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.

Sport has taught me so much over my life. I believe every girl should have the opportunity to play and learn. Being a female varsity athlete means being a role model and inspiration for younger girls in sport. I try to lead by example to inspire the younger generation so they can aspire to varsity athletics.

To me, being a varsity athlete means so much more than just competing in your sport. It forces you to grow as person, create and develop long-lasting relationships with teammates, coaches, and the varsity community as a whole. It means being 100% dedicated to your sport, striving to be your best every day, and having a competitive mindset. Not only does it shape you as a person but it connects you to like-minded people and makes you feel part of a community, all experiencing the same challenges that you are.

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 varsity athlete allows me to be a role model for all the young girls that attend our games. We are able to show them that it doesn’t matter your gender or background, but with dedication and a hard work ethic, you can be successful in sport.

My aspirations are not to be deemed as good as my fellow male athletes; instead I want to be recognized for my talent, strength, and power irrespective to my gender. For talent, dedication, and hard work transcend the labels of gender.

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 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.

Being a varsity athlete means something different for each athlete. For me, its being a part of a group of strong women working towards similar goals and helping each other reach our full potential. It means being inspired and motivated by others but also knowing you’re someone else’s inspiration. It is the fulfillment of a dream and goal that most young female athletes set for themselves at a young age.

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.