LETHBRIDGE – She has starred on the largest stages in Canada and across the world. Yet, it’s still the simple joys of rugby which keep Ashley Steacy coming back.
“Being able to run and cut, to make people miss tackles. I love that part of it,” Steacy says.
The 27-year-old has a pile of accomplishments too long to list. But even by her lofty standards the month of May was spectacular. “This whole month has been something I’m never going to forget,” says Steacy.
As one of the longest-serving players and occasional captain for Canada’s women’s sevens national team, Steacy was instrumental in helping her team capture a berth in the 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympics. The sport will be making it’s Olympic debut and working towards making sure Canada was one of the inaugural 12 teams to take part was a goal for Steacy and her team. “To clinch that spot and to reach that goal is so fulfilling,” she says.
With the Olympic berth secured, team Canada came together and earned a tournament victory in Amsterdam. The first time Canada has ever reached the top of the podium in the world’s top rugby sevens series.
“My heart’s beating because I’m thinking about it again,” says Steacy, gesturing at the thought of her heart jumping out of her chest. “Just a super exciting, really passionate, happy ending for us.”
With team accolades secured, Steacy took her own turn in the spotlight. She was named to the series season ending Dream Team – being named one of the top 7 players in the world. An honour which caught her by surprise, “I was like, ‘excuse me, what?'” says Steacy. “I didn’t even know that they were naming a dream team, and it was for the whole season. Yeah, it was an incredible moment, pretty surreal.”
Steacy was back home in Lethbridge this week for a brief stop-over before returning to training ahead of July’s Pan-Am Games. She was in Red Deer Friday to be inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame along with her University of Lethbridge teammates who won 3 straight Canadian University championships from 2007-09.
As with all amateur athletes, there comes a time when they must consider life after sport. Steacy is a University of Lethbridge graduate with a bachelor of science and kinesiology degree. She admits considering her future options, but isn’t ready to step away from the sport yet, even if it means being away from her family and husband, Sean, for months at a time. It’s a choice she has made to pursue the game at the highest level.
“It is my life goal, it is a dream of mine and I only have a certain window to be able to do it,” says Steacy. “And I’m very lucky that I have this window to be able to do it, and I’m going to push for it and it’s my goal to make it to the Olympics.”
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