https://www.sports4everyone.com/blog daily 0.75 2020-05-25 https://www.sports4everyone.com/blog/tomatoes-are-now-in-season-3awb9 monthly 0.5 2019-07-09 https://www.sports4everyone.com/blog/new-additions-to-the-farm-htydk monthly 0.5 2019-07-09 https://www.sports4everyone.com/blog/spring-favorites-kale-w5258 monthly 0.5 2019-07-09 https://www.sports4everyone.com/events daily 0.75 2025-05-12 https://www.sports4everyone.com/events/free-compost-workshop-fh2jm monthly 0.5 2022-05-04 https://www.sports4everyone.com/events/annual-plant-sale-fj6mz monthly 0.5 2022-05-04 https://www.sports4everyone.com/events/roseti-community-meeting-pg878 monthly 0.5 2022-05-04 https://www.sports4everyone.com/dampystory daily 0.75 2021-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1628352742463-LA4APUYKTBP6LBBZXNBB/dampy-brar-6.jpeg Dampystory https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1628352770393-1KY2WGZN7706BGP29PL9/EhdZ-EoVgAEDZX2.jpg Dampystory https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1628446441037-0R51P3U4DI1RGJ68H6L9/dampy-brar-5.jpg Dampystory https://www.sports4everyone.com/home-1 daily 1.0 2021-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1589162164224-M6RC3JPQS2W49VXUM7XQ/Sports-PNG-Image.png Home - “Don’t Change Your Dreams, Change the World" Kobe Bryant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591704269586-N6FK83JLQGI9J1D7R8TH/basketball+2+4.jpg Home Religion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591703841277-Q48QBB733A39BLU426MA/helen-maroulis-cauldron-lead+2.jpg Home GENDER https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591735781847-LDBSE2SKNSEHZK1QSRGX/AdobeStock_218199729+2.jpg Home Medical https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591736145036-3I2XQL500B3RPCUVA16C/large_Outsports_Full.40297.49814.jpg Home ORIENTATION https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591735953718-3RK2CBXYUOUF7IGNB9U4/i+2.jpg Home RACIAL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591736287109-BSX4EG0OVK2NTEW8QI8G/12-1024x768+2.jpg Home PHYSICAL https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440823160-LB9JALUU6FJL4WQF4EFK/news-logo.png Home https://www.sports4everyone.com/home daily 0.75 2020-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588901863851-E77O5XE555B99BX80HA3/image-asset.jpeg Home SPORTS FOR EVERYONE We are a community farm & garden located in the heart of Brooklyn, just a few steps off the bustle of Vanderbilt Avenue. Join the Community ⟶ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce5a6cdf2243000011186fb/1558633202272-JBLD8URE8J9PKHYI0SU2/20140302_Trade+151_0403.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce5a6cdf2243000011186fb/1558633201442-2DZ1U1UW91IFFNBICJJ1/Aro+Ha_1076.jpg Home https://www.sports4everyone.com/mystory daily 0.75 2020-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588694541035-Z5BWADA7NUUK4Z6G898S/Ishaan.jpg My Story - About Me My name is Ishaan Sethi and I love playing sports. When I was 6 years of age, I wanted to play ice hockey. My parents, who don’t even know how to skate, took me to skating lessons and promised me that if I learned how to skate I could start playing ice hockey. Much to their surprise, I learned how to skate and then held them to their promise. My parents had to figure out what equipment to buy but my story had an additional twist. As a member of the Sikh religion, I am not able to cut my hair and had to wear a helmet. My parents and I researched ways on how to do this and we could not find any relevant information or other people in a similar situation. There was nothing on the internet and I couldn’t find any other athletes with a similar predicament. I figured out a way to do it and I continued to play ice hockey and even starting playing lacrosse, another sport requiring a helmet. I also continue to play competitive basketball and water polo and have even partaken in wrestling. As part of my ice hockey journey, I also volunteered with the Cheetah organization which is an organization allowing kids with developmental delays and disabilities the chance to play ice hockey. Watching them, I realized that the joy of sports is really for all of us and led me to start this organization to showcase all of us who have overcome obstacles in order to play sports. My hope is that our stories inspire and give support to others facing similar hurdles so that those athletes can participate in sports as sports should be for all of us. My aim is to showcase athletes who have overcome gender, racial, religious, medical, physical, and orientation issues and have continued to play the sports they love. Here’s to the athlete in all of us... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696173100-EDHAPIPS7TBOGXUWTQ8L/Hockey+Picture.jpg My Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696329857-8RM7NKSGPQSPRKOUBLES/waterpolo.jpg My Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696076776-22U2PB6YFLVMLYEI2N72/Hockey+Reston.jpg My Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696321154-JPEY7PZ3H65ARJO9OSGL/Hockey.jpg My Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588695963350-ORXMSNI1Q25XZ5KK33TK/DSC_2349.jpeg My Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588695968873-QKLR6IA3S7CJ4X8ZM4VL/IMG_2810.jpg My Story https://www.sports4everyone.com/physical daily 0.75 2020-06-09 https://www.sports4everyone.com/orientation daily 0.75 2020-06-09 https://www.sports4everyone.com/gender daily 0.75 2020-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591705167894-43YSQJO2P7G4CIPH9R9G/636071555100120070-Maroulis.jpg Gender - Helen Maroulis Olympic athlete Helen Maroulis is an American freestyle wrestler. She was a gold medalist at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada and a gold medalist at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil she became the first-ever American to win a gold medal in women's freestyle wrestling at the Olympic Games. Helen wanted to pursue wrestling from a young age but faced tremendous hurdles being a woman in a traditional male sport. Her continued perseverance and dedication in overcoming gender issues has led her to international stardom. Helen is a role model for other young girls out there who want to pursue sports that traditionally are male dominated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696860341-WW4MCV82EVBT1CREKV31/65-helen-maroulis.jpg Gender https://www.sports4everyone.com/religous daily 0.75 2021-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440100980-IHM8XXXSAFLT6JX0DRE4/Hockey.jpg Religious https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/0dbde8a3-8ab4-4b9f-9008-e2e45f29ff6e/SamrathHRv1c700w60o.jpg Religious https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/bea9c5b7-846a-4324-83a4-772b4aeb4c71/_1_main_hijabi_ballers.jpg Religious https://www.sports4everyone.com/medical daily 0.75 2021-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1627248734030-NHY9H5GY0SNCEYV4O6X7/Screen+Shot+2021-07-25+at+5.31.26+PM.png Medical https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1627249462151-ZIOC6ULMZ323CEPVJSKH/Screen+Shot+2021-07-25+at+5.43.52+PM.png Medical https://www.sports4everyone.com/my-story daily 0.75 2020-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588694541035-Z5BWADA7NUUK4Z6G898S/Ishaan.jpg My Story (Copy) - Religion When I was 6 years of age, I wanted to play ice hockey. My parents, who don’t even know how to skate, took me to skating lessons and promised me that if I learned how to skate I could start playing ice hockey. Much to their surprise, I learned how to skate and then held them to their promise. My parents had to figure out what equipment to buy but my story had an additional twist. As a member of the Sikh religion, I am not able to cut my hair and had to wear a helmet. My parents and I researched ways on how to do this and we could not find any relevant information or other people in a similar situation. There was nothing on the internet and I couldn’t find any other athletes with a similar predicament. I started using skull caps and wearing my helmet on top of that. That technique worked and I continued to play ice hockey. I have continued to play and traveled all over the United States and Canada playing ice hockey. In addition, I play travel and high school lacrosse which also require a helmet. I also play basketball and water polo for my high school and have even partaken in wrestling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696173100-EDHAPIPS7TBOGXUWTQ8L/Hockey+Picture.jpg My Story (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696329857-8RM7NKSGPQSPRKOUBLES/waterpolo.jpg My Story (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696076776-22U2PB6YFLVMLYEI2N72/Hockey+Reston.jpg My Story (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588696321154-JPEY7PZ3H65ARJO9OSGL/Hockey.jpg My Story (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588695963350-ORXMSNI1Q25XZ5KK33TK/DSC_2349.jpeg My Story (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1588695968873-QKLR6IA3S7CJ4X8ZM4VL/IMG_2810.jpg My Story (Copy) https://www.sports4everyone.com/join daily 0.75 2020-06-08 https://www.sports4everyone.com/news daily 0.75 2020-05-26 https://www.sports4everyone.com/visit daily 0.75 2020-05-25 https://www.sports4everyone.com/donate daily 0.75 2021-08-07 https://www.sports4everyone.com/heleninterview daily 0.75 2020-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591750627551-0JGJGPB5AC07B2B4NAEP/maroulis.png heleninterview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1591750558034-R5OIM413B4MLTBE11G8B/Screenshot-at-Mar-28-14-40-13.png heleninterview https://www.sports4everyone.com/general-1 daily 0.75 2020-06-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847902870-ZOUR0EX0L2QSQNRC1SP2/image-asset.jpeg General 1 - Make it stand out. It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847903067-57HDPDJ6TWU40QPAQLS4/image-asset.jpeg General 1 - Make it stand out. It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sports4everyone.com/siwickiinterview daily 0.75 2021-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1628450235112-OSIYNXI97F7ZPX1Q4TWJ/xbgkjswdkyjw8zumei3p.jpeg siwickiinterview - Jacob Siwicki on his history with diabetes and how it affected- but didn’t stop - him in his pursuit of playing football collegiately and later becoming a top national fitness trainer… How did you find out about your condition? How did you and your family react to the diagnosis? It all began during a routine doctor’s checkup when I was 5 years old. My blood sugar was pretty high, and so the doctor recommended I get my blood checked. After the results came out, I was told that I had to go to the hospital and go on shots. At such a young age, I was a little scared and nervous about what was to come, because I did not really understand what was going on. What sports were you playing at that time? I was not seriously playing any sports when I first got diagnosed because I was only five years of age. I played a little bit of soccer shortly after my diagnosis, and in fact, one of my coaches would not let me play because of my diagnosis. That steered me away from that sport, and I was allowed by my mom to try out football in the fifth grade. When I started playing, my parents were fully aware of diagnosis and risk playing, as it was about five years after I was diagnosed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/36497d78-edd2-4f16-b997-03fb13ec9ebe/20130328_1_J.Siwicki_MaxPre.jpg siwickiinterview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/0f331e20-151a-4e5f-b146-a8999cf5b2da/download.jpg siwickiinterview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/9fcc105e-a71c-4b64-93d7-39f56945a577/download.jpg siwickiinterview https://www.sports4everyone.com/brarinterview daily 0.75 2021-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1628449690793-1DQROXVL4IXVRNFRCEEA/dampy-brar-6.jpeg brarinterview What hurdles did you encounter being a brown kid wanting to play hockey? How about other stories from friends/colleagues? At the age of 7 and 8 I had opposing players say racial slurs to me. One game, I had about 4 goals and the player who lived in the nearby town whom we were playing against made sure I heard the words that he was yelling out to me. I was surprised to see a young kid at his age saying those discriminatory words. My second year of Bantam hockey, I had encounters of players stating that I should quit hockey because “my people” don’t play hockey and that I should move back to my country (India). The same year, I heard and watched a parent from a nearby town who’s son I played with for two years, yell out racial slurs directed towards me. His son was a goalie and he made a point to look at me tell his son not to let me score on me while saying discriminatory words. I watched the parent and was in shock how he was reacting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/194dab39-0b8b-4549-893a-01aa250449a0/513hykWJIbL.__AC_SX342_SY445_QL70_ML2_.jpg brarinterview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/106f7cc8-06ab-4ec0-afc4-87ea04d3c582/Dampy-Brar.jpg brarinterview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/bb43f81b-2957-4bcf-afeb-0e2eda8be684/image.jpeg brarinterview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/ff1767f6-2c0b-4222-b2d5-098783f1ad2e/cut.jpg brarinterview https://www.sports4everyone.com/religous-1 daily 0.75 2021-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440100980-IHM8XXXSAFLT6JX0DRE4/Hockey.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440111416-MO3SNP5ZVLS1D9JLVKTV/Basketball.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440130779-IJMTZYRLZQ91PRIC0OG3/Hockey+Reston.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440137136-WO0B76ZKLZ248FHK4FN5/Hockey+Picture.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440140992-2S0KECGULPEZEC8J1458/DSC_2349.jpeg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440152068-38QULBRTY5GA55XVIWE6/Lacrosse.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440164396-GMUSV76PS03GIQICVSV9/Hockey+.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440179431-APILG6R7MXGTU2ZYWC8C/Water+Polo.jpg Samrath https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440183286-WQXO4Z37HFCKINGHGVVU/waterpolo.jpg Samrath https://www.sports4everyone.com/ishaan-link daily 0.75 2021-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440100980-IHM8XXXSAFLT6JX0DRE4/Hockey.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440111416-MO3SNP5ZVLS1D9JLVKTV/Basketball.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440130779-IJMTZYRLZQ91PRIC0OG3/Hockey+Reston.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440137136-WO0B76ZKLZ248FHK4FN5/Hockey+Picture.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440140992-2S0KECGULPEZEC8J1458/DSC_2349.jpeg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440152068-38QULBRTY5GA55XVIWE6/Lacrosse.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440164396-GMUSV76PS03GIQICVSV9/Hockey+.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440179431-APILG6R7MXGTU2ZYWC8C/Water+Polo.jpg Ishaan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440183286-WQXO4Z37HFCKINGHGVVU/waterpolo.jpg Ishaan https://www.sports4everyone.com/religous-3 daily 0.75 2021-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440100980-IHM8XXXSAFLT6JX0DRE4/Hockey.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440111416-MO3SNP5ZVLS1D9JLVKTV/Basketball.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440130779-IJMTZYRLZQ91PRIC0OG3/Hockey+Reston.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440137136-WO0B76ZKLZ248FHK4FN5/Hockey+Picture.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440140992-2S0KECGULPEZEC8J1458/DSC_2349.jpeg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440152068-38QULBRTY5GA55XVIWE6/Lacrosse.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440164396-GMUSV76PS03GIQICVSV9/Hockey+.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440179431-APILG6R7MXGTU2ZYWC8C/Water+Polo.jpg Religious (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1590440183286-WQXO4Z37HFCKINGHGVVU/waterpolo.jpg Religious (Copy) https://www.sports4everyone.com/hijabiballers daily 0.75 2021-08-25 https://www.sports4everyone.com/samrathlink daily 0.75 2021-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1629859741366-D1DPZM2T79D6ERF0TD2D/samrath2.jpg Samrathlink https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1629859765936-9QQPQ5JJB9LM9548F8PC/samrath.jpg Samrathlink https://www.sports4everyone.com/samrathinterview daily 0.75 2021-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1630031681085-5LFB6OXMG0Y1A425UQSO/210617-Samrath-Singh-al-1310-e3352b.jpg Samrathinterview Boston College student is believed to be the first turbaned Sikh to play D1 baseball Samrath Singh, 20, reflects on his faith and his love of the game. https://www.sports4everyone.com/new-page daily 0.75 2021-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1630111243677-CKLE62XUT1RE6C1QD77G/SaroyaTinker_JoshuaNelsonW.jpeg Racial https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1630111268448-CFAJOHFES0B3O301C1BU/513hykWJIbL.__AC_SX342_SY445_QL70_ML2_.jpg Racial https://www.sports4everyone.com/tinkerstory daily 0.75 2021-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1630112491444-8VCM83OD21IMPMNAUNSJ/tinkersaroya.jpg saroyafront - Saroya Tinker Saroya is a professional women’s ice hockey player and youth mentor. Growing up she participated in dance, soccer, basketball, and hockey. She received an athletic scholarship to Yale to play ice hockey. She is currently a member of the Toronto Six in the National Women’s Hockey League. She is a strong advocate for minority communities and she has instituted the Saroya Strong mentorship program to “elevate, educate, and empower Bipoc women in sport.” As a visible minority in hockey, she hopes to encourage youth athletes from all backgrounds and inspire the next generation. She is also a proud member of the Black Girl Hockey Club (https://blackgirlhockeyclub.org) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/ea006d41-f1f4-46e3-9066-040cc04c6b8f/EvL1I7_WgAYnHet.jpg saroyafront https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/f639ed62-da29-44ac-bf72-a5d791d0817f/IMG_1624478634219.jpg saroyafront https://www.sports4everyone.com/saroyainterview daily 0.75 2021-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631475878209-C8P8Z0Q1AIH91MJU9SND/image-asset.png saroyainterview - What got you into hockey as a sport? How old were you at the time? When did you fall in love with the game? When I was younger, I was into gymastics and dance, but as I was growing up, it turned out that I was too tall to fit on the bars for that age, so I dropped that. My dad grew up in the big hockey town of Scarborough and played the game himself. He had experiences on and off the ice hearing racist remarks against him, so he made it his goal to put his kids into the game and prove people wrong. So, my three brothers and I all played hockey; my older brother played for a little while, the 20-year old played for a bit but now plays basketball, and the 11-year old plays as avidly as I do and is my biggest fan. Personally, the skating part of hockey was what I really enjoyed, and the hockey part came later. I’ve always enjoyed playing hockey- I’ve always been someone who’s very hard on myself and I want to the best at everything I do. I started to really love hockey around the age of 10 and hone in and focus on those skills because I knew I had the talent and dedication. At that time, I was also into basketball and soccer, and had to decide on one sport to choose, and so the skating aspect is what drove me the most to play the game moving forward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631476656021-JA58LBXC9XWJHI17870N/image-asset.png saroyainterview - What got you into hockey as a sport? How old were you at the time? When did you fall in love with the game? When I was younger, I was into gymastics and dance, but as I was growing up, it turned out that I was too tall to fit on the bars for that age, so I dropped that. My dad grew up in the big hockey town of Scarborough and played the game himself. He had experiences on and off the ice hearing racist remarks against him, so he made it his goal to put his kids into the game and prove people wrong. So, my three brothers and I all played hockey; my older brother played for a little while, the 20-year old played for a bit but now plays basketball, and the 11-year old plays as avidly as I do and is my biggest fan. Personally, the skating part of hockey was what I really enjoyed, and the hockey part came later. I’ve always enjoyed playing hockey- I’ve always been someone who’s very hard on myself and I want to the best at everything I do. I started to really love hockey around the age of 10 and hone in and focus on those skills because I knew I had the talent and dedication. At that time, I was also into basketball and soccer, and had to decide on one sport to choose, and so the skating aspect is what drove me the most to play the game moving forward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631499577461-K5IPFDKJXP81SHPASG3Q/Screen+Shot+2021-09-12+at+10.19.00+PM.png saroyainterview - What was the toughest thing about playing a predominantly white sport, with not many minority players around? I think honestly that the biggest challenge was just finding my place with my teammates. Everyone knew my place on the ice and knew that I was good, but simultaneously I knew that I was being disrespected by the team. I feel like there were two different situations when I got on the ice as opposed to when I left the rink. So for me, the biggest thing was having to stick to myself. I’m usually pretty lonesome, but at the same time I like meeting and making new friends, but that just wasn’t possible with the people I played with. I found myself code-switching a lot of the time, or talking differently with my black friends that I would with my white teammates at the rink. Whenever I would say something that wasn’t code-switched, it was questioned or made fun of. I realized that I couldn’t be my full, authentic self if I wanted to fit in at the rink. Ultimately, I think that led me to not code-switch but rather just continue to be myself and not care what my teammates thought, especially during my time at Yale. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631500480223-LKDKEDVX3CI9L555SSLH/image-asset.png saroyainterview - Off the ice, how would you describe those four years at Yale? I would describe it as a movie. It was really a huge growth period for me with obviously realizing that that feeling of a community and family was not going to be had within the rink. So, I would desribe it as a movie just because of the Yale setting; I wanted it to be a movie when I got there but I wanted it to be a different kind of movie. It wa very traumautic when I got there, and I usually felt overwhelmed and thought that I didn’t belong in the space. I think the movie sort of devloped into more of a drama, because off campus and on campus but besides the rink, I had an amazing experience that made me who I am today and made me comfortable talking about these matters. Before I graduated, I never would have thought that I would be speaking of the experiences I had. So, I would desribe it as a movie because being there and experiencing Yale first-hand is a lot different than what people make it out to be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631500949406-LDCF8ZHC2U5EWJ9JC1BA/Screen+Shot+2021-09-12+at+10.42.11+PM.png saroyainterview - What do you feel like your biggest accomplishment is? I think I’m most proud of using my platform for the greater good and trying to achieve social equality in the world of sports and influence more people to use their voice. You see and hear some athletes use their platform to advocate for a cause, but there are so many more who could do so as well, and it doesn’t just have to be regarding race. You could use your platform for gender identity, or maybe they needed a tutor growing up, so maybe they could implement tutors in communities. There’s just so much we can do as professional atheltes, so I personally am just most proud of using my voice for good and recognizing the spaces needed for BIPOC communities in sports and specifically hockey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631500816266-7R5H2QIR5NG4H375RV9H/Screen+Shot+2021-09-12+at+10.38.10+PM.png saroyainterview - What steps do we need to take to make sure that ‘hockey is for everyone’? I truly believe that hockey is for everyone. I mean, anyone can lace up a pair of skates and get on the ice. But for hockey to actually be for everyone, it is so much more than that. Starting from the nature of the sport, I think we need to make playing hockey more affordable for communities, and I think that is one of the biggest barriers. But, apart from that, we need to see real change in terms of how the sport is conducted. It has to do with the parents and the coaches. We need more black coaches, we need those parents to be more welcoming of those BIPOC parents in the stands. Even my parents with me being twenty-three years ols still don’t feel comfotable talking with other parents, and this is after a twenty year playing career of mine, with games being played at Yale and on the national team, and even professionally now. So, there’s clearly something wrong in the community within the rink, and for that, it’s necessary to call people out on their nonsense. There also has to be another way to be able to implement these networking programs and these programs for parents and coaches to talk about cultural sensitivity and the cultural aspects of the game surrounding the BIPOC players. There’s still so much work to do I think, and we have to tell and enforce those who are unaware on what needs to be done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb1879a8f23d941de5fbf90/1631501325034-G08X6WW9SAOJITBGJ0FT/Screen+Shot+2021-09-12+at+10.48.33+PM.png saroyainterview - What advice do you have for minorities to fight through barriers and pursue their athletic dreams? My advice is to be yourself. Growing up, when I was salty and frustrated at the sport because I wasn’t feeling belonged, I realized that I wasn’t myself. Now, with my mentorship program, I am able to evenly disperse these efforts because I am able to be myself. I am no longer worried about comments being made or any hate being spread. So, I would tell them to put your head down and be yourself, regardless of what others might say or think.