National Girls and Women in Sports Day - Conversations with Condors
National Girls and Women in Sports Day recognizes how sport shapes the lives of girls and women far beyond the scoreboard. Across campuses and communities, participation in athletics builds confidence, leadership, friendship, and resilience. To mark this day, the Conestoga Condors are sharing Conversations with Condors, a project that brings together four varsity athletes to speak in their own words about what sport has given them, the opportunities it has created, and the ways it has helped them grow.
Badminton athlete Mariam Muqeem describes how competing at the college level helped her grow into herself. She explains that being part of the team has meant improving my confidence and self-esteem as well, and that learning to stay positive on court has been one of her biggest lessons. Her message to younger girls is grounded and encouraging: To never give up on your sport, practice effort and hard work, and just keep practicing, keep playing. I think it will definitely be worth it in the end.
For volleyball player Bianca Marchetti, sport has been about proving what women can do and creating visibility for those who follow. She speaks about the importance of representation, saying it is vital to prove that women belong in sport and that we need little girls to look up to women in the sport. After changing positions on the team, she learned to adapt and believe in her own progress, and she encourages others to be bold: Be loud in the sport too, do not shy away from it, really just be who you are and play with your heart.
Cross country runner Dianne Deboer reflects on the life skills that grew out of training. She talks about the determination, the resilience to keep coming back to training, and how balancing athletics with school required a lot of prioritizing and planning which is very helpful in your future years. As a mentor on the team, she tries to welcome others and remind them that it is a lot more fun together than by yourself. Her advice to any girl thinking about sport is simple: Just go for it and put everything into it so you know whether you like it.
Soccer athlete Ashley Blazek shares an honest perspective on facing injury. After tearing her ACL, she speaks about the struggle of identity and recovery, saying, trying to figure out who I am without it has been a big struggle. She credits the people around her for helping her move forward: my teammates and the support staff and coaches have been so good to me and helping me throughout the way. Ashley also finds joy in giving back, noting how coaching younger players and seeing how happy the kids are when they score reminds her why sport matters.
Together, their stories show that sport is a place where girls and women learn who they are. It is a space to build friendships that last for years, to face hard moments, and to discover strength that might have been hidden before. The conversations also recognize that challenges are real, but as Ashley shares, if you just get through those mental battles and believe who you are, you can get through anything.
The Condors extend sincere thanks to Mariam Muqeem, Dianne Deboer, Ashley Blazek, and Bianca Marchetti for speaking with openness and heart. Special thanks to Condors alumna Abby Sluys for leading this project and helping bring these voices to our community.
On National Girls and Women in Sports Day, we celebrate these athletes and every girl who sees herself in their words, knowing there is a place for her in sport!