Abbotsford's Shalaya Valenzuela had about 15 minutes' notice before receiving confirmation from her head coach that she would be activated for Team Canada's women's rugby sevens teams at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
That revelation and reflection on leadership, her past and growing up in Abbotsford were part of a special speaker event presented by Character Abbotsford on Wednesday (Nov. 6).
A crowd of close to 100 packed the Legacy Sports Centre for the event.
Here at the @CharacterAbby public speaker event with @Paris2024 silver medallist and @RugbyCanada star Shalaya Valenzuela #abbotsford pic.twitter.com/0WLuQglvhY
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) November 7, 2024
Valenzuela's experience in Paris, where she helped Canada earn a silver medal, was a focus of the discussion she had with Character Abbotsford's vice-chair Jory Smallenberg.
The 2017 Yale Secondary grad initially made the Olympic roster as a reserve, meaning she would only earn a medal if she actually suited up. Reserves train, prep and travel with the team, but only receive a medal if they crack the roster for a game. Valenzuela said she thought she might get in as injuries occurred and the tournament continued.
"I just remember sitting in the change room and kind of counting who's hurt," she said. "And then my coach just made it super casual and was like, 'You're going in; you got it.' "
1/2 Many thanks to Olympic Silver Medalist, Shalaya Valenzuela, for inspiring us with an authentic and inspiring message on sport, character, and resilience! #characterinabby #abbotsford @abbynews pic.twitter.com/Xj956rEkNo
— Character Abbotsford (@CharacterAbby) November 7, 2024
She dressed for Canada's 26-17 win over China on July 29. Valenzuela said she still gets some nerves before every game, but she tries her best to transform that anxiety into excitement. She said Team Canada also provides great resources for dealing with mental health prior to games.
"The main thing is really positive self-talk," she said, when asked about how she fights her nerves. "Think about all the things you're excited to do and show. I remember being super nervous to play once against New Zealand and the mental performance coach said, 'They haven't played you yet.' And I thought that's true. You're there for a reason and you should be excited to show the world what you can do."
Valenzuela said the win over France at the Olympics, for which she also dressed, is another lasting memory.
"When we came out of that tunnel, it was like 70,000 people cheering for France, and when we had the ball, they were completely silent," she said, laughing. "You could hear a pin drop. It was just crazy."
But it wasn't the smoothest journey to get to the world stage for Valenzuela. While she was growing up, her mom struggled with addiction and her dad served time in prison. Valenzuela is a member of the Tseshaht First Nation on Vancouver Island and said her grandmother was a residential school survivor. Those issues continued through her father.
"That was the direct effects of inter-generational trauma," she said of her father's problems. "A lot of loved ones on my dad's side have lost loved ones. I think it's important to still talk about it and share because I know a lot of people don't recognize how that trauma continues on through other generations."
Valenzuela was put into foster care from kindergarten through Grade 2 and said she is still close to her foster parents.
"They're now full-time providers for other Indigenous youth," she said. "They're still really close to my heart and I see them on holidays. They were huge in my development."
High school saw her move in full-time with her best friend's family, and they also provided her with a more structured life and support to grow.
Sports followed, and Valenzuela did everything from basketball to soccer to wrestling, but rugby became her calling. She said the rugby coaching staff at Yale Secondary, including longtime local rugby fixture Doug Primrose, were instrumental in her development in the sport.
After high school, she joined the UFV Cascades rugby program and then transferred to a bigger program at the University of Victoria. While at UVic, she was scouted by the national team, with whom she made her national debut in 2022.
She's currently a student at the University of British Columbia and is juggling training and national team commitments with the challenges of being a student. She said she's considering a professional career when she has more time and also hopes to represent Canada again at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The next event on the Character Abbotsford calendar is a public tour of the Canada Blood Services Abbotsford location on Jan. 9. Attendees will get a full tour of the facility. For more information, visit characterabbotsford.com/events2.
