The New Generation of Women in Sport

February is chock-full of holidays, with National Women in Sports Day on February 5th leading the charge. As a complement to the increased spotlight on women’s sports in the past year, PISE and the Canadian Sport School (CSS) teamed up to highlight some of the exceptional young women in their first year of the CSS program.

Savannah (Savvy) Skye Roberts balances volleyball, academic studies, and personal development on a daily basis, embracing the journey over the outcome in all aspects. CSS has helped her strengthen her confidence on the court and in the gym, as well as preparing her for the pressure of university-level volleyball. Her biggest takeaway from the CSS program is the amount of opportunities available to her, such as her upcoming opportunity to learn about firefighting as a potential career. To other young women in sports, Savvy urges them to be vocal about their goals and needs, try out different things to see what is most enjoyable, and surround themselves with a support system.

Ayvah Doyle is passionate about achieving her goals, having joined the CSS program to gain physical strength, mental resilience, and exposure to top coaches. A multi-sport athlete, her daily schedule includes morning workouts, academics, and back-to-back basketball and volleyball training. Ayvah also credits an increase in her confidence to CSS, pointing out the seminars on nutrition and mindset as some highlights. She continues to work towards her dream of playing D1 NCAA and Olympic level volleyball. Her advice to female athletes is to work hard to achieve their goals, to work on little things and get 1% better each day, and to believe that they can get to where they want to be.

Nola Kerr Beauchamp was drawn to CSS for its elite training and strong reputation in the athletic community. Primarily a rugby athlete, she balances sprint training, study sessions, homework, and evening practices. Nola has noticed her training form has greatly improved since joining CSS, as well as her confidence and general strength. She is passionate about expanding sport opportunities for women, and aspires to study in the U.S. or England while playing university or national-level rugby. She reiterates that young athletes should try many different sports not only to see what they like best, and because playing multiple sports helps general growth as an athlete.

Alison Campbell-Wright joined CSS, driven by her passion for advancing in dressage, which is one of the 3 branches of equestrian recognized by the Olympics. Her daily routine includes CSS training in the morning, academic studies, and riding lessons. She has noticed an increase in mental strength and athletic skills since joining CSS, which has, in turn, increased her confidence. She finds that National Women in Sports Day is a great way to inspire young female athletes by providing strong role models. Her biggest advice is to set goals, with her focus on her goals helping secure her top ranking at the North American Youth Championships (NAYC).

The most prominent answer from all of these athletes have one thing in common: an increase in overall confidence as a result of being part of CSS. All four of these young women are high-performing in their respective sports as is, and it will be exciting to see how their athletic careers progress in years to come!