, when I see them striving towards their goals and accomplishments that they have achieved and are working towards. Being a female involved in sport has given me confidence, pride, pure joy, and a group of powerful allies that I can rely on and off the field. It has encouraged myself to grow into a woman that I am constantly trying to better on and off the field, for my coach, my teammates, my family and for myself.

Being a varsity athlete allows me to express my love and passion for the game. It is also a platform for me to inspire young women of colour to follow their dreams.