Rivalry Series Preview: Canada vs. United States

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

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

A Hockey Canada communications supervisor, Madziya was a part of the workers 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 through the COVID-19 pandemic, away
from household and pals, 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 workers 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 advanced 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 advanced
since then, but it surely was known as CTSR – Cinema, Stage, Television and Radio.
And then you possibly can focus on no matter you wished to do.

I wasn’t positive what I wished to do at college. Way again when, I wished 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 moving into sports activities broadcasting
and sooner or later possibly 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 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 girls whenever you
got here out of college?

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

Growing up, my dad and mom at all times mentioned, ‘No matter what occurs, you’re going
to should work tougher than the subsequent particular person. You’re going to should 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 come back straightforward 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
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 recognize what, I’ll
settle for it. But on the similar time, if I am unable to do my job, it isn’t going to
preserve the door open very lengthy.

It was simply the truth of, you are going to should work twice as exhausting 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 reviews with the Hurricanes. I moved
into tv at Global Lethbridge for just a few years, and in 2002 was fortunate
sufficient to get a place as a sports activities reporter at Global Saskatoon. I
centered on loads of college sports activities, did males’s and ladies’s hockey,
reporting on these. That was my beat. Canadian Junior Football, I coated
the Saskatoon Hilltops. I coated volleyball, curling – discovered so much about
curling – coated loads of SJHL hockey, minor hockey, all that sort of
stuff.

In 2010 there have been cutbacks, and the business as a complete was altering, so I
determined to go residence 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 superb athletes, journey
to superb locations, have a front-row seat to Canadian hockey historical past.
What is that like?

EM: Honestly, it is exhausting to explain, as a result of until 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 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 give attention to her
research, is doing what she’s doing now.

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

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

EM: No matter what I wished to do with my life, they’ve at all times simply been in
my nook. And I feel for any child to have their dad and mom 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 so much, 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 recognize
that. And regardless that there is perhaps some exhausting occasions alongside the way in which, these
exhausting occasions strengthen you and so they’re the rationale that you just preserve 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 a bit extra weight, imply a
little extra, since you’re a minority lady?

EM: Absolutely, as a result of there nonetheless is a bit 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
anyone, watch the way you’re coping with different media, as a result of if you happen to offend
anyone, it’s fairly straightforward to say, ‘Well, it was her.’

In the again of my thoughts, I’m at all times nonetheless interested by working twice as
exhausting. I simply do not need to make any missteps, as a result of I really feel like anyone
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 at the back of my thoughts. I do not suppose 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 wish to
watch the sport evolve?

EM: It’s fairly cool to see, as a result of there’s loads of exhausting work that is gone
into rising the sport, and also you see how passionate the athletes are, however you
additionally see how passionate the workers is. So seeing the place it is at and seeing so
many individuals work so exhausting, that brings me loads of pleasure, as a result of that they had
their goals once they had been a bit 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 girls, 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 as we speak. I feel loads 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 as we speak. There are podcasts and
influencers and so many different issues that individuals are doing on their very own.
You’re seeing much more girls in several roles. And we’re seeing so much
extra of that as a result of it is about hiring the most effective person who’s on the market.

HC: What recommendation do you will have for girls, or minorities, that need to
get into sports activities however possibly 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 anyone 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 approach.

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