WEEK #17: AVERY R.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

My name is Avery Reeves. I grew up in a small town, Mount Forest ON. While growing up I played a variety of sports such as soccer, baseball, lacrosse, ringette, hockey, incline skating and field hockey. Although, I loved the game of hockey and focused my training on hockey.

I am just finishing up my last year at York University, I will graduate with a degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences. While at York I was on the Varsity Hockey Team, where I was part of the leadership team for the last 2 seasons. I finished my varsity career at York on a high note. This was the first year that I have made it to playoffs while I have been with York. We also earned our spot at the U Sports Championship in PEI. This year I was awarded with the Sport Council Award for my contributions towards varsity athletics, demonstrating leadership, dedication, enthusiasm and participation in all aspects of sport council.

Outside of sport I love to spend time outdoors; paddleboarding, kayaking, camping and hiking. I am also very passionate about health and fitness. In 2017, I created my own personal training business called “Reeves Fitness Coaching”.  I love educating others about fitness and helping them achieve their goals.

How has sport helped you become a better leader? 

Sport has helped me become a better leader due to the opportunity to develop characteristics such as communication, teamwork, accountability and selflessness. Throughout my four years at York, I have had the chance to learn from some amazing leaders. I believe that it a huge part of the leader I am today.

What are some strategies you use to balance sport and academics? 

To successfully balance sports and academics, I always had my planner with me. In my planner I included test dates, assignment due dates, practice times and the game schedule. This helped me prioritize my work for each week. I would plan my week out on Sunday evening so that I knew what had to be done for the upcoming week.

Working ahead when you have free time was always a great way to keep up with academic demands. It was important to take advantage of the days that our team had off by working ahead in school.

What advice do you have for parents, coaches or sport administrators to encourage or improve sport for females? 

I think that it is so important to encourage females to participate in sports. The opportunity to play sport while growing up and in university has allowed me to create so many amazing friendships through the teams I have been on. Many of the things that I have learned through sport couldn’t be taught in a classroom or from a textbook.  It has helped me develop valuable skills such as communication, respect, responsibility, teamwork and a strong work ethic.

My advice for parents, coaches and sport administrators to encourage female participation in sport would be to show young girls female role models that are involved in sport. This can encourage them to participate and become involved in sport.

What is a quote that motivates you? 

“Champions are made in the offseason.”

Instagram: @ave_reeves