This past summer, third-year Carleton Ravens women’s rugby team player Maya Addai was a part of the Canada under-20 women’s rugby team that travelled to England to play against England and the U.S. in the Tri-Nations Cup.
The Charlatan talks to her about the experience and how she got there.
The Charlatan (TC): What began your rugby journey? How old were you when you first started to play?
Maya Addai (MA): I began my journey later on in my high school career, in Grade 11. At first it was just for fun, but as I kept playing I fell in love with it.
I had played soccer competitively for most of my life and was supposed to go to Ryerson University to play for their team there, but my current coach [Patrick Thompson] called me and offered me a spot on Carleton’s team and I knew I couldn’t turn it down.
TC: Who is your biggest influence for your rugby career? How did they factor into your mindset at the Tri-Nations Cup?
MA: I have three major influences throughout my playing rugby. The first would be Sean Whately, my high school coach. He helped me with the basics and helped to put me on the path I am on today.
The second would be my current coach, Pat Thompson. I told him when I first started playing for him that I liked playing at high level of competition and I asked for his help to do whatever I can to reach my lifelong goal, to go to the Olympics or to play in the World Cup. Ever since, he has been helping me get tryouts for extremely competitive teams, like the Canadian Tri-Nations Cup team.
She pushed me to learn my position better, to learn the rules of the game better and to adapt to anything that is thrown at me. I have found that you really need people who understand your goals and ambitions to be able to succeed, each of these three did that for me.
TC: Can you tell me about your experience playing for Team Canada at the Tri-Nations Cup?
MA: It was amazing! My favourite part was probably running out [onto the pitch] for that first game, Canada vs. the United States. We got to run on in our full kit, line up and sing O Canada and that was just so surreal for me. Many people don’t ever get that opportunity. It was a long and difficult journey for me, so it made me very proud to stand there with my new friends and teammates and our coaching staff.
TC: What was your biggest takeaway from your involvement at the Tri-Nations Cup?
MA: Since we only played two games—the United States and England—we had plenty of time to train and analyze between our games, meaning we all had time to work on our skills as a team.
Personally, my biggest takeaway was that I have to be committed and not get discouraged if something didn’t go my way, especially at this level because anything can happen, and at the end of the day, you have already learned so much and that’s the important part.
TC: What was the most challenging part of playing at the Tri-Nations Cup?
MA: I would say having the confidence to insert myself in plays and different game situations and advocate for myself in a better position to create more opportunities for myself.
TC: Based on last season, do you have any goals or expectations for this upcoming season for yourself and your teammates?
MA: Our goal would be to win nationals. We came so close last season, but lost in the semifinals. I feel like we can do it this season. We have the skill and the knowledge. This is our time to take the win.
Feature image by Tim Austen.
