As a female varsity athlete, I can truly say that my sport means the world to me. My goal in life is to inspire others to surmount to challenges and inspire young individuals to chase their dreams. Having the opportunity to compete in competitive swimming at a post-secondary level is beyond amazing because it is giving women the same athletic opportunity as men (which is super important). I have been able to influence younger females to continue pursuing their athletic careers and I am able to give them knowledge based on my experience. I am motivated by all of my fellow female teammates for their hard work, their passion, their positivity, and their support in the field of high-performance athleticism while continuing a full-time academic degree. Being a female athlete is not just an opportunity to compete in a sport I am passionate about; it is about teamwork, growth, discipline, personal experience, dedication, and challenging myself on many levels with the added components of life skill and values.

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.

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.

Being a female varsity athlete means everything to me. The reason I chose to participate in varsity sport, is that it’s a place where women can come compete at a high level and show their strength and determination. I admire all the women who are pursuing their goals in a varsity sport. They may not realize it at the time, but they are inspiring other women around them to stay active and persevere through any challenge life throws at them. My hope as a varsity athlete is that we actively engage women and young girls to stay passionate and determined as leaders in sport and in life. As a varsity athlete at Trent University, who is striving to become a teacher, it is important to me to promote and mentor women in sport and have a lot more females represented, so that young girls know that anything is possible.

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.

For me, being a female varsity athlete means that I get to be a role model for younger female athletes who are aspiring to continue with sports in the future. Playing soccer brings me so much joy, and getting the opportunity to play at the varsity level allows me to pursue my goal of continuing to play the sport I love for as long as possible.

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.

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 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.

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.