Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 28

p r o f il e

Q&A

The Six Star

BY DAV I D S WA L E S; PH OTO S B E PA I G E S T E WA R T

Ashley Steacy
Perhaps the best words to describe the Canadian Women’s Rugby 7s team are strength
and perseverance. The challenges overcome by individual players to not only to get
to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but to win a bronze medal define the overall
character of the team.
Ashley Steacy is no exception. For over a decade now, she’s been one of the stars
on the Canadian women’s rugby scene, helping her teams secure some big
victories, including the gold medal at the PanAm Games in 2015. She’s a threetime Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Champion, two-time CIS Player of the
Year and, in 2014, was named the Rugby Canada Women’s 7s Player of the Year.

All of her efforts had been leading towards a date in Rio de Janeiro alongside her
teammates on the Canadian Women’s Rugby 7s team. Then disaster struck. In March
of this year, Ashley tore a ligament in her knee, an injury that would require immediate
surgery — an injury that threatened to sideline her Olympic dreams forever. But what we learned from
speaking with Ashley is that strength and perseverance—on and off the field—are what makes a true champion.
Q: How did you get started in Rugby 7s?
My first-ever rugby 7s tournament was at the 2005 Alberta
Summer games. [Ashley’s team took fourth place.] I then tried
out for the 7s national team in 2006.

Q: All elite athletes face obstacles on the road

to Olympic dreams—what unique challenges
did you face?
For the four years leading up to the Olympics, I had a longdistance relationship with my husband. Sean was my rock
during my Olympic journey and training. No matter how hard
it got being away from each other, he always supported and
encouraged me to pursue my dreams.
Q: After years of training and sacrifice, you undergo
knee surgery just six months before
the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. What were
you feeling when this happened?
This was a rollercoaster. I went through so many emotions
and had plenty of moments of doubt. But I worked really hard
and followed my doctor, physiotherapist, and strength and
conditioning coach’s plans for me. It all worked out in the end.
Q: Your sister-in-law [Heather] and brother-in-law
[Jim] are both Canadian Olympians in the hammerthrow. How has their experience helped you?

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They have been an amazing inspiration during my career.
Their hard work and dedication to their sport is phenomenal—
hearing about their journeys helped me prepare for mine.
Q: Outside of rugby, what are your interests
and activities?
When my husband and I are together, we love to cook. It’s all
about trying new recipes and being creative. We also live in a
beautiful part of the country [Lethbridge, Alberta], so we take
advantage by hiking and camping.
Q: What do you do to relax when you’re not
training or competing? How did you relax at
the Olympics?
I usually just like to read, or maybe watch TV, but I go in and
out of both phases. Actually, before our tournament in Rio, you
would have found a lot of our team chilling in the living room…
colouring. It’s relaxing—and a bit addictive.
Q: How did it feel walking into Maracanã Stadium
during the closing ceremonies, knowing that you
and your team were Olympic medalists?
Walking into the closing ceremonies was a special moment.
Being surrounded by all the athletes who had just competed on
the biggest sporting stage in the world and being able to celebrate
our success was very satisfying.