Tell Us Your Story

Madeleine Fraser, 17, is one of our top MVP grant applicants. Although she did not receive the award, she does have a wonderful story to share.

Hello, my name is Madeleine Fraser and I am applying for the CAAWS program grant for female athletes. I think that I should receive the grant because I am a case of dreams can come true if you work hard enough.

I started playing my sport at the beginning of grade 9. I had been a competitive highland dancer for 7 years but I decided to take on varisty field hockey as a way to get involved in the school athletics. I have now been playing for 3 years, an have achieved my goals of mine. I am a current member of the Ottawa regional Field hockey team ( a selected group of athletes chosen from the ottawa region), a member of the 2002 Eastern Ontario Field hockey team, who attended the Ontario Summer Games this past summer. I was also a member of the U18 Ontario Field Hockey Squad, receiving coaching from national athletes. When I started in grade 9 it was just a hobby, but over the past 2 years I have developed a passion for the sport, making it a goal and dream of mine to represent Canada at some point. I have been following a training program since last winter, helping me improve on speed and agility.

I have taken on a passion for my sport, becoming a certified umpire and helping coach in summer clinics. I have been given the MVP award for high school field hockey in 2001, and the team award, for outstanding dedication and contribution in 2002. With my current Regional Program I am a co-captain, taking on the position of role model and leader for my team. During the U18 trials, I was told by many I could not make the first cut because of my weak hit (an essential element to the game), instead of becoming discouraged, I used that negativity to drive me to succeed, in my basement I would hit the ball into a mattress on the wall, over and over. On the field I would come an hour early with my friend, and he would instruct me on ways to improve. The two weeks in between trials my hit improved 75%, and I proved everyone wrong, making the first cut.

Another time where I needed a boost was a tournament I attended this season as captain. This was an elite tournament, with the best club in ontario, the Rovers, organizing it. They would win this tournament every year without a challenge. I came into the tournament with a team full of rookies. 3 vets and 4 rookies, things were shaky. Everyone was pretty discouraged to play because of the skill level present, but I told them to suck it up, have a good time, don't make expectations of yourself just play your best. We did, along side my co-captain, the goalie, we eneded up in 2nd place out of 8 teams, losing to the Rovers squad 2-0. That was my most triumphant moment as a leader. We ahd come so far.

I think I would be able to promote the CAAWS/Nike Girls@Play program because I have been the suppressed female athlete, I know what it is like to be held back or to be intimidated by something, anyone can do it if I can. The only person who is allowed to say you can't achieve your goal is you. I have worked with a bunch of rookies, acting as a fellow athlete, teammate, mentor and friend, and it has been nothing but a positive experience for me. I love introducing new people to something that I love. That is the greatest gift I can give, sharing a sport that you love with someone else. Offering them that gift of passion, the gift of dreaming, in any sport.

Thank you very much for your time.