Transition.

A lot has happened during this month of August including a handful of things that were completely what I would like to call...fate. Since returning home from the Western Canada Summer games (with the gold, might I add) I have taken my life and completely turned it upside down. Not to say that the way it was before was necessarily a bad thing but this is something different and offers me an opportunity to develop in other areas of my life and career.

I am on indefinite hiatus with the National team and will not be competing in Mexico at the Pan American games. Unfortunately, I felt a need to return home and focus on other areas of my life. Fortunately, opportunities arose almost faster than I could have even hoped for. I have been accepted to take on the role of the Communications and New Technologies Assistant at the University of Victoria, home of the UVic Vikes...aka my second home.

I couldn't be more thrilled to not only be working in a field that I am so passionate about but to also be back in the Vikes family helping ramp up support for a University that gave me so much. UVic has been more than instrumental in my life and successes over the years. I dedicate so much of my success to my career at UVic and in fact, that experience is my measuring stick. The bar was set so high when I was at UVic that so far no other team or program has matched what I felt like coming out of that program. It's a pretty great feeling to be back there with that "family."

It's going to be a tough transition going from a physically working "job" as an athlete to a more office and hands on 9-5 type job! Either way, it's going to be what I make it. So, I am excited to work with new and familiar faces, learn A LOT and have fun covering sports and doing what I love!

I am not sure how prominent this blog will be as I am not currently training or reporting for the National team but I will do my best!

For now check out some of the stuff I will be posting throughout the upcoming months at www.govikesgo.com

Hot, hot heat in Kamloops!

This week in Kamloops has already flown by. Tonight is our last night in the TRU residences and tomorrow is our final game. We played Saskatchewan (9-0), Manitoba (7-0) and Alberta (3-0) already and tomorrow we will play Alberta again for the Gold Medal! It's very exciting to be back at my fourth multi-sport games, second as a coach. BC and Kamloops has done a fantastic job of hosting. The venue has been spectacular and all the volunteers even more spectacular.

Last night caught up with an old friend, fellow Vike and Olympic super star Steph Dixon and we caught up for an hour or so out on the patio of our residence. She was swimming at UVic (and for Canada) while I was at UVic and we were on Varsity council and volunteered for numerous community events together. She recently took a job and is now coaching swimming full-time in the Yukon. She was here coaching them at the WCSG! It was so insightful and inspiring to talk to someone who has achieved so much in life and still has so much more room to grow. I loved picking her brain because I feel like she really understood where I was coming from. We talked about how others see athletes and olympians and put them on some sort of social pedestal when they win medals. It's not just about winning medals and the sport though. It's about all the little moments and the journey towards those final moments - win or lose. I think it's something that only those that have journeyed it will fully understand. Stepping down from a sport is not a decision the world can understand. It has to be for you and those around you that truly support you, will. It was just a casual conversation about sport, careers, boyfriends, school and the future. It will be a conversation that I know I will remember, though. Sometimes you need someone to humble you and she sure did that for me. Being an athlete is one step in a person's life and career. It's not the only step. I can't wait to see what the future holds for both her and I! :)

Our team had this afternoon off and the games hosted a carnival outside and it ended up being a blast! There were a lot of games, activities and even a great magic show. We are getting ready for the big gold medal game tomorrow and then its an awesome bus ride to Vancouver and a ferry the next morning home!

TEAM BC looking good in BLUE for their game at Hillside Stadium, Kamloops.

This is the most sought after pin at the WCSG and Steph gave me hers in return for a pair of awesome Team BC Shades.

The view from our residence of the River / downtown area. So gorgeous. 

spotted: wolf at TRU campus

Who Rocks the House?

I took a 3.5 hour bus ride yesterday from Burnaby to Kamloops for the Second Week events at the Western Canada Summer Games. I was asked a few weeks ago to assistant coach the U18 BC team at this event and so far everything is looking pretty good. We had a good bus ride to Kamloops and the venue looks spectacular. We are at Thompson Rivers University playing at Hillside Stadium on rubber based turf. It's pretty hot here but not nearly as hot as last week, so we're told.

The field hockey games start tomorrow with BC kicking off against Saskatchewan at 8:30am. The girls are getting up at 5:45am to do their morning jog and stretch. It's going to be a very long day because we also play again in the afternoon.

We had a team skit night tonight to get the girls bonding and laughing. I know I certainly enjoyed it. Like any multi-sport games there is food available around the clock and that's pretty much keeping me content. It's hard to fit work outs in and around the girls' schedule but I seem to be managing. Also, there was a Team BC coaches recognition ceremony tonight where some past-Olympians were present as coaches and several familiar faces including my soccer coach from when I was 8 years old!

I love the multi-sport atmosphere and even more the TEAM BC atmosphere!

I look forward to game 1 tomorrow!

Personal Finance for the Elite (Canadian) Athlete

PF for the Elite (Canadian) Athlete – Part 1: PF Overlook

This is the start of a potential blog thread between myself and my cousin, Krystal, a very popular personal finance blogger at www.givemebackmyfivebucks.com and www.moneyville.ca

I got this idea because after reading several of her blog entries. I’ve realized that so many people can relate to her situation. Unfortunately, for me, being a “professional athlete” as a career, hardly puts me in the same financial categories as her. So, I thought I would lay it out for the world to see and then get Krystal’s advice posted in response. Once she gives me some advice, I plan on continuing to write about how those tips help me and impact my situation.

Pay or Passion?

I can’t think of very many people that would turn down the opportunity to represent their country in a sport at the highest levels. You’re looking at a chance to head to the Olympics and participate in highly respected events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Pan American Games, World Cups and World Championships! Who wouldn’t want that? As ideal of a life as it seems, it has its (financial) draw backs. In a sport like field hockey, it is hard to really consider this as a career since we don’t get paid much, have little to know sponsorship and three quarters of the country still calls our sport “grass hockey.” (It’s played on turf now people!!) Anyway, Sport Canada offers AAP carding money to all nominated athletes. You will either get Senior carding at $1500/mo or, in my case, you get Development carding at $900/mo and than all depends on how long you are carded for – set by the coach. Since we are sport with little money, our NSO (Field Hockey Canada) actually “taxes” us levies so that carding money is never as good as it seems. The one great thing about AAP carding and AthletesCan funding is that you can put money away for Post-secondary Education and you can get your cell phone plan paid for. Those are two high-cost expenses that do pay off in the end. Regardless, you have little time for part-time work and you have to rent a place in Vancouver ($$), close to UBC ($$$$$). So, it’s pay to play and although we are passionate about representing Canada sometimes, you have to step back and really look at the pros and cons.

Expenses

As an elite athlete (in the sport of field hockey) your biggest expenses are rent, food and transportation. Sounds pretty standard, doesn’t it? I am currently in a two-bedroom basement suite that houses myself and two team mates. Now, my roommates share a room and altogether we were paying $1595. That’s over $500 each and about how much I can handle. I get $900 a month, some of which is going to Field Hockey Canada ($300 Bi-monthly) as part of our levy agreements (mandatory). As much as I would love to play the First-Year University card and eat KD for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that is just not acceptable. Our bodies are our careers. Our nutritional requirements up the cost of our grocery bills for things like: FibreOne Cereal, Liberte Greek yogurt, Soya Milk, organic produce etc. Eating healthy is not cheap. There are ways around it but you’re looking at definitely breaking even. Don’t forget to tack on other expenses, in my case, gas for my car, parking at the field or equipment.

Revenue

I am very proud of myself because I have done a lot of work in this category of my PF. First of all, bursaries and scholarships that were supposed to go towards University were able to go straight into savings thanks to our AAP money covering the majority of my Bachelor of Science degree. In addition, I spent just over $200 to put together 109 sponsorship packages that highlighted myself, my team and my goals as a national team athlete. These packages were sent nation-wide requesting one of three levels of sponsorship per year for three years leading up the 2012 London Olympics. Thanks to Olympian Anna-Marie De Zwager (ex-field hockey player and Olympic rower), I was able to get these packages out last year in a few short weeks and get a response soon after. Penn West Exploration, of Calgary, signed on to sponsor me $1000/mo for three years in support of my campaign to 2012. So, my revenue is basically my Penn West Sponsorship money, my AAP carding money, savings from University scholarships, and any contract money I get from graphic, web or media work or coaching/umpiring.

Personal Life Financial Decisions

My savings post-University are not allowed to be touched and have been in savings for a while now. Recently, I decided to invest it in real estate. Call me a first time home (condo) owner now at age 24! Maybe not quite yet. I’ve only put a quarter of the down payment down but I’ve signed some official documents and had a mental break down about money so, I think that about qualifies me. Without that back up savings, I’m going to be tight for extra cash for living since I have to afford my living expenses while playing with the national team (sans job) and also worry about affording my next 3 installments of my down payment. In addition, I’ll have to apply for a mortgage before 2014 and somehow need to show that I am financially stable enough to handle that. It’s frightening now but I am very confident for the future and what it has in store for me. So, I'm doing alright but of course, no where near where I'd be had I been working and saving the past 5 years like a normal person. I don't regret playing for Canada but looking forward now, I'm starting to contemplate my next life decisions based on my financial future. Keep in mind, I've done a lot of hard work to generate sponsorship money and get flexible contract work. Several athletes on the team either have help from parents, work part-time, live at home, etc.

That’s the ground work for my initial look at it. I would like to write more about day-to-day expenses/revenue not just for myself but more about my team. First, I want to hear some advice from Krystal!

Krystal's Personal Finance Blog

My week of R&R is almost up and it has still somehow been quite busy.  I took 3 or 4 days to enjoy being at home and spending time with family, friends and of course, Leo! I took Leo to Parker Beach last week and he had a blast in the water. I bring a great water toy for him to retrieve but of course he just wants other dogs' toys! Anyway, he really enjoyed the hot weather and the cool water and I wish I could go to the beach every day with him!

I was also experimenting with some of the camera apps on my iPhone (Hipstamatic, Instagram, Pro HDR) and took a cute photo of Dan's cat "Tank" and also behind the scenes at the Pizzeria Prima Strada in Cook street village. It's no Da Michele in Italy but it's pretty close!

 

This week I returned to Vancouver to catch up on some MORE hockey. I was umpiring at the Under 16 Canadian National Championships - boys and girls! I did three men's games and got rated so that now I am a Regional umpire! That means higher certification, more money and brings me closer the Canadian rating. So, I've been really busy umpiring and learning all the technicalities behind the games. In between umpiring I have been busy coaching the Western Canada Summer Games BC team. The girls are so talented that I am really excited to see them perform in Kamloops next week.

I'm heading home tomorrow night just for a day or two to get a few things done before heading off to Kamloops. This 22 day break has sure sped by really quickly! Next week we get our new training programs from our trainer, Jason. I'm a little nervous but also really excited to get started!

Home for some R&R

I've finally made it back to the island after probably my longest stint from home for awhile now. We finished off our series against Japan yesterday with a 4-0 loss to Japan. We have a lot to work to do as a team but playing a 9th ranked team in the world gives us a lot of exposure to things we need to work on. It's exciting to see the road that we can be moving forward down.

The game went well in the second half. We generated a bit more attack this game than the previous two and we held them to 1-0 in the second half. They had 3 quick goals in the first half that we choose not to re-live at the moment.

I'm really happy to be home for a few days to see family and friends but mostly just get the R&R I've been waiting for or my body has been waiting for...

I'm going to take a few days off and do nothing... but probably eat some good food... and then I'm going to get back on the fitness train on Monday, the 8th! I'm off to Kamloops on the 10th with the Western Canada Summer Games BC team and so, I'll get to do some acclimatization training there while coaching.

That's all for now :) Short and sweet.. off to get that much needed rest... Have to say though, I"m so happy to be back playing!

Rolling in the Deep

Entry title comes from one of my favourite songs right now, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", and it sort of fits with what's been happening with the team right now. I'm not sure how to describe it but when is Canada ever going to catch a break and jump on a hot streak? We're forever trucking along, working hard, putting in lots of effort but never actually showing it on the score board.

Today we played Japan in Game #2 of the 3-Test series and we lost 5-0. The scoreline is quite large but we did do some good things out there. We were punished very quickly for bad turnovers on the field, though. We need to learn how to punish opponents like they punish us.

It was a bit of a mental challenge at the start of the game because I was on the starting line-up after not dressing the game before. I suppose I need to stay tough and confident in my own abilities because selections are happening right now for Pan American games and everyone is getting a chance to play. So, hopefully I did my work today because I for sure felt like I was working really hard and I made a lot of good tackles on the field. There is obviously a lot to work on. I want to make sure that I get my fitness right up to par so I am not super tired mid way through the second half and so I can join the attack!

I'm excited because tomorrow we have the day off and I haven't figured out what I want to do but I'm excited to have some time off. I have to coach at night. I'm heading to the Western Canada Games on August 10th for four days. The competition should be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to just helping out and also checking out the interior!

Day off and game day on Saturday and then home for a few days !!! Can't wait!

Talk About Pressure

I had a pretty rough morning today because the team was announced for Game 1 vs. Japan and my name wasn't on it. I always say it's therapeutic to write my thoughts out in times like these so you may have to bare with me as I am on a bit of a roller coaster right now. Sixteen players get announced to play with two being asked to warm up but not dress, in case there are any injuries in the warm-up.

Last December I had a chat with both my coaches about my performance at the Commonwealth Games in October 2010. They weren't entirely satisfied with it but then again, neither was I. I felt very determined to prioritize my physiology and work on the little details to become comfortable in my position. Ultimately, I already believed that I understood the game quite well but my physiology was letting me down. When I had my MRI on my shoulder and found out that all the pain I was having for the past year was due to an actual tear, I had another defining moment in my career. After discussing it with coaches and doctors we decided that the time frame to get the surgery was tight (5-6 months) but would give me the best chance to be healthy at Pan Ams. If I didn't get the surgery I would risk playing in even more pain that I was already in.

We decided to go ahead with the surgery guaranteeing about 5 months away from hockey but only about 1 month away from physical training. I stuck to protocol like glue and although I was upset that I wasn't going to be with the team...somehow it, and it always does, worked out. I was able to finish school and graduate from University and I had some time to think about my commitment to the team and how much harder I wanted to fight to come back with no regrets. I was ahead of schedule, by surprise, and was released to start training right before we left for Vienna for the Champions Challenge. I of course was only going as a video tech but I also had planned a 2.5 week holiday after not knowing that I was able to play.

That may or may not be something that will have hurt my career from today's standpoint. I lost a lot of my hard work and physiological rehab in those 2.5 weeks but at the same time I had my eyes opened on the other side of the world. I had a chance to really clear my mind, think about what I wanted in life and actually feel like a normal person enjoying a vacation. No regrets from that standpoint, actually.

Either way, I never really truly consider myself "coming back" until about the first week of June. So, it's been almost two months and I've gotten games in left, right and center including a tonne at Senior nationals, the Training camp right after, the first and second 4-Nations... and now... The Japan Series.

So, the reason for the heading "Talk About Pressure" is because today when my name wasn't on the starting 16 for the game everything I just wrote about began popping into my head. Should I not have got the surgery? I spent too long away from the game. Maybe I never should have gone to Europe in the first place. Along time ago I wrote about internal and external conflict resolvers and I"m an internal one. So, I take everything on board and I reflect but the problems with that is you begin to doubt yourself. Times like these you have to be mentally sharp but I think I need the next few hours to doubt myself and then the rest of the time ahead of me to pick myself up and move forward.

Whether I continue with the team in their goal to reach a medal at the Pan Ams or not, I know something great is around the corner. I've for sure realized that life is a roller coaster and although I am so focused on field hockey right now, I know that whatever happens, something positive will come of it. It may not be clear to me now but I know something will. In the end, all of my experiences as an athlete, injured or otherwise, is going to help me moving forward. It will make me tougher and I truly believe that some of the toughest moments in my life ahead, I will be able to face thanks to these kinds of moments.

You can be your weakest or strongest in moments like this. You can rise up to the pressure or you can fall. I can define my own path from here and that's what needs to happen. I read a great quote the other day after we lost to Chile that sort of applies to my "failure" for today:

"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose. For this thing we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down"


And I'm a big visual person and I love photos. So, to cheer myself up here are some of the fun, happy moments I can remember and feed off of :

2008 - Vikes win CIS Championships on home turf

2009 Christmas - I get LEO!

2005 - Canada Summer Games Champions

2004 - St. Margaret's graduating field hockey players

Can Fund's London Calling

On Wednesday, July 27th one of my biggest sponsors, The Canadian Athletes Now Fund (or CAN FUND) will be hosting their One Year Countdown Bash at 7:30pm! This event is the countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games being held in London, England.

When: Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 (7:30pm - 2:00am)
Where: "The Fifth" 225 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario
Tickets: $150 (w/ $90 tax receipt)

This event is going to be amazing because it will have some current and previous Canadian Olympians and Olympic hopefuls! It will also feature "The Bloody Royals" red carpet, a British inspired food station set-up, an "Oh Behave" Austin Powers lounge, a 007 James Bond Lounge, Bridget Jones Wine Bar, a silent auction and much more! I do wish that I could go to the event myself but we are currently preparing for our series against Japan and will be in the middle of it once the event kicks off. The money raised from the ticket sales goes directly to athletes like me trying to get to London 2012! So, make sure that if you are in town and available to go - you go! If not, purchase a ticket for a good cause :) Can Fund truly makes a difference to athletes like myself and for teams like the National Women's Field Hockey Team. So, do your part and here's how to order tickets:

Call: +1-416-487-4442 or click on the image above to be directed to the website HERE. 

Our team really wanted to be there but obviously being on the west coast can't exactly miss our games against Japan or afford to fly out. Instead, we made a video that will be played at the event and because I'm the crafty producer behind the scenes you can have a sneak peak at the video ONLY seen here :

London Calling from Ali Lee on Vimeo.

Bronze at the 4-Nation Classic

I was reunited with the National team this week for the second phase of the 4-Nation Classic. This phase included an actual round robin and medal round of games and involved Japan, Chile, Trinidad & Tobago, as well as Canada. It was a great feeling to be selected back on to the "real team" but I realized that I have a lot of work to do still! If I get chosen to go Pan American Games, I suppose it will be on the hunch that I still have 2.5 more months to get my physicality up to speed. This includes strength, fitness, footwork and mobility in yes both my shoulder and the rest of my body.

G1: Canada vs Japan (0-3 Loss)
This was my first cap since October 2010 at the Commonwealth Games where we lost to India to come 6th. I finally stitched up the gap between caps and earned my 37th cap. I even started the game! One of the starting defenders is injured right now (or resting?) so, I started but that was short-lived. The speed of the Japanese attack really overwhelmed me physically. I was also back to my old position of Left D and the outside defenders do a lot of running to come into the middle of the field when the ball is on the other side of the field but high and out to the line when the ball might come up my side. Anyway, it was a good way to show me that I need to continue with the fitness! We lost 3-0 but we gave a GREAT effort and even put immense pressure on them in the first 10 minutes!

G2: Canada vs Trinidad & Tobago (4-0 Win)
Having seen Chile beat T&T 11-0 the day before and Japan beat them 14-0, we knew that this game was going to be a different and more un-orthodox style of play. It was definitely a challenge to play a more unstructured team and we didn't take them for granted at all. We just played our game and although we missed many opportunities and only scored 4, we still got the 3 points to move forward and that's what really matters. Personally, I feel like each game I got a bit better and in this game I part-took a bit more offensively which has been a goal for me coming back. I don't want to be just the stay at home defender.

G3: Canada vs Chile (0-5 Loss)
Most girls on the team don't really want to comment on this game because we knew we had to win this one to get into the Finals against Japan. Ultimately, it was our biggest loss in a long time and I mean that in the scoreline and just mentally. It was a rough loss but again, personally, I feel like I was still improving on my play. I think we had a lot break down in this game and mostly it was due to our basic skills and our field hockey abilities. Mentally we were charged up to play and physically I thought we had a great warm-up. That's the challenge with elite sports, I suppose.

G4: Canada vs T&T for Bronze (6-1 Win)
We got the job done today since losing a really tough game the day before. Moving on mentally was quite a challenge but luckily we have a lot of strategies from our team psychologist, Dr. Sean Richardson! We bounced back to win and although we let a loose goal in, I think that the team still got it done and we got third place.

We had a lot of great photographers out at the games and I thought I would share a few action shots of me finally back in the real uniform sporting, of course, #5:

Lastly just a shout out to my sponsors who have been so supportive through my recovery and getting me the support I needed to afford the rehab procedures after my surgery:

www.akprocanada.com

www.pennwest.com

www.mycanfund.ca

Hunters, Hunt and Gatherers, Gather... For the W!

Today was the last match of the first of two 4-Nations tournaments occurring this month. My team, the "developmental Canada A" team served as the 4th "nation" for the tournament. I am so proud of the girls and our team because we sure made it a competition and no game against us was an easy walk over. Today we played against Trinidad & Tobago and won 1-0. It was our first win of the tournament and although the scoreline wasn't close to Chile (11-0) and Canada (6-0), a win is a win.

Our brilliant coach, John, used this one analogy all week long that I think is brilliant. He said, "We are hunters and gatherers. The hunters hunt the ball and the gatherers are ready to gather." It became a bit of a theme that we need to be relentless to hunt the ball and everyone else steps in front (gathers the ball) and we look to counter attack ALL TOGETHER. With the speed of some of those kids up front, we really were quite an offensive threat.

Our inexperience in our backfield did lead to several unforced turnovers in our outletting and delivering up the field but it was definitely a good experience to feel that kind of pressure when trying to outlet. Ultimately, no body wants to be under pressure so this was a great opportunity to practice in "mean nothing" games.

What happens now? The next real 4-Nations begins with Japan coming in to replace our team. ONE Canada team will be chosen with 18 athletes and that team will compete. There will be a gold medal and bronze medal game and a winner and loser. So, all the marbles are on the table and this is great preparation for Pan Ams. Now, I don't know where I fit in with the "real" team but whatever happens, I am very proud of the team I competed with and for. We did a great job and I have no regrets... Okay, maybe one - that fourth goal that I gave Chile BUT other than that... It was a great week. Whether I get picked up for the team or not, I learned a lot this week and more than anything I am appreciative that I got to play much earlier than expected after surgery.

Having said THAT, my back totally seized up today. I'm the "old lady" on the team so I guess it was bound to happen. I am hoping a day of rest will help it! Three 70 minute full games in four days is rough on the body when you have been out of game shape for 6 months!

Side note - Canada played Chile after our game and my team mate, Steph Jameson received her 150th  CAP. She has played 150 matches !! That is an incredible milestone for her and I am so proud to be her team mate. She is an inspiration to so many and really is a great friend and team mate. So, I hope to be on the field sharing her 151st CAP but who knows!! Only time will tell...

Serving Notice

Yesterday, we played the "real" Canada team and it was the typical "A" vs "B" team style game. It felt like a lot of people were rooting for the under dogs and it was a really fun game! The rain continued to poor down on us but I didn't even notice. The game was back and forth with a lot of action. The young kids on my team didn't worry about having to prove anything. They simply went out and played. It was awesome to have that reminder that the kids have this sense of naiveness that carries over and reminds you to just PLAY. It is, afterall, a game. We had a few defensive and structural slip ups that led to the other team's 3 goals but all considering, when they scored, we bounced back. When things looked rough we supported each other positively and didn't go against each other. It was a great feeling to be on a team that just went forward together, back together and rode the wave all together. There was no pointing fingers. A goal was scored against us, we shook it off and charged back to the other end!

It was an amazing feeling to just "serve notice" to that team. Look at the talent in the youth coming up behind. I know there is one thing that I always said before, when I was on the team, that I always felt like every day was a test and I needed to pass to keep my spot. Since being off the field, I've learned that is the key to challenging and pushing yourself. You can never get complacent.

Anyway, we lost 2 games in this series but it sure feels like we won out there on the field yesterday. We are getting better and if we had a few more games I think we really could pull off more W's. I think this experience has been truly valuable so far. Not only have I learned a bit more about structure in the sense of being the sweeper, how to distribute and how to communicate to those in front but I have also had opportunities to grow as a leader, as a player and as a team mate. This team has reminded me that "team" needs to come FIRST not your own ego, your own skill level or how good you think you are. If each person on the team puts the rest of the team first, amazing things can happen!

I'm so proud of this bunch of girls and happy to be along side them. I am learning a lot from them. I hope that we continue to move forward as we take on Trinidad & Tobago on Monday morning at 4pm at UBC!

Check out the highlight videos:

 

Set yourself on Fire!

Today I was back in action in a Team Canada uniform since my last game at the Commonwealth Games against India back in October. The "first game jitters" are finally over and I can start to sink back into the game that I've dedicates so much energy towards improving at. It's really exciting to be competing at this level again and despite playing for the development team, it's going to be a learning curve that only goes upwards. I'm happy with how the girls played today and me being my own worst credit found A LOT to improve on my own game. Having said that.... first game back, have to get my touches on and get back into physical shape. This is the best way to do it!

Chile was able to capitalize on some pour defensive skills and turnovers on our part in our 25 early in the game. They quickly went up 2-0. After that though, we settled down and our greatest strength is the speed in our front line. They earned us a corner and Sara McManus was able to capitalize by striking the ball low and hard inside the far post. It was a great goal for her and a good start for our team to get on the board. The score at half time was 2-1 for Chile.

Second half we came out pretty good but a series of pour mistakes, some on my part, gave them short corners and they capitalized on a mid-height drag flick far side. I don't want to talk about the 4th goal because it was 200% chance my fault... I gave the ball away and still had another chance to save it and missed. Oh well. Part of the game, I suppose... I just really paid the price. We did score a beauty by Marian Dickinson to put the game at 3-2 and then that give away I had put them up 4-2 for the final score. Great learning experience, especially for me...

I read this awesome quote this morning that I told the girls in the opening huddle and it went like this:

"Success is not a result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire."

So, we did set ourselves on fire. We definitely competed and that was #1 on the game plan! So, I am proud of the girls. We take on the "real" Canada team tomorrow so it should be interesting...

Can't wait to get more games in, though :D

Game day photos courtesy of Yan Huckendubler:

Making the Come Back

It's been a few days since I have updated my blog but mostly it's because back training means hockey, hockey, hockey non-stop! Since that beautiful ferry day we have had at least a practice every day and then other work outs on the side. For starters, I ran the beep test last Thursday and made my standard to be able to play in the 4-Nations Classic. Not only is it like getting 100lbs of weight lifted off your shoulder but it also means that I'll be suiting for Canada for the first time since October 2010. It feels amazing to know that I will finally get to put that Team Canada uniform on again. I'll tell you, there is no other feeling quite like putting on a Canadian jersey knowing that it belongs to you. If there's one thing I have learned in all this time off it's that you need to take pride in the shirt that you are wearing and the maple leaf on your chest. It's really tough being on the sidelines and given the chance to make a difference on the field, you can not take that for granted.

Moving forward, the 4-Nations Classic Tournament runs from July 15-24th in Vancouver and will be followed by a 3-Test series against Japan that takes us to July 30th. Here is how it is mapped out:

July 15-18th : Canada, Canada "A", Trinidad & Tobago, Chile (Round Robin - 3 games each)
July 18-24th: Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Chile, Japan (Round Robin plus 1v2 and 3v4 for medals)
July 24-30th: Canada vs Japan (3-Test Series)

It is going to be a very exciting month for Field Hockey Canada and Vancouver. Hosting this many games is not only a way to draw more support but to also show everyone at home how hard Canada has been working at climbing the ladder. The performance at the Champions Challenge II (placing 7th, a lot lower than ranked) actually moved the women's team down from 19th to 20th in the world. So, we need to work really hard to bring ourselves back up.

Having said that, I'm actually only on the squad now since being away from injury and coming back guarantees you only to be considered for a spot. No problem there. I'm really to work to get a spot back on the team and as I said in an old post - I never think my spot is secure. I think in order to make yourself a better player and athlete you have to feel someone leaning on you from behind trying to take your spot at all times. Just because you are on the starting 11 does not mean your spot is guaranteed, ever. I think if you can remember that then you will go far in whatever sport you are in. Take nothing for granted.

So, in the July 15-18th series I will be competing for Canada "A" which is not the "A" team but actually a development team. There are some very talented kids on the team that were picked up after Senior Nationals last week in Victoria. It's an exciting group that is definitely very fresh and new. Today, our head coach, John De Souza, of U of T, flew in to join our assistant, Krista Thompson, of UVic. Having full staff today was like a breathe of fresh air. It is definitely a change from getting coached by the National team head coaches and like I said - it's like a breathe of fresh air. It may all be the same tactics and strategies but a new way of learning is so awesome! It's so exciting!

It's going to be an excellent month of hockey and hopefully if I do well in the development team games I'll be able to make my way back to the top 18 to play in the remainder of the 4-Nations and the Japan series!

I'm very excited to have the potential to join the regulars on the pitch because Pan Ams is just around the corner and I am itching to get on the pitch and help us medal there! I still have A LOT to work on but my spirit is there and I've learned a lot in the months off.

I got some photos sent to me from Neil Hodge from the Senior National tournament I thought I would share with you:

  

I also was sent this video today which I have to show you because I absolutely love that it combines my ultime fav celeb (JT) and sports, in particular the three field hockey cameos:

Reflection

It is an absolute gorgeous day as I travel on the BC Ferries across the pond to Vancouver. The past few days on the island have seen some great weather including the hottest day of the year, supposedly. Considering it was raining in June I'm pretty happy with the weather! The past week I was involved in the Senior National Championships held at the University of Victoria. It was great to be playing on my "home pitch" again but also it was just great to be playing again, in general. My feet, hands and fitness are all still catching up but it's certainly nice to not be on the sidelines or video taping! To top it all off my team, BC BLUE, were the national champions. This is my second year in a row winning Seniors and on home turf. I suppose its a lucky place for me to win national championships ;)

Moving on from the big win, I'm heading back to Vancouver to start training for our first major competitions leading up to the Pan American games. Because I have been out of the picture for so long I have a lot of work to do before making it back on the team and even being considered for the Pan Am team. That starts with fitness testing (round 3) and then performance on the field. For the first week we have a Canada top team and a Canada "A" team which is a development team mostly made of Juniors. I'm playing for that development team and a LOT is going through my mind to prepare for that. It's going to be a tough couple of days while I get back into the full swing of things.

To top it off I'm having some rough time dealing with some personal issues, which are not only emotionally distracting but its seriously draining my energy. The tough part? It's not in my control and I only fear the worst. It's a bit too much pain for me to handle right now with all the hockey pressure on me, too. It's a big few weeks for me and it looks like I'm going to have to deal with it on my own. Sometimes life is pretty cruel to you but hopefully, it's one of those life lessons about how to deal with rejection and pressure. I'm certainly in the middle of it all and am trying to distract myself and stay positive. The sunshine is helping. Uncertainty is not.

Regardless, I am hoping to search for some friends I haven't connected with in awhile to reach out for some support. I'm not good at being on my own for these types of moments. Hopefully them as well as hockey will help pull me through!

Excellence - the Ripple Effect

It is with great honour that I help announce the first ever Canadian Athlete's Now E-Book! I was selected as a CANFund recipient last year and the money that I was given supported me in fulfilling my training needs leading up to the Commonwealth Games. I continually contribute to promoting the events and fundraising strategies that CEO Jane Roos and the committee come up with because I truly believe that they support Canadian athletes for all the right reasons!

This year, the Canadian Athletes Now Fund has decided to put together an E-book full of 36 stories by real Canadian athletes - Olympians and Olympic hopefuls. I was absolutely honoured to be asked to write a story and although I am not much of a writer I can write about what I feel! So, I thought about the moments in my life that have impacted me and although I play at the highest level in Canada it was my time at UVic, as a Vike, that had the biggest impact on my career and my life.

Other authors also include Soccer phenom Christine Sinclair, fellow islander swimmer Ryan Cochrane as well as "greats" like Silken Laumann. All proceeds go towards Can Fund and basically us, as athletes! So go check it out and read my story - CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW:

$25 Can Fund E Book

Filling my Toolbox.

Come July 7, 2011 it will have been exactly six months since my labral repair surgery on my right shoulder. It has been a long road to recovery so far but six months is the full recommended heal time and I was biking since 3 weeks after the surgery and have started running the past 3 months! A lot has happened since Christmas time including my dog being brutally attacked on Christmas day night and under-going 2 surgeries, plenty of pain killers and 2 months of wearing a cone. Sometimes I wish that humans could be as simple minded as dogs. Leo was the definition of a trooper. He would look so sad in his little kennel, drugged up on sedatives but when you came over to pat him the little tip of his tail would go "whap whap whap" on the floor as it was wagging back and forth if he could stand. My dog Leo and I have been on the mend together ever since and sometimes the best recovery is a furry friend!

Needless to say, Leo is back in working order and mentally seems the same happy-go-lucky black lab! As my dog mentor, Cesar Millan, always says, "Dogs live in the now" and "they don't hang on to the past. Humans do." So, it seems very fitting that I am thinking so much about 2010 and how big of a successful hockey year that was for me and then look at 2011 and 6 months have passed and I'm not even sure if I will even be selected to play in a series that is happening IN Vancouver! So, I look to the top of the screen and remind myself of the name of this blog: "Living in the Now" and I need to do just that. I can only control what I can control. The rest? Not up to me!

I have been very fortunate though to be asked to travel with the team as a video tech and to stay close to the team. I spent two weeks in Santiago, Chile filming and training on my own down there. Soon after, I was off to Vienna, Austria to film 4 games a day at the Champions Challenge II. Right after, a two-week trip around Italy? Talk about living in the now. I have to remember just how lucky I am and how fortunate I am to get to travel so much as part of my "career." Though it may not be your typical lifestyle or 9-5 job, it certainly is part of my career path. Everything I have done that has been related to hockey seems like it is just for hockey but when I think about it? Every experience has its purpose.

One of the best things that I can say about my UVic Vikes experience is that not only did I learn how to be a student-athlete but I learned so much about myself: how I learn, how I function and all the little details that will help me in life. Whether it be time management trying to get from class to practice or working with others, somehow it all seems so applicable to the "real world." My coach at UVic, Buzz, used to always tell me after I would complain about all the little technical hockey skills we were practicing, "Ali, these are all tools you can put in your tool box and you may not be able to think of a time in a game when you may need them but just wait. You will be in a situation and your muscles will take over and pick out the right tool from your tool box."

That's just what life is. It's a giant tool box and the more open you are to new experiences and meeting new people the more tools you gain to put in your toolbox for down the road! That's exactly what hockey has been for me. It has been a sport that has pushed me mentally and physically to limits I never thought I could over come. It has been a sport that has introduced me to organizations and people all over from dealing with the Canadian Athletes Now Fund fundraiser events to earning sponsorship from Penn West Exploration. It truly is a humbling experience that I have to remember not to take for granted!

Recently graduating from University with a B.Sc. feels absolutely incredible. Sure, everyone can make the "it took you seven years" joke but I am so proud to say that I DID complete it and also while dedicating so many hours to the team and on the pitch! It is definitely a bigger deal than just graduating. It is a stepping stone to the next stage of my life and hopefully I'm still on the uphill. 

CHECK OUT MY ABOUT ME PAGE.

Getting off the Rock!

Cafe Medina
My first official "day off" in Vancouver and I thought I would treat myself to the amazing food that comes out of Vancouver's Cafe Medina. Not only does is cousin/brother, Jason, the head chef there but the restaurant is also populated with lots of celebrities. Last time I was there I saw Owen Wilson and there has been appearances by Renee Zelweger, Kings of Leon, the cast of Twilight, etc. So, it's a popular place and not surprisingly. The service is excellent and their food is beautiful and tasty! Check out the food that hit the table when Adam, Alex, Jessie, Ruth and I were there:

Lavender Latte

Also available in: Vanilla, Spiced or Raspberry

8oz. $3.60 12oz. $4.00 16oz. $4.40

White Chocolate Pistachio Rosewater Waffle

Also available in: Dark chocolate, milk chocolate lavender, fig orange marmalade, raspberry caramel, mixed berry compote)

$3.15 per waffle + $1 topping

Seafood Chowder
(Daily Soup - Sampler Size)

Paella (Served All Day)

1 baked egg, curried orzo, Hungarian chorizo, zucchini, red pepper, roasted corn, grano padano. Watercress, avocado and tomato salad.

$12

Les Nouilles 

Chef's daily selection

$14

Les Boulettes

Spicy Moroccan lamb and beef meatballs, roasted vegetables. Houmus, raita. Grilled foccacia.

$14

Granville Island

After our lunch at Medina I remembered why I do love being in Vancouver... because of days like today where you can walk around Granville Island and enjoy the awesome fruit and just the hustle and bustle of the area. Also, the marsala chai at the Granville Island Tea Co. 

  

   

In tune with Purple

After trial and error with the Beats by Dr. Dre I thought that I knew what I wanted. I used the full over-ear head phones in Europe (on loan from my cousin) and I really fell in love with them. The only downfall is that I do a lot of traveling and having huge ear phones doesn't allow you to turn and fall asleep or move really. Also, the big ones (Studio Beats) require AAA batteries to work the noise cancellation and they won't work AT ALL without them. The small ones (Solo HD) look great but after comparing the prices $200-300 I still wasn't sold. Thanks to Cassidy at the Apple Store at Oakridge Center I was introduced to URBANEARS and to these beautiful beasts:

Urban Beats "Plattan Plus" Ear Phones
$59.95 - Available in multiple colours
"Power Purple" only available with Apple Store/Online

Before you go on about all the gadgets I have just LOOK at them and also the price! $60.00 CAD and you get over ear phone, amazing colour selection, compactability (they fold up like the SOLO HDs), a "zound plug" to allow a second set of head phones to tap into what you are listening to AND the cords are fabric to avoid them getting tangled or damaged. These bad boys are PURPLE and are amazing for the price. They aren't officially deemed noise cancellation phones but I've been listening to them while my roomies are chatting and watching a movie and I'm pretty happy with the sound quality. You can't beat it for $60! We'll see how I feel after my 12-day trial period is over but whatever. Oh, last bonus - it has the remote for sound and microphone control - compatible with all iPhone, iPad, and iPods! Awesome. Enough said. Check out this video:

Urbanears Plattan from Urbanears on Vimeo.

JUNE: My month of Ambition

I was recently inspired by my cousin Krystal's organized and realistic goal-setting she outlined on her blog "Give Me Back my Five Bucks." Her blogs are catered to an audience interested in following her strategies and tips for saving money and tackling the dilemmas of growing up, financially. She categorized her earnings and monitored them closely and I think whether it is finances or something else, it is important to set goals - be specific and realistic - monitor your progress closely and be disciplined. So, this is going to be a very ambitious set of goals and not all geared just for June but I figure once I get them down I can filter them and alter them but if I forever keep them in my head I may never take action.

Training & Recovery
> Rest : I want to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night. On days with late practice be in bed by midnight and the remainder of the days be in bed by 11pm.
> Training : I want to keep a daily log of my workouts & weight sessions - the intensity, the number of reps, the weight and how I felt
> Nutrition : This has a variety of sub-categories such as limiting caffeine (with sugar) in take to once 16oz cup a day, having salmon/fish for omega3 at least once a week and carrying a water bottle with me at all times to maintain hydration
> Get a minimum of 11.0 on the Beep Test on June 13th and get a 12.0 by the time criteria for the Pan American Games need to be met

Media and Self-Promotion
> On-going: I have this large vision about a platform online that will best show case myself as an athlete as well as some of my hobbies/talents online with graphics, video and websites. I want to start this up with the first phase which is the main site. I want to buy a domain name and go from there (Coming soon: http://about.me/alilee05)
> For the team: I want to do a team promotional video for fun where the team is "juggling" one field hockey ball all over the city (clearly with lots of video editing)
> I want to go through the entire Final Cul Pro Studio tutorial discs that I have, ready for my big project
> I want to a Round 2 of my Sponsorship Packages and research an entirely different target of sponsors for 2011-12

Personal Well-Being
> Ideally, I would like to take a 25-30 minute walk each morning or early evening to make sure I get some time to myself. I need to practice relaxing and not being on the go so much
> I want to work on my IPS (Ideal Performance State) so that I can no where I need to be mentally to be prepared to perform at practice, games and in the gym!
> I want to return to YYoga in Vancouver. Yoga has been the only thing so far that has allowed me to clear my ahead and feel really good after a work out. This month I would like to go to YYoga at least 1-2 times a week when I am on the mainland.

Finances
> I want to avoid coffee shops like Starbucks, Bean Around the World and Caffe Artigiano. It's make it at home and bring it or stick with water. Those drinks cost $3-5 each and that could save me a LOT!
> I want to cut costs on driving and try and be better at scheduling so I can walk or take the bus to some things such as to get a few groceries or visit friends in Richmond or Downtown
> Recovering from the cash spent while in Europe I am going to say for the month of June : No shopping for unnecessary things including: electronics, accessories, clothing, or shoes.
> I am going to keep receipts of expenses and track my moneys spent and received for the month of June

On-Going Work:
> I am the media liasion for the Senior National Championships occurring in Victoria at the end of June and I have a number of tasks to complete including getting in touch with local media and sending out a 2nd media release.
> I am putting together a well diagramed and labeled book for the coaches of the Junior league in Victoria. I have to digitize hand written practice plans and get them right. It's taking a long time but I need to get that done! It's going to be a spectacular edition to the Junior league.
> Raising awareness for the National team : I have a few contacts in mind that I would like to get in touch with to help get our team out there including contacting En Route magazine to see if they want to profile our coach or some team members.


Alright that is, as I said, an ambitious list but it's good to get it down for now. I will cut it down, be more specific and get some deadlines down so that I can monitor my progress! That's all for now! It's off to Vancouver for my first real practice. This is like January 1st for me - a New Year! I have a healthy shoulder that has had lots of rest and I am "in it to win it" mentally, so to speak.