Rivalry Series Preview: Canada vs. United States

If you’re a working media member that has lined Canada’s National Women’s
Team during the last 4 years, you realize the title Esther Madziya.

But if you happen to’re not and also you don’t, it is best to.

A Hockey Canada communications supervisor, Madziya was a part of the employees with
the Olympic gold medal-winning crew at Beijing 2022, sandwiched round a
pair of IIHF Women’s World Championship gold medals, spending weeks and
months on finish in bubbles and quarantines through the COVID-19 pandemic, away
from household and associates, with that singular golden aim in thoughts.

Outside of her Team Canada work, Madziya is an integral a part of the Hockey
Canada household, and was acknowledged for her contributions with the Hal Lewis
Award because the group’s employees individual of the yr for the 2018-19
season.

To rejoice National Women and Girls in Sports Day and Black History
Month, HockeyCanada.ca sat down with Madziya to speak about her journey and
how the business has advanced for minority ladies.

HC: How did you get your begin in sports activities media?

EM: I went to SAIT [the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in
Calgary] and took the published journalism program. The program has advanced
since then, however it was referred to as CTSR – Cinema, Stage, Television and Radio.
And then you might concentrate on no matter you needed to do.

I wasn’t positive what I needed to do in school. Way again when, I needed to get
into accounting, which isn’t my jam in any respect, however I at all times appreciated sports activities. And
I assumed, ‘You know what, maybe I want to get into sports.’ So I took the
broadcast program at SAIT, with the hope of moving into sports activities broadcasting
and sooner or later perhaps being on TSN.

I ended up getting a job in radio. I did a practicum in Lethbridge, which
is my hometown, on the radio station. The station additionally had the published
rights to Lethbridge Hurricanes video games, so I used to be overlaying the intermission
reviews and updating scores and stats, and it simply advanced from there.

HC: What was the panorama like in sports activities media for ladies while you
got here out of college?

EM: At that the time, there weren’t a whole lot of ladies in sports activities. There was
additionally not a whole lot of variety, in broadcasting and in sports activities particularly.

Growing up, my mother and father at all times stated, ‘No matter what occurs, you’re going
to need to work more durable than the subsequent individual. You’re going to need to show
your self on a regular basis, as a result of you’re a lady and since you’re a
minority. Nothing’s going to return simple for you.’

So that was simply one thing that at all times caught with me. And I bear in mind some
of my colleagues at SAIT, as we obtained nearer to commencement, saying that it
could be simpler for me to get a job as a result of I used to be a girl and a minority,
which I didn’t essentially agree with. But if being a girl and being a
minority was going to get my foot within the door, then you realize what, I’ll
settle for it. But on the identical time, if I am unable to do my job, it isn’t going to
maintain the door open very lengthy.

It was simply the fact of, you are going to need to work twice as laborious as
the subsequent individual if you wish to have any alternatives. That was simply
one thing that at all times caught with me.

HC: You’re arising on 9 years with Hockey Canada later this
week; what was the profession path to get right here?

EM: I labored on the radio station in Lethbridge for 4 years, working the
morning present and doing intermission reviews with the Hurricanes. I moved
into tv at Global Lethbridge for a couple of years, and in 2002 was fortunate
sufficient to get a place as a sports activities reporter at Global Saskatoon. I
targeted on a whole lot of college sports activities, did males’s and ladies’s hockey,
reporting on these. That was my beat. Canadian Junior Football, I lined
the Saskatoon Hilltops. I lined volleyball, curling – discovered rather a lot about
curling – lined a whole lot of SJHL hockey, minor hockey, all that form of
stuff.

In 2010 there have been cutbacks, and the business as a complete was altering, so I
determined to go house to Lethbridge. I went again to the radio station, began
doing the morning present once more, which I by no means thought I’d do, and was concerned
with Hurricanes video games on each TV and radio.

A yr later, the Hurricanes’ communications supervisor took one other job in
the Western Hockey League, and the crew provided me the place. I used to be with
the crew for 4 years earlier than the Hockey Canada place got here open, and I
began in February 2015.

HC: You’ve had the chance to work with wonderful athletes, journey
to wonderful locations, have a front-row seat to Canadian hockey historical past.
What is that like?

EM: Honestly, it is laborious to explain, as a result of except you are in it, you may’t
even actually describe it. But by no means in my wildest goals would have imagined
that I’d have the alternatives which have come my approach. I by no means would have
imagined that I’d have gone to among the locations that I’ve gone, had
the chance to work with among the athletes that I’ve labored with,
had the chance to cowl occasions, whether or not it’s from the occasion facet or
being embedded with a crew.

I feel the opposite piece that makes it particular is what it means to my
household. My household is extremely pleased with simply seeing that this child who,
when she was youthful, most likely did not at all times have the best give attention to her
research, is doing what she’s doing now.

There are occasions after I’ve hosted a press convention, and my household tells
their associates, ‘That’s our kid. That’s my sister. That’s my daughter.’
They’re so pleased with that, and meaning the world to me, however I additionally know
that I’ve at all times tried to be actually respectful and attempt to work laborious, and do
proper by the Madziya title. It means rather a lot to them, simply as a lot because it means
to me.

HC: You’ve talked about your loved ones a couple of occasions, and the affect
they’ve had on you. How essential has that help system been as
you’ve progressed by your profession?

EM: No matter what I needed to do with my life, they’ve at all times simply been in
my nook. And I feel for any child to have their mother and father say, ‘We’re so
pleased with you, it doesn’t matter what you do. We see the work that you just do,’ it is a
cool factor.

Our final title is Madziya. We’re the one Madziya household right here in Canada, and
they’re actually pleased with that. Their help simply means rather a lot, as a result of
they’ve at all times been there. My mother at all times says, ‘Look on the alternatives
that you’ve got been given, take a look at the roles that you’ve got had, and respect
that. And though there is perhaps some laborious occasions alongside the best way, these
laborious occasions strengthen you they usually’re the rationale that you just maintain having the
alternatives that come your approach.’

HC: To be one of many faces of Team Canada with nationwide and
worldwide media… does that carry just a little extra weight, imply a
little extra, since you’re a minority lady?

EM: Absolutely, as a result of there nonetheless is just a little little bit of, ‘Do I actually belong
right here?’ In the again of my thoughts, there’s nonetheless that little little bit of… watch how
you stroll, watch the way you carry your self, watch the way you’re coping with
any person, watch the way you’re coping with different media, as a result of if you happen to offend
any person, it’s fairly simple to say, ‘Well, it was her.’

In the again of my thoughts, I’m at all times nonetheless fascinated by working twice as
laborious. I simply do not wish to make any missteps, as a result of I really feel like any person
is simply ready for me to make a mistake to say, ‘See, that individual cannot do
it. She’s not certified. She was only a token rent.’

Those issues nonetheless play at the back of my thoughts. I do not assume these issues
will ever not play at the back of my thoughts.

HC: Women’s hockey has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times,
and also you’ve been in a position to see it up shut. What has that been prefer to
watch the sport evolve?

EM: It’s fairly cool to see, as a result of there’s a whole lot of laborious work that is gone
into rising the sport, and also you see how passionate the athletes are, however you
additionally see how passionate the employees is. So seeing the place it is at and seeing so
many individuals work so laborious, that brings me a whole lot of pleasure, as a result of that they had
their goals after they have been just a little woman. And to see the place issues are at
and to see the issues that they have been in a position to do and attain, however to
additionally get a entrance row seat to it, is fairly cool.

And I feel one of many neatest issues for me is that as a result of I’ve been right here
9 years and have labored up and down the National Women’s Program, and at
nationwide occasions just like the National Women’s Under-18 Championship, I’ve been
in a position to see gamers from 16, 17, 18 years outdated by to the nationwide crew,
and see the distinction they’re making now. It’s fairly cool to see that
development – as hockey gamers and as ladies.

HC: Throughout your profession within the media business, how have you ever seen
the doorways open for ladies, and for minorities?

EM: It’s like evening and day. The business has modified for the higher. There
are extra alternatives, extra doorways opening up immediately. I feel a whole lot of
organizations have checked out their product and requested, ‘Is our TV program,
is our news program, is our sports activities program indicative of what the remainder of
Canada appears like?’ Because it has to, in any other case you are not going to
join with individuals and you are going to lose them.

There are so many various avenues immediately. There are podcasts and
influencers and so many different issues that individuals are doing on their very own.
You’re seeing much more ladies in numerous roles. And we’re seeing rather a lot
extra of that as a result of it is about hiring the perfect person who’s on the market.

HC: What recommendation do you have got for ladies, or minorities, that wish to
get into sports activities however perhaps do not feel like they’ve a path?

EM: If that is what you wish to do, pursue it. Don’t let anyone cease you.
Somebody could say no, a door could shut, however it’s not no eternally, and there is
going to be one other alternative. Obviously if any person says no, it cuts
deep, however it simply means not proper now. Know that you just belong there simply as
a lot as the subsequent individual. At the tip of the day, all people places their pants
on the identical approach.

So, pursue what you wish to do. Don’t take no for a solution, do your
analysis, be assured and go in understanding that you realize that you are able to do the
job. Treat individuals with respect, and you may hopefully get that respect again.
Nobody ought to ever inform you that you do not belong.