WEEK #30: NICOLETTA K.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Nicoletta and I live in London, Ontario, Canada with my mom, dad, and my younger brother, Stavros.  I love being active and enjoy playing all sports. I have participated in volleyball, soccer, badminton, gymnastics, cross country, and basketball over the last nine years. My favourite sport is basketball. I find playing basketball very rewarding because of the teamwork it involves and because of the friendships I have gained over the last few years.  I love that I always have the support of my teammates when learning to reach a new goal, and I know that I can rely on them for encouragement and advice both on and off the court. Some of my accomplishments as a competitive basketball player are winning player of the game three times in one season, winning two gold medals, four silver medals, and 3 bronze medals at tournaments over the last four seasons, and becoming a 2019 Hoopfest champion.  

I am passionate about music. I love singing, writing songs, and learning to play new instruments. Currently, I play the piano, flute, and ukulele. I enjoy the creative process of writing and composing music. My songwriting creativity and inspiration comes from my personal relationships and experiences which help to generate my lyrical ideas.

How has sport contributed to the person you are today?  

Sport has taught me to be an effective communicator and has given me both the confidence and drive needed to pursue my goals and dreams as a female in sports. Sport fuels my self-esteem and has pushed me to be resilient and feel empowered as a female. Being aware of the importance of showing up and doing the hard work every day to become a better athlete and grow as a person has come from sport. Furthermore, my self-belief and self-confidence, and the ability to take advantage of opportunities that are presented to me has come from my relationship with sport.

What is something you’re proud of that is outside of sport?

I am bilingual. I fluently speak, read, and write in both English and Greek. I feel that being bilingual has helped me with thinking outside the box and multitasking. For me, being both bilingual and multicultural has allowed me to communicate more effectively and gain the important social skills needed to work with others. 

I am proud of being able to speak, read, and write in another language. I travel to Greece every summer to visit my extended family. I love that I can spend summers in Greece to learn more about my heritage and better understand my family roots. 

What advice do you have for parents, coaches, or sport administrators to improve inclusion in sport?

To improve inclusion in sport, I feel that it is important for coaches, parents, or sport administrators to provide an environment that is positive, accepting, safe, and respectful.  There should be no discrimination to colour, race, religion, disability, or gender. Everyone should feel included, important, and part of the team. Providing a pathway for equal opportunity and development for each player is important in the overall success of a team. Fair treatment and equal participation ensures positivity and helps to promote social inclusion by breaking down barriers of fear and discrimination.

What are five words that best describe you?

RESPONSIBLE | ATHLETIC | CREATIVE | LEADER | RELIABLE