Rugby - Women 3/7/2023 1:48:00 PM

International Women's Day Feature - Brianna Martey

Brianna Martey, (she/her) Women's Rugby, Fourth Year
Psychology & Biological Science

For Brianna Martey, participation in sport increased her self-esteem and empowered her to be the best version of herself.
Brianna Martey running on the field

The fourth-year women's rugby student-athlete is double majoring in Psychology and Biological Science. Growing up with her brother and attending St. Peter Catholic High School in Ottawa, she was introduced to the sport of rugby at the early age of 15 playing both 15s and 7s. Brianna was immediately noticed for her athletic abilities in rugby and in her second year of high school, was invited to participate in Canada camp, making the U18 National program that summer. Brianna has represented Canada at the U18 level in both 2017 and 2019, long listed for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, and represented Ontario in 7s and 15s. Her rugby resume doesn't stop there, as she also represented Ontario at the Canada summer games. Brianna's determination, strength and undeniable rugby talent had Universities knocking at her door. The University of Guelph was her first choice.

Brianna Martey speaking on the court

Brianna overcame two years of injuries, and the impact of COVID on her training, to persevere and bounce back to an incredible performance in 2022 as an OUA all-star and an MVP in the opening game at the USPORTS National Championship. She is looking to continue to play at the Ontario level and push for a National Team Rugby World Cup after graduation.

Brianna is active on campus, working in the intramural office, sitting on the She's Got Game committee, and both the Athletic EDI committee and campus wide EDI committee working alongside President Charlotte Yates. She is also a head coach in the community with the GCVI girls' rugby program. Brianna brings talent, integrity, and empowers other athletes to strive for the best in sport and life.

Question: What does it mean to be a Gryphon student leader?

Being a gryphon student leader means being present. It means showing up for your teammates, for your fellow gryphons and for yourself. It means always to give 110% no matter what, and when you cannot, you have the courage and the network to reach out to other gryphons. Being a gryphon student leader means being open to learning from others and sharing ideas, it is being creative and inclusive of everyone in our Gryphon community. Lastly, to me, being a gryphon student leader is striving to be the best version of myself, in order to make my community the best version it can be.

Question: Why is girls' participation in sports so important?

For many years, girls have been seen as less than their male counterparts, when in reality that is far from the truth. Girls can do so much and their participation in sports is so important because it provides a sense of belonging, it increases self-esteem and it empowers girls to be and does their best. Participation in sports for girls goes far beyond, just the field or the court, it creates leaders, it creates role models, and it builds a sense of belonging among us all. It creates a safe environment for all involved to be their true authentic selves in a world where we have been told to be less than ourselves. Where we have been told not to have too much ambition or we will threaten the man. Girls' participation in sports is so important because it fosters good behaviours, improved mental health, and leads to a future full of opportunities for women.

Question: What do you think helped you get here? How can we mentor young girls to dream big?

I think the biggest motivator for me getting to be where I am today, was being empowered by others. Encouragement can be so small as a few words or a donation to a scholarship fund, but no matter the form encouragement and empowerment have the ability to transform lives, and that is what got me to where I am today. Having coaches, specifically female coaches, who would push me to do my best, and support me when I was down was a massive piece of how I got where I am. Because of them, I will do the same for others. I will pour into the next generation like I was poured into, I will mentor, I will encourage and I will empower. Because if I do so for the next generation then hopefully they too can get even further than I get and we as women can do amazing things in this world.

Question: Growing up, what women in sports did you look up to?

While I was growing up I looked up to Candance parker and Serena Williams. Candace Parker was a predominant player in the WNBA and when I was playing basketball I aspired to be like her, not just because of her skill but because of the work she did outside of basketball. I first fell in love with the kind of person she was after seeing her do charity work for a healthcare organization and not even wanting to talk to reporters, because "she was there to help, not for a new story". I fell in love with Serena Williams because all throughout childhood and even now I had struggled with what was the "perfect" body for a female athlete. I was always the bigger player on the basketball court, and even though I was very athletic, I always felt like my body was not right for basketball let alone sports. It wasn't until I started playing rugby I finally saw the strength and the abilities that my body had and how it serves me to do so well. Serena Williams is a huge advocate for body positivity for women in sports and never lets the media or anyone else shame her because she doesn't have the "ideal" body type for a tennis player. I think she is one of the strongest women ever and I strive to have a platform one day where I can help other girls fall in love with their bodies, and be grateful for what our bodies can do.

Question: What's next for you?

I have made so many connections in sports and gotten so many opportunities from it. I hope that after my undergrad I can continue to make great strides in increasing EDI in sports and especially increasing the popularity of sports for girls. I want to inspire young girls to be themselves and gain confidence. My goal is to work in health care and to be an advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I also hope that through this I can continue to keep sports a big part of my life, as sports are a huge gateway to better mental health, better physical health and overall a nation where all are seen as equal.

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Players Mentioned

Brianna Martey: Prop; 5' 6"; 2

Players Mentioned

Brianna Martey
: 5' 6"; 2
: Prop