July 10, 2020

How’s training been going?

Training has been going really well. It has definitely changed due to COVID-19 and the pools being closed, but I’ve been able to try out some cross-training activities that I would not have tried otherwise, including rowing and hand cycling. I’ve also had to get really creative with ways to keep training at home, but it’s been a fun challenge.

You’re a top-level athlete, a university student and the owner of two businesses. How do you balance all those things?

It is definitely a balancing act and I’ve really had to work on my time management, but I absolutely love swimming and running the businesses so I make time for both. I will often be working on orders while traveling to competitions or training camps, and answering business emails and inquiries at the pool before practice. I’m someone that always likes to stay busy so I really like having so much on my plate.

What inspired you to create your two businesses Crafty Prairie Girl and Accessible Life?

I have wanted my own business for as long as I can remember. I have been crafting and making different creations since I was a kid and as I got older and my style became more defined, I decided to just go for it and share my creations with others by starting my own business. My favourite part of my Crafty Prairie Girl business is making cute creations that make others smile. I created my Accessible Life store to share products that I made to help me be more independent and to make life more accessible for others. I wanted to make products that are functional but also stylish.

You’re pursuing a major in physical education and you’re a coach with the Saskatoon Lasers swim club. What’s drawn you to these instructor/teaching roles?

I struggled a lot in school and always seemed to have to work way harder to do the same amount of work. As a result, I never enjoyed school that much and remember often being frustrated and discouraged when trying to learn. While this was a hard time for me, I learned a lot of strategies that worked for me and that I try to implement into my teaching/instructing for others that my be struggling like I did. Additionally, I want to work with schools to help make them more accessible for all students no matter their individual abilities or disabilities. Especially for physical education classes where students with disabilities are often left out or not included in meaningful ways.

With all these different things on your plate, what do you do to relax and have a break?

I’ve always been someone that likes to keep busy and find it difficult to slow down or relax, but every day I take time to do something that is relaxing in my own way. Often I will do some designing, listen to some of my favourite music and light one of my favourite candles. Even when I’m relaxing, I’m still typically doing multiple things at once, but I try to do things that I don’t have to do but am simply doing because it is something I enjoy. Everything I do I love so much, but I find it is still super important to take breaks and to challenge yourself by trying new things and doing different projects in order to avoid burn out or losing my love of everything I do.