February 11, 2021
Gryphons Seema Abouchacra shares her story in her own words
With 1 in 3 Canadian girls dropping out of sport in adolescence, compared to just 1 in 10 boys, Canadian Women & Sport launched a national awareness campaign, She's Got It All, to challenge traditional mindsets on how women and girls experience sport. Only by better understanding the needs of women and girl athletes will we be able to make changes that support them to stay in sport. In support of the campaign, Ontario University Athletics reached out to our athletes, coaches, and administrators to learn about their experiences. We appreciate their honesty and vulnerability, and we are excited to spotlight their stories, in their own words, and encourage all of us to consider how we might behave differently after listening to their stories.
Guelph, Ont. - We moved to Dubai, UAE from Puslinch in 2004, when I was about three years old and we spent the next few years moving around and settling into the new country. The school I went to - as most, if not all there - offered kindergarten all the way to Grade 12 and were privately owned; however, after Grade 5, the classes began getting segregated by gender, in accordance with the nation's values and religion.
It did not phase me at the time since I knew nothing else. The entire 'girls' section would go on break the same time as the younger boys, who were in Grades 4 and below, and before I knew it, every lunch time for the next few years would be taken up by a friendly game of soccer versus those younger boys. Aside from P.E., it was the only physical stimulation we were given through our institution. No girls' sports teams, no practices, and certainly no opportunity to compete.
When I was in Grade 9, me and about ten other girls started practicing just about any sport we would be able to scrimmage against other schools. Mind you, our P. E. classes were not controlled by actual coaches, rather by teacher who knew nothing about sports, so we would train ourselves and have our teacher contact teachers from other schools to organize games. Day in and day out, we did it because we loved it. We got nothing out of it. There were no pre-determined seasons like there are here with basketball in the fall and rugby in the spring. That did not exist. We played every sport, every day and would later compete in different sports at the same tournament.
The little effort the school was putting in annoyed me, so I looked for sport outside of school and joined a karate club. I trained with them three times a week. I was the only girl in that club, aside from a blackbelt who had been there ever since she was little. Throughout the years, I fought in several competitions, which in turn added to my confidence. Those tournaments were very refreshing because they showed me all the other women participating in the sport across the country. My last fight was my favourite. I had good seeding going into the national championship because of the placing in my previous competition. I had one fight that afternoon and it was for gold. I won. My opponent later transferred to my club since she was also the only girl at hers and this way we could train together.
By the time I was in Grade 11, we were able to participate in two annual tournaments with the school. The AUS tournament, which was held at the American University of Sharjah and the AUD tournament, which was the American University of Dubai. We trained all year, with some competitions on the side, for those two days which were months apart.
AUS always came first and we would have nine games - three soccer games, three basketball games, and three volleyball games. The 15 of us would have to play all games because we had no actual teams. After our first AUS tournament, which we didn't even place at, we began getting recognition from younger and older students "trying out" for our walk-on teams. AUD was just as painfully long; however, this time around was a little easier because we had some more players on each team. I remember being on the basketball court mid-game and got called to 'Soccer Field 1' because our soccer game was about to start. High school sports were always fun and we did end up getting better and placing in that tournament. Towards the end of my Grade 11 year, my parents told me that we'd be moving back to Canada and I would have to continue my high school education here, in Guelph.
It was demotivating to know that there are so many skilled and passionate young girls who will never get a fair shot at basic competition. It was frustrating because we had no voice. The country functions under a despotic monarchy and it has been that way for decades and will continue to function that way. The lack of representation was baffling, and looking back, I cannot think of one single female athlete who I looked up to. I couldn't help but feel helpless at the lack of opportunity available and tired of constantly challenging the traditional mindsets of our coaches.
I was at every early morning practice, every home game, every away game, I just loved being in the environment of the team. It was through that team where I met one of my best friends to this day, Paisley Frasson. She was the captain of the rugby team and encouraged me to come out to practices. She consistently pushed, helped, and above all, encouraged me. I looked up to her.
The rugby team's environment was one in which I felt very comfortable. Our head coach, Mark Yanchus, also played a tremendous role. He was my mentor and one of the biggest advocates for women I knew. He taught me everything I knew and would personally go out of his way to ensure we were fostering a motivating environment for the team. But above all, unlike the head of department at my old high school, he respected us, which I've never felt from my athletic superiors.
Upon making it onto the Gryphons Women's Rugby team in the fall of 2018, I was so overwhelmed with joy because I had finally made it into an institution and a team that wouldn't give up on me. These women I stand by today have taught me the true craftsmanship of sport which is, as one, our relentlessness and hard work always pays off.
"These women I stand by today have taught me the true craftsmanship of sport which is, as one, our relentlessness and hard work always pays off."
Seema Abouchacra | Guelph Gryphons | Student-Athlete
Guelph, Ont. - We moved to Dubai, UAE from Puslinch in 2004, when I was about three years old and we spent the next few years moving around and settling into the new country. The school I went to - as most, if not all there - offered kindergarten all the way to Grade 12 and were privately owned; however, after Grade 5, the classes began getting segregated by gender, in accordance with the nation's values and religion.
It did not phase me at the time since I knew nothing else. The entire 'girls' section would go on break the same time as the younger boys, who were in Grades 4 and below, and before I knew it, every lunch time for the next few years would be taken up by a friendly game of soccer versus those younger boys. Aside from P.E., it was the only physical stimulation we were given through our institution. No girls' sports teams, no practices, and certainly no opportunity to compete.
When I was in Grade 9, me and about ten other girls started practicing just about any sport we would be able to scrimmage against other schools. Mind you, our P. E. classes were not controlled by actual coaches, rather by teacher who knew nothing about sports, so we would train ourselves and have our teacher contact teachers from other schools to organize games. Day in and day out, we did it because we loved it. We got nothing out of it. There were no pre-determined seasons like there are here with basketball in the fall and rugby in the spring. That did not exist. We played every sport, every day and would later compete in different sports at the same tournament.
The little effort the school was putting in annoyed me, so I looked for sport outside of school and joined a karate club. I trained with them three times a week. I was the only girl in that club, aside from a blackbelt who had been there ever since she was little. Throughout the years, I fought in several competitions, which in turn added to my confidence. Those tournaments were very refreshing because they showed me all the other women participating in the sport across the country. My last fight was my favourite. I had good seeding going into the national championship because of the placing in my previous competition. I had one fight that afternoon and it was for gold. I won. My opponent later transferred to my club since she was also the only girl at hers and this way we could train together.
"The boys had proper coaching staff, uniforms, practice slots, and tournaments to compete in and we didn't get any of that."
Back at school, the lack of skilled coaches, sanctioned practices, and especially funding were obstacles that we had to overcome. We knew that without our pressure on the administration, nothing would change. So we started asking to use the men's soccer field - they only had one on their side of the school - and the school gym after hours to practice. With the help of our P.E. teacher, who was also the coach of every single team we had, we received after-school practice slots. The boys had proper coaching staff, uniforms, practice slots, and tournaments to compete in and we didn't get any of that. We designed our own uniforms, and each had to purchase them separately due to the school's lack of funding.By the time I was in Grade 11, we were able to participate in two annual tournaments with the school. The AUS tournament, which was held at the American University of Sharjah and the AUD tournament, which was the American University of Dubai. We trained all year, with some competitions on the side, for those two days which were months apart.
AUS always came first and we would have nine games - three soccer games, three basketball games, and three volleyball games. The 15 of us would have to play all games because we had no actual teams. After our first AUS tournament, which we didn't even place at, we began getting recognition from younger and older students "trying out" for our walk-on teams. AUD was just as painfully long; however, this time around was a little easier because we had some more players on each team. I remember being on the basketball court mid-game and got called to 'Soccer Field 1' because our soccer game was about to start. High school sports were always fun and we did end up getting better and placing in that tournament. Towards the end of my Grade 11 year, my parents told me that we'd be moving back to Canada and I would have to continue my high school education here, in Guelph.
"The struggles that I faced with sports opened my eyes to the commonness of sexism in the Middle East and globally."
I went up to the head of our sports department to tell him the news and that I will be trying out for every sport I possibly could. He said, and I quote "you won't make it on any; they actually practice over there and are skilled". It was very hard being a woman in sport in the Middle East. The way we were treated and pushed to the side started warranting alienating and stubborn feelings towards the administration. There really is no excuse for the lack of support we were getting, from a privately-run school, so finances were not an issue in the slightest. The struggles that I faced with sports opened my eyes to the commonness of sexism in the Middle East and globally.It was demotivating to know that there are so many skilled and passionate young girls who will never get a fair shot at basic competition. It was frustrating because we had no voice. The country functions under a despotic monarchy and it has been that way for decades and will continue to function that way. The lack of representation was baffling, and looking back, I cannot think of one single female athlete who I looked up to. I couldn't help but feel helpless at the lack of opportunity available and tired of constantly challenging the traditional mindsets of our coaches.
"The lack of representation was baffling, and looking back, I cannot think of one single female athlete who I looked up to."
As nervous as I was for Canadian high school, I was excited for all those early morning and dedicated hours that were to come. I tried out for the volleyball team at John F. Ross the next fall and was perplexed at the fact that it was all so organized and that the coaches were qualified. I did not make the team, but I was stubborn and remember chatting with the head coach - Ms. Steadman - later and essentially explaining to her that it was my last year of high school and I couldn't sit there and watch it pass me by. I became the manager.I was at every early morning practice, every home game, every away game, I just loved being in the environment of the team. It was through that team where I met one of my best friends to this day, Paisley Frasson. She was the captain of the rugby team and encouraged me to come out to practices. She consistently pushed, helped, and above all, encouraged me. I looked up to her.
The rugby team's environment was one in which I felt very comfortable. Our head coach, Mark Yanchus, also played a tremendous role. He was my mentor and one of the biggest advocates for women I knew. He taught me everything I knew and would personally go out of his way to ensure we were fostering a motivating environment for the team. But above all, unlike the head of department at my old high school, he respected us, which I've never felt from my athletic superiors.
Upon making it onto the Gryphons Women's Rugby team in the fall of 2018, I was so overwhelmed with joy because I had finally made it into an institution and a team that wouldn't give up on me. These women I stand by today have taught me the true craftsmanship of sport which is, as one, our relentlessness and hard work always pays off.
"These women I stand by today have taught me the true craftsmanship of sport which is, as one, our relentlessness and hard work always pays off."
