Falcons Spotlight: The Success of Indigenous Women

(London, Ontario) – The Fanshawe College Falcons have found incredible success once again this season, particularly in Women's sport. A large part of that success is due to the strong and talented Indigenous student-athletes who are part of the program.

This spotlight story features volleyball standouts Mattea Deleary and Ashley Rafferty, basketball rookies Legacie Blackbird and Taylor Hill and Badminton team captain Kaitlyn Murray. All of these student-athletes have found success on and off the court by displaying courage, focus and determination.

Mattea Deleary is a third-year middle blocker for the Falcons Women's Volleyball team and is enrolled in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership degree program. Deleary is from Chippewa of the Thames and grew up in her mother's First Nation community, Moraviantown. "It means a lot to represent my community, especially as a female", stated Deleary. "Hopefully I can inspire younger Indigenous individuals to work hard towards their dreams, to be brave, and that anything is possible when you put your mind to it!" This season, Deleary led Fanshawe to their second consecutive OCAA title. She was named an OCAA Tournament All-Star, OCAA League Second Team All-Star and a CCAA Academic All-Canadian. "Being a Falcon for three years now, I have grown so much as an individual. I have met amazing coaches and teammates who push me to be a hardworking student-athlete." Once Deleary completes her degree in Early Childhood Leadership, she would like to continue her education by attending teacher's college abroad in New Zealand. Her career aspirations include teaching in elementary schools somewhere between kindergarten and grade four.

Ashley Rafferty joined the Fanshawe Volleyball team last season from Peace River, Alberta. Her family is part of Woodland Cree First Nation and she takes pride in representing her community. "Not a lot of people from the community have gone on to play college sports", said Rafferty. "So it is pretty special to me to be one of the first." Rafferty was named the 2019 OCAA Rookie of the Year and the player of the match in this season's OCAA championship. The second-year setter led the league in assists per set with 9.48. She is enrolled in the business program and plans to continue to improve with the support of her squad. "I want to get better for my team, because they are my second family and I want to win another medal next year at Nationals."

Legacie Blackbird is a first-year student-athlete on the Falcons Women's Basketball squad and is enrolled in the Child and Youth Care program. She grew up on Walpole Island First Nation and believes it is important to set a good example for Indigenous youth striving to become student-athletes. "I am not playing for myself- I am playing for everyone back home who watches me and has a dream like I did", stated Blackbird. This season, the Women's Basketball team went back-to-back, defending their Provincial Championship gold medal. "I enjoy everything about being a Falcon, but the best thing is how close knit our team is. There was never a time when I felt unsupported." Blackbird is also involved with the Fanshawe First Nations Center. She was awarded the Indigenous Volunteerism Award for showing growth and dedication to both her studies and athletics.

Taylor Hill is also a rookie on the Women's Basketball team studying Child and Youth Care. She was born and raised on Six Nations of the Grand River. She is extremely proud to see the sport of basketball grow and hopes to be a role model for females in her community. "Growing up, basketball wasn't a popular sport so I had to go off the reserve to play", said Hill. "But over the last few years, more aboriginal girls are playing and we now have a team on the reserve who travel to native tournaments and host our own tournament at our local gym. I feel very proud of where I come from. Seeing young girls in my community come up in the basketball world makes me feel like I am a part of a team that is paving the way for females in sport." Off the court, Hill aspires to work with the youth in her community, create a safe place and help them see their potential. On the court, Hill is excited for her future as a Falcon and understands that with hard work and a team-first attitude, the team will continue their success from this season. "I want to strive to be the best player I can be and win more titles with my teammates. I love being a Falcon because we aren't just a team, we are a family. We win and lose together, share a passion and create memories that will last a lifetime." 

Kaitlyn Murray is the captain of the Fanshawe Badminton team, an OCAA All-Academic and is a student employee with Fanshawe Athletics. She was named the Jim Matchett Award recipient, which recognizes a student-athlete who has achieved a significant academic standing while making a noteworthy contribution to Athletics. Murray is a member of the Woodland Metis Tribe and recommends Indigenous youth get involved, "join as many clubs and groups as you can, meet new people, create new opportunities and be your own true person." Her career goal is to become a nurse so she can help others. She also plans on staying involved in sport through coaching or volunteering. Murray concluded, "My best advice is to work hard. It is okay to fail, what is important is that you don't give up. I am grateful to be a Falcon because of the endless support. Teammates, coaches and athletics staff all want to see you succeed on and off the court." 

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For further information, please contact:
Nicole Carriere
Sports Information Officer - Fanshawe Athletics
n_carriere@fanshawec.ca