(ISN) — Sidney Crosby. Simon Whitfield. Clara Hughes.
Three big names in sport that are all the best in Canada at what they do.
It is funny how ice hockey, triathlon and speed skating are all closely followed and highly anticipated when the Olympics approach.
The scary thing is that being a member of Canada’s National field hockey team is supposed to be the exact same level of sport as those three athletes mentioned above.
We are all representing Canada, competing at the highest international level and supposed to be the best at what we do in our country. Each of thethose athletes may have an Olympic gold medal to hang around their necks but at some point in their lives they started out where I am.
Field hockey is not a well-known nor popularly followed sport however the community for it in Canada, particularly on the West Coast, is still beating strong. Due to favourable weather conditions and available turf facilities, British Columbia houses over 90 per cent of the country’s top field hockey athletes.
If athletes want to compete for Canada in this sport, it comes as no shock to them that relocation to Vancouver should be high on their list of priorities.
The major wagering factor for athletes outside of Vancouver is if it’s worth it.
A typical Canadian athlete is eligible for athletic assistance at two levels; either a Senior card ($1,500/month) or a Development card ($900/month). Athlete assistance includes the coverage of post-secondary tuition whether you decide to defer your status as a student or take classes while training.
Those who must re-locate to Vancouver tend to put school on hold, as I have and begin totalling up the costs of living – relocation, travel, rent, food, parking at the field, transportation and the rest adds up.
Soon enough, your carding money doesn’t seem to quite be enough.
I don’t know how many other athletes go through what field hockey athletes do but our new motto has become “pay to play.” That is the exact truth of what we do.
I am currently unemployed, not in school, covering double rent in Victoria and Vancouver, travelling back and forth from the island to Vancouver and covering all the expenses in between.
Tack on the fact that I am embarking on a big task ahead of competing on the totally self-funded National Indoor field hockey team, which is preparing for the World Cup qualifier in Venezuela in early August.
Individual athletes are required to pay monthly levies to our National sport organization, Field Hockey Canada. In order to keep this levy down, each athlete must fundraise over $2,500 per person to meet our $60,000 goal.
On top of that, I am the sole BC athlete who is interested in competing for the indoor national team which has a large team fundraising goal on top of the $5,000 levy each athlete must pay.
Tack on the two trips to Ontario to train with the team and I’m in the minus zone in my budgeting before my second carding cheque even comes in.
Being an athlete is always a struggle. This is my second time coming back to the national team and I believe more in this team that ever before.
I believe with the right resources and the right mentality, we can qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.
Unfortunately, our government funding is getting cut each year because we are not showing any results.
Well, the catch-22 on this story is that we need the money to pay for the resources to help us travel and get the experience we need to get better. European teams can zip across a border in a matter of hours to get their players international caps but for Canadians, we have our friendly USA opponents just south but it’s still very expensive to travel there or to South America. The more traveling we can do, the better we will get!
Fundraising is never easy and I think some people over look the time, effort and achievements of a team sport. There are only three medals for so many teams to strive for at the Olympics compared to the sports like swimming, track or skiing where individuals can win multiple events.
Our chances of getting a medal become a lot more difficult and when a team gets knocked out, 16 people and their staff loose out, not just one athlete.
We are on a quest to raise funds outside of our typical field hockey supporters. We want to raise knowledge of team sports and let people know that we have been competing, training and fundraising because we have so much passion and love for our sport.
We have a goal of qualifying for the Olympics and we believe we can do it! With more financial support we can help get one more group of athletes representing Canada at the 2012 games!
While professional hockey players squabble over how many million dollars more they want in order to go to a new team and while soccer players get their jerseys sold to millions of fans in their countries, field hockey players are selling t-shirts to raise a few hundred dollars and asking parents and friends for $10 donations to afford track suits and trips to get better as a team.
We may not be quite the Jamaican bobsled team but we are definitely a team that is on the brink of success and with an extra boost of support could help raise the profile of our sport and be one more team on the world stage for Canada.
You can be apart of our team by donating, sponsoring or coming out to support us in our competitions! Contact me at alilee05@gmail.com or check our site at www.fieldhockey.ca
You will go far, Ali. Keep dreaming big! Big things will come to you and your team!!!
ReplyDeleteI have always disliked the idea that our national team athletes are expected to pay for the privilege of playing for Canada. Hitting up your relatives and friends of your parents is not the way to fund athletic excellence. FHC needs to step up and do its own job! Studying, working, training, travelling and all the rest that goes along with hockey should be enough of a sacrifice. When our teams are made up of those wealthy enough to afford a place on the team, it is no wonder we never seem to improve our standing in the world!
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