ALICIA SMITH
Competing in track and field for the last nine years has been a wonderful experience. My journey with track and field began at St.Augustine Secondary School in grade twelve as a fun extracurricular activity and I could never have never imagined that it would turn into something that I am so passionate about .
My final year at St.Augustine I placed second in triple jump at OFSAA Championships and after that I was hooked. After growing up as a competitive dancer and gymnast, I knew that I had found a new sport that I wanted to pursue. I joined Take Flight Athletics and travelled to junior nationals where I earned a silver medal( it would be my only year as a junior). I continued on from high school to Western University where I have been fortunate to work with two tremendously dedicated coaches who have helped me through many stages of training and development all in an effort to help me excel as a triple jumper . During my time as a Western Mustang I have been both a top OUA and CIS athlete , improving my personal best each year from 11.80 m to 12.35 m . I am now two years into my post-university athletic career and I hold a personal best of 13.16 m and I have consistently ranked within the top triple jumpers in Canada .With commitment, dedication and perseverance I know that I can achieve much more and I am willing to rise to the challenge.
After graduating from teacher’s college I decided that I wanted to continue my education . I am currently finishing my master’s degree on top of training 4-5 days week at up to 18 hours. I also dedicate a few hours per week to give back to the sport , as a volunteer coach with London Western Track and Field Club. I have managed to work part-time to support myself , however I have found it very difficult to balance a full work schedule with the countless amount of hours I dedicate toward training and school .Within the past few years I have had support from a few community members who have believed in my dream and vision enough to help me along the way . I have also had tremendous support from my parents and brothers who have all made financial sacrifices to help me work toward achieving my dreams. It is their love and support that motivates me the most to continually strive toward excellence both on and off the track. Your support will make a significant difference in my quest to maximize my skill and reach my full potential as a competitive athlete.
The money raised from this campaign will provide me with the financial opportunity to intensify my training program and cover the costs of travel, training camps ,membership fees, quality training equipment, professional services such as physiotherapy, massage and chiropractic treatment, foods and supplements necessary to support the nutritional demands of rigorous training and help me to be able to concentrate entirely on training without the worry of economic hardship that I am currently facing.
I will be grateful for any contributions that you are able to make and you will be a valued supporter by helping me to get to the next level. I am confident that I have the potential to perform well and your assistance will help me jump forward to the 2015 Pan Am Games and beyond. You can stay up to date with me by following me on Twitter and Instagram @Track_Smith.
For any additional questions about this campaign you can contact me at alicia_smith_1@hotmail.com
Thank You !