Jaques ready for what comes next

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

But should you’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 staff 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 in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, away
from household and associates, with that singular golden objective 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 particular person of the 12 months 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 developed for minority girls.

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 printed journalism program. The program has developed
since then, but it surely was known as CTSR – Cinema, Stage, Television and Radio.
And then you could possibly concentrate on no matter you needed to do.

I wasn’t positive what I needed to do at college. Way again when, I needed to get
into accounting, which isn’t my jam in any respect, however I at all times favored 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 entering 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 printed
rights to Lethbridge Hurricanes video games, so I used to be masking the intermission
studies and updating scores and stats, and it simply developed from there.

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

EM: At that the time, there weren’t quite a lot of girls in sports activities. There was
additionally not quite a lot of range, in broadcasting and in sports activities specifically.

Growing up, my mother and father at all times stated, ‘No matter what occurs, you’re going
to must work tougher than the subsequent particular person. You’re going to must show
your self on a regular basis, as a result of you’re a girl 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 acquired nearer to commencement, saying that it
can 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 recognize what, I’ll
settle for it. But on the identical time, if I am unable to do my job, it isn’t going to
hold the door open very lengthy.

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

HC: You’re developing 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 studies with the Hurricanes. I moved
into tv at Global Lethbridge for a number of years, and in 2002 was fortunate
sufficient to get a place as a sports activities reporter at Global Saskatoon. I
centered on quite a 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 – realized loads about
curling – lined quite a lot of SJHL hockey, minor hockey, all that type of
stuff.

In 2010 there have been cutbacks, and the business as an entire 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 12 months later, the Hurricanes’ communications supervisor took one other job in
the Western Hockey League, and the staff provided me the place. I used to be with
the staff 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 onerous to explain, as a result of until you are in it, you possibly can’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 manner. I by no means would have
imagined that I might have gone to a few of the locations that I’ve gone, had
the chance to work with a few of 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 staff.

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 deal with her
research, is doing what she’s doing now.

There are occasions once 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 onerous, and do
proper by the Madziya title. It means loads to them, simply as a lot because it means
to me.

HC: You’ve talked about your loved ones a number of occasions, and the affect
they’ve had on you. How essential has that assist system been as
you’ve progressed by means of 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 assist simply means loads, 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, have a look at the roles that you’ve got had, and respect
that. And despite the fact that there is perhaps some onerous occasions alongside the way in which, these
onerous occasions strengthen you and so they’re the rationale that you just hold having the
alternatives that come your manner.’

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 girl?

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 may be 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 individual, watch the way you’re coping with different media, as a result of should you offend
any individual, it’s fairly simple to say, ‘Well, it was her.’

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

Those issues nonetheless play behind my thoughts. I do not assume these issues
will ever not play behind 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 quite a lot of onerous 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 onerous, that brings me quite a lot of pleasure, as a result of they’d
their goals once 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 achieve, 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 means of to the nationwide staff,
and see the distinction they’re making now. It’s fairly cool to see that
development – as hockey gamers and as girls.

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 night time and day. The business has modified for the higher. There
are extra alternatives, extra doorways opening up at this time. I feel quite a 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 seems to be like?’ Because it has to, in any other case you are not going to
join with folks and you are going to lose them.

There are so many various avenues at this time. There are podcasts and
influencers and so many different issues that persons are doing on their very own.
You’re seeing much more girls in several roles. And we’re seeing loads
extra of that as a result of it is about hiring the very best individual that’s on the market.

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

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

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