Focus on Fun with Kaitlyn Ross & Madison Willan - Episode #225

Ever wonder how athletes juggle the demands of multiple sports at an elite level? Kaitlyn Ross and Madison Willan, prolific multi-sport competitors in hockey, and baseball, uncover the intricacies of chasing glory across various playing fields.

Wrapping up our chat, a poignant discussion emerges about the evolution of women's sports and the aspirations that come with it—from dreaming of professional drafts to advocating for fair compensation. In sharing these insights, we aim to inspire the younger generation to embrace the multi-sport journey while sending a hopeful message about the future of women's leagues across the nation.

Tune in to hear how Kaitlyn, Madison, and I navigate the highs, lows, and everything in between of their diverse athletic careers.

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Other episodes you might enjoy:
World Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper,  Taylor Learmont (Little "T" Fitness), Bruce Boudreau (Vancouver Canucks), Rhonda Rajsich (Most Decorated US Racquetball player), Zach Bitter (Ultra Marathon Runner), Zion Clark (Netflix docuseries), Jana Webb (Founder of JOGA), Ben Johns (#1 Pickleball Player in

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

especially because once you start getting older you don't see as many multi-sport athletes, A lot of people start to pick. I would say stick in as many sports as you can for as long as possible.

Speaker 2: 0:10

Hey you, welcome back to the Athletes Podcast. This is the 225th episode of the show. Thank you so much for tuning in. I appreciate you clicking on this button because you didn't have to do that today, but you did and it's going to be the best decision that you made all day, because you get to listen to Caitlin Ross and Madison Willen, a couple multi-sport athletes. Share a bit about their upbringing, their exposure to the world of sport, both in hockey, baseball and golf. For Madison, in her case, I also got to chat with Caitlin Ross, who's a goalie, so you know we had some fun. This is the first time we've had three people on the pod in a while. We get to chat, communicate, have a bit more of a casual conversation.

Speaker 2: 0:49

These two wonderful women were driving across Canada, from Alberta to Quebec, to be able to play for Team Canada Baseball. This is a new league. You'll hear more about it in this episode. I mix up the language around it, so I apologize for that, but I will make up for it, I promise, because we continue to do this on a weekly basis and fortunately, we have Perfect Sports powering us on a weekly basis. I take their protein every single day, whether it's the diesel bars, whether it's altered state, pre-workout diesel protein is always in the system and fortunately now Caitlin's's using as well.

Speaker 2: 1:25

Also, public service announcement friendly reminder our april book club is wrapping up this month. We had outlive by peter attia. If you have not read it yet, listen to it on audiobook. Shoot me a message. Or katie simonson a message. We're going to be reviewing it sometime over the coming weeks with our book club members. So if you want to be a part of that, shoot me a message. Let's get connected.

Speaker 2: 1:45

And for those of you who aren't aware, we have an athlete agreement on here. This isn't free. Hit that subscribe button, hit that like button. Wherever you're consuming our content, whether it's YouTube, spotify, apple, buzzsprout, podplayer, amazon Music, wherever you're listening to our stuff just hit that subscribe button so that we can continue doing this on a weekly basis, so that you can continue watching, maybe even asking your own question. Who knows what could happen. Stuff gets crazy here.

Speaker 2: 2:10

On the Athletes Podcast Caitlin Ross, mru goaltender, team Canada Baseball no big deal. Madison Willen U of A Golf, u of A Hockey. Team Canada Baseball no big deal. Let's get into this episode featuring these two multi-sport athletes where we have an absolute blast at Perfect Sports headquarters. Here we go. You're the most decorated racquetball player in US history, world's strongest man, from childhood passion to professional athlete, eight-time Ironman champion. So what was it like making your debut in the NHL? What is your biggest piece of advice for the next generation of athletes, from underdogs to national champions? This is the Athletes Podcast, where high-performance individuals share their triumphs, defeats and life lessons to educate, entertain and inspire the next generation of athletes. Here we go. You can tell by the enthusiasm in her voice she was super excited to do this podcast.

Speaker 3: 3:07

Cameron Ross, Madison Willen, let's bring out the energy.

Speaker 2: 3:10

You guys just got some caffeine in the system. I know you've traveled a long way here. We got like 40 minutes. We're going to have some fun, learn about Team Canada baseball. We're going to learn about MRU and University of Alberta hockey, as well as U of A hockey, amongst other things, Rawlings, what else? What else are we going to learn About? Balance we talked about. We're going to talk about being multi-sport athletes traveling on the road. What else?

Speaker 1: 3:38

Maybe a little bit of what it's been like for me and Maddie to play against each other and then play with each other and kind of that dynamic and Maddie to play against each other and then play with each other and kind of that dynamic.

Speaker 2: 3:46

Yeah, I mean, canwest is just a super crowded place for women's hockey right now and you guys only get one spot and Maddie champs, what's going on there?

Speaker 3: 3:54

can you tell me next year it's gonna be a showdown, are they gonna?

Speaker 2: 3:58

change that? Have they talked about that at all? Because, like I feel like between UBC, u of A MRU, like those are three legit teams on their own, probably deserving of two spots in the national championships.

Speaker 1: 4:12

I've had talk amongst my friends of hopes of that changing. I don't know if that's something that will be changing. Yeah, in regards to the layout and who can make nationals and stuff like that, but if you do, look, we have some pretty solid teams and it's always unfortunate that only one team, like last year, or two teams, can make it. So it would. It would be nice for the layout to change. I don't know if that will happen. Um, you have any thoughts on that, maddie?

Speaker 3: 4:41

um, I just know that there's a lot of really good teams in Canwest and we have, I think, around nine teams, and whenever you play any one of those teams any weekend, anybody can win. It's not really like you go into a weekend you're like, oh, this is an easy win, like every team challenges you and you, it makes you play your best game and forces you to play your best game every weekend, and so, for those reasons, I feel like it would be nice if we had more opportunity to showcase Canada West in the national championship, knowing that we have a lot more teams in our league but also a lot of really good teams that can compete at that level yeah, and kind of going off of that, I would say canada west is something that's like heavily underrated too.

Speaker 1: 5:30

Um, not many people know that we're a good conference and that we have good teams. They're kind of just like oh, it's canada west, it's whatever. They don't. They don't really win anything, it's nothing like that. So it'd be nice for them to like put some respect on our name. Oh, we have some good teams out there. We have U of A, u of UBC, us. The list goes on. There's a bunch of good teams.

Speaker 2: 5:49

You a big Richard Sherman fan.

Speaker 1: 5:51

Who's that?

Speaker 2: 5:52

Put some respect on my name. Nfl. That's amazing, it's true, I was at the Can-West Finals watching U of A. Obviously, we know what happened during that game, but both games two and three got a parking ticket during game two, bs. But either way, what are you going to do? You know? You live in a shoe and it happened to be that it was pouring rain. I go inside, guy literally ticketed, as I'm buying parking. I was like whatever.

Speaker 3: 6:22

What are you going to do um?

Speaker 2: 6:24

hopefully you didn't have any parking tickets on your trip out here so far. It's been crazy four days on the road how are? You guys staying hydrated, taking hydro splash? What the heck are you guys doing to stay mobile?

Speaker 1: 6:33

yeah, um well, I think definitely we've been lacking a little bit. It's hard to sit in the car for 10 to 12 hours a day welcome to the ap tour, yeah yeah, no kidding. Um definitely getting some sores, but every couple hours we like to switch up who's driving, take a couple laps around the car doing whatever we can to stay active.

Speaker 2: 6:54

Um it probably might be good for everyone those watching who aren't familiar with each of you to have a little bit of backstory maybe maybe a 60-second Coles Notes of your athletic career, because I could talk about the fact that last year you won Natty Champs goalie MVP no big deal, madison. I could talk about the fact that you're a three-sport athlete, with golf as well, but I'd rather you guys share a little bit about your background, maybe what got you into sport, if there was anyone that inspired you, and how you're continuing to perform at the top level with all three or two or whatever the heck else you're doing on the side, kate, because making funny TikToks and crap.

Speaker 1: 7:32

Don't bring those up.

Speaker 2: 7:33

Yeah, I know you're pro, but it's blocked now. We're going to make it on private by the end of this episode.

Speaker 1: 7:39

You want to start, maddie?

Speaker 3: 7:41

Sure, well, both, I think my parents both got me into hockey and baseball, so I kind of started there at a young age, around four or five, and I just grew to love both the game and, you know, with golf as well, when I was around 14, I kind of had to choose between golf and baseball because they both got really competitive and a lot of overlap started to happen. So I chose to stay with baseball and golf kind of took a backseat. Someone who's motivated me through baseball? Definitely Nicole Lachansky. Her work ethic, honestly, is just so inspiring. She continued to push the pace every day and inspired me to be that next generation of a baseball player and yeah, yeah, honestly, she's just been a huge inspiration to me and I'm happy that I get to forge a friendship with her, as I've gotten older and she no longer plays, but we still keep in touch and that's someone definitely on the baseball side. And over COVID I got back into golf because I was the only thing you could do in those couple of years.

Speaker 3: 8:48

So I found my way back to golf and then I was fortunate enough to play on the golf team at u of a as well. So I do that and hockey and uh, yeah, it's been pretty cool, they do both heck, yeah, no big deal just like casually picked up golf again in covid and now breaks 80s consistently like you're competing. You won club champ as well yeah, won the club championship two years.

Speaker 2: 9:12

Yeah, you know I would be so rattled if I was the member there that's just been grinding for years and she comes in out of nowhere. She's like yeah, I've just been playing hockey and baseball, but I picked up golf because I can't do anything else and I just went back to back on the club champs.

Speaker 1: 9:29

No big deal, like geez that'd be everyone's gonna know what mads no big deal, just stealing the show like geez. That'd be everyone's gonna know what madison willen is just stealing the show.

Speaker 2: 9:37

Has that been like for you guys since since you were kids, because that's the other part of your guys story. That's unique. Like you guys grew up together, you're playing your rivals on the ice for six months out of the year, but for the other six months you're on the same team between catcher and shortstop. Like that's got to be an interesting dynamic.

Speaker 1: 9:52

You guys got to dabble between yeah, um, I'd say it's definitely a fun one. Um, it's interesting. Uh, I know, in my case, I'm a goalie when we play against each other. She plays u of a.

Speaker 2: 10:05

I play mount royal the best, by the way.

Speaker 1: 10:07

Attendees gotta stick together, you know exactly no, but it's always, yeah, it's always interesting because I'm always I have a little bit of an edge. I'm like, oh, like I know me and Maddie are friends, but we're competitive on the ice, like always. We're always pushing each other to be better. So anytime she's on, I'm like okay, she can't score on me, she's the only one on the ice that's not allowed to score on me. Obviously I don't want anyone else to score, but she can't score on me. And when she does score on me, obviously I don't want anyone else to score, but she can't score on me. And when she does score on me, I'm a little more bitter about it. But I would say we do a good job of keeping things friendly away from the ice. But we're very, very competitive and push each other. When it comes to playing against each other, even playing with each other, we're very, very competitive and we always push each other and and make each other uncomfortable and like push our boundaries with each other, which I think is good.

Speaker 3: 10:56

Yeah, I think we both like. One of the traits that have gotten us this far in hockey and baseball is that we're both competitive, but we both bring out, um, the best out of each other. I think that's also why we've been friends for this long as well. Um, we bring out the best in each other, we want the best for each other and we remain competitive. Within that, like, we keep the competitive side where it belongs, like on the field or on the ice, but then away from that, it's like, hey, how are you doing? And then we get our chance to catch up with each other.

Speaker 2: 11:28

Yeah, after every game you guys are chatting. No, that's rare, Especially post-game, when you guys play each other.

Speaker 1: 11:36

I can't imagine what those combos look like. Yeah, some are hard ones.

Speaker 3: 11:39

Yeah, definitely playoffs, when we play each other. I think we played each other for the second time in a row in playoffs. Obviously, there's two different outcomes there, but both were just as hard, because I don't like to see you upset and I'm sure you don't like to see me upset, and it sucks that we can't both go to nationals and we meet in semis and one of our seasons ends on that day. But those conversations are hard. But we always try to catch up and chat or whatever whenever we get the chance.

Speaker 1: 12:12

Yep Sucks things work out that that way, but pushes each other to be the best for sure okay, what about you, kate inspo upbringing gotcha um tendy what got you into being a goalie?

Speaker 2: 12:26

most people are a little curious around why you like getting rubber tossed out there, I'll get into that one a little bit.

Speaker 1: 12:33

I'll start off with I grew up watching my brothers play sports Heck yeah, how old were they?

Speaker 3: 12:40

I guess, now.

Speaker 2: 12:41

Are they way older?

Speaker 1: 12:42

They're seven and nine years older than me.

Speaker 2: 12:44

Oh, okay, so legit. Okay, are you the youngest yeah.

Speaker 1: 12:47

I'm the baby Middle child, like the middle brother, the one that's seven years older, he played a lot of hockey and baseball, and so that's what I grew up watching. From like a young age, I was at the diamonds. I was watching my brother play. Um, I was just learning about the game and like I was like I like this, like I think I want to play this, like I. That's kind of where the love of the game started.

Speaker 1: 13:06

I got into t-ball um, it was funny. I like went to my dad. I was like I want to play soccer. He's like you're not playing soccer. I was like but I want to play. He's like no, we're gonna put you in t-ball, put me in t-ball. Funny enough, I hated it. Um, I, from a young age I think I was competitive, didn't, didn't like that, that wasn't competitive. Um, so I hated t-ball. But then I stuck through it and I started playing as I got older. Um, so then I would say, like the love for it grew then, um, and same with hockey, got into hockey. Um, from a very young age also, I was like I want to be a goalie. My dad was like. My dad was like that is not he's just like looking at his wallet.

Speaker 3: 13:46

He's like see you later, money no, talk to me in two years but yeah, I was like, oh, I want to be a goalie.

Speaker 1: 13:53

He's like, no, you don't. He's like you don't want to be a goalie. I was like, dad, I want to be a goalie. And I was like I was young at this point, like it was before Adam, so I don't know what age I would be, maybe younger than 10, something like that. Yeah, but I was like, yeah, I want to be a goalie. He's like, nope, you don't. And I was like, okay's like, give it a couple of years, you'll be a player. You'll start off as a player. You'll like develop some skills, which the skills do not help me whatsoever now, but you'll develop some skills and then you can try being a goalie.

Speaker 2: 14:22

Skating's important as a goalie.

Speaker 1: 14:24

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 14:25

Not much of a skater. I don't know if I want to see that stride. I don't know, that's something good to watch.

Speaker 1: 14:34

But, yeah, eventually I was like, okay, no, it's been a couple years, like I've been a player, like I want to be a goalie. It was like, okay, you can try it out. So I think it was first or second year of Adam. He was like you can try it out, tried it out, loved it. I don't know why, I thought it'd be fun to get hit by flying rubber, but I've stuck with it and I've loved it ever since.

Speaker 1: 14:56

I'm very, very glad I made that switch, otherwise I would not have some of the opportunities that I've had today. Yeah, I would say a big part of my success too has probably been my older brothers. Obviously, they played with me a lot when I was younger, pushed me a lot, and my dad too. He's always like what do you want to work on today? Let's go out in the field, let's go hit some wiffle balls, let's go pitch, like that kind of thing. So I I owe a huge amount of my success to them. They've definitely pushed me and, like motivated me to be the athlete that I am today.

Speaker 2: 15:25

So dang little little heartstrings here in the middle of the combo here.

Speaker 1: 15:29

I love it. It's good. You know it was a little soft on me.

Speaker 2: 15:33

It's important, it's uh hey, it's soft like those diesel peanut butter bars that you get to chew into. Uh, for the little mid-roll ad there they love to hear. Okay. So a lot of people ask about supplements and the stuff that we use. I figured I'd just break down my supplement stack during this sponsored ad for perfect sports. I use their protein, the diesel whey isolate. It is the best on the market. New zealand whey my favorite flavor here is the canadian maple. It is so damn good I can't tell you it's insane.

Speaker 2: 16:03

Uh, when I need to get a little fired up during the day, I take some altered state pre-workout. It's the best on the market. There's three different types of caffeine. Obviously it's increasing blood flow, but one of the best parts is the nootropics aspect that they add to their recipe. It's the best pre-workout on the market. Right now you can buy it half price. Go get it. Perfectsportscom. Use the code AP20 to save 20% on all this stuff.

Speaker 2: 16:24

Hydro Splash to stay hydrated Good combination here. Great flavor in the peach. Use that post-workout after the sauna sessions. You know we got to get those in. And then creatine it's the most researched supplement in the market. Obviously, people have been using it for decades and the research is there. If you want to be putting on size, adding strength, creatine is a supplement that you should be adding to your repertoire Without further ado. Let's get back to this episode. Thank you for tuning in Again. Big shout-out to our partner, perfect Sports Supplements for powering the Athletes Podcast. Back to the show. No, I only bring up those kind of inspirations because it's important for people to realize that it can be those little things, moments that may be seen insignificant as the adult or as the mentor in that case.

Speaker 2: 17:07

But for you, your older brothers probably had the biggest impact on you and probably the reason why yeah where you're at today right for sure and I think, yeah, a little adversity playing with older brothers you probably got your.

Speaker 1: 17:20

Oh, I never won. I never, ever won. That was so funny I was. I was home the other day and I was playing a game with my brother. He beat me my entire life. I've never won anything mini sticks, road hockey, never won. I was beating him in a game. He raged quits.

Speaker 2: 17:33

I was like nice, see, he never dealt with that salty.

Speaker 1: 17:36

Yeah, he never dealt like this is the first time I've ever beat you and you're quitting on me, that's what you're gonna hold that against him for the rest of his life oh probably you can tell him I'll bring it up whenever he wants in this pod.

Speaker 2: 17:45

Whenever you want, I got you uh that's hey, this is what you got to do you got to make sure people are aware that adversity also fuels success right and like sometimes, a lot of the times, it's not always glamorous driving across the country isn't glamorous finding motels ways to pay for that isn't glamorous right like but you keep chugging along, you keep doing the right things, putting in, believing in the process, joelle and bead, whatever quotes you want to use like and eventually things start to come to fruition right and, like I don't know, you guys are also familiar with a guy like lander and, uh, well connected with him.

Speaker 2: 18:21

I'd love to maybe give him a little spotlight because you're wearing the hoodie. You guys are both ldc talent athletes also cook stark management athletes. Uh, let's, let's give lander 30 seconds. What was your first exposure to lander?

Speaker 1: 18:36

oh, first exposure. It's funny, he was actually dating my best friend that's a good way to get in um, but no, yeah, he he's very passionate about it. Um, he, I think he really wants success for us and works hard to get that for us and I love that, and I love that I do have more of a personal connection with him. It makes him easy to talk games, talk what he expects, like what he's going to work out for me. Do you want to talk a little bit about it?

Speaker 3: 19:05

I don't have the same personal connection that you do, but I thought it was really awesome that he was willing to work with me for not only just hockey, but for baseball as well. Um, he's one of the only agents that was even willing to consider that, and so, um yeah, huge shout out to lander for uh, for everything now we got brands like perfect sports rawlings hooking you up.

Speaker 2: 19:28

This summer, obviously, you guys are going to spend three months in montreal, quebec, baseball. Maybe shine some light on what that experience is like. This is year two, year three for you guys heading there. You're two, you're two yep, uh.

Speaker 1: 19:40

So they started a league up in quebec. It's like one of the only might be one of the only women's leagues in canada.

Speaker 1: 19:46

Okay, but they're yeah, yeah, yeah, at least in eastern canada, and they're trying to grow it into a bigger thing. So, like players like us, like that, are on a national team, like we kind of we start to, we don't have anywhere to play, we age out, we don't want to play with the boys, so it's kind of a place for everyone to go. That's highly competitive. Um, like, I would say, how many girls were on the national team from that league?

Speaker 3: 20:11

like more than half I think it was 12 or 13 out of 20, so a lot of yeah.

Speaker 2: 20:17

So what's this league actually called?

Speaker 3: 20:19

it was called the league du canada est but. I think they may have changed it this year to something else, but that is what they called it last year league du canada est why sounds good to me?

Speaker 2: 20:33

I don't know french, I've got my delf bada, so I should be able to at least say it. But either way, I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that they haven't promoted the league well enough yet and uh no, I honestly like so. Tell me more. How many teams are in it? What's like some more of these details so that people are aware. Maybe they can go watch if they're in the quebec area so there's currently four teams um.

Speaker 3: 20:56

One of the teams is a younger team, so I believe that's 17 and under um just to have another team in the league. More exposure, more games, type of vibe um the other teams, like caitlin had mentioned um an opportunity for girls to play competitive baseball against other girls. So I do believe it's one of the only competitive female leagues in Canada to play baseball and that's why it has attracted a lot of national team athletes or potential future national team athletes. That is the hotspot to play against the best and to be in areas where the national team coaches are all around. And so if you need support, if you need whatever, it's all available to you.

Speaker 1: 21:41

Heck yeah. And then, yeah, the league they bumped up how many games it is. So I think it's a 40-game season this year and it runs from May till September. It varies with us because we're from Alberta so it's a little harder to stay out there that long. But playoffs is usually end of August, september and we're there for, yeah, three, four months, play a bunch of games. There's a couple tournaments we go to. It's a pretty good time. We had a lot of fun with it last summer and I know we're looking forward to it again.

Speaker 2: 22:16

And that's where you bring the alberta greece into play. Exactly exactly. We gotta bring the alberta greece. Can you, can you guys tell me, because we we talked about it briefly at starbucks, but we need to. We need to share the full greece experience with those watching and listening on youtube yeah, you start this one off.

Speaker 1: 22:25

You have a better memory than me.

Speaker 3: 22:27

Alberta greece where do we start? Um, I think it began in our early seasons with the senior women's uh team alberta team and we were just having a pretty tough game and nothing seemed to be going our way. And one of our teammates just said we got to bring out the grease, we got to bring out this alberta grease. And we're like what are you talking about? Like, what grease? Like what, what do you mean? And then, all of a sudden, we just strung some hits together, we started scoring runs and it was not pretty. No, not pretty by any means. It wasn't your typical single or double down the line. It was. You hit the ball weak and you beat it out or like whatever it was. We were just getting it done and the ball was just spinning in our favor, and that's kind of where the grease, I think, began.

Speaker 1: 23:21

Yeah, and then so team kind of totally changes, has a little makeover. So me and Maddie are some of the only veterans left on that team and I think we're playing in Ontario nationals last year yeah, it would have been last year and we're losing. I think we're down by three top of six, top of seven, something like that. Like we like need to score runs and nothing is going our way. They have like a pretty good pitcher going against us I don't remember exactly who and I was like what do we do? And I was like what do we do? Like what do we do in this situation? I was like grease. I was like we gotta bring the grease back. So I'm standing in the dugout. I was like I'll burn out grease, like let's get it going, and I'm like I'm stirring the little pot of grease and.

Speaker 1: 24:03

I have people coming in and they're like going like this on the grease like starting the fire, I was like we need to get the grease going. Next thing, you know, we're getting these dinky little hits like we're barely barely making it happen. They ain't pretty. We're like, okay, it's working, we're getting on base. We gotta keep doing it. The grease, the grease is burning, it's turning, we're getting it going. And yeah, somehow we came back and won that game we won that game.

Speaker 3: 24:28

Yeah, we were down by three top of seven. We only play seven innings, so we had to get it done. We had a few good hits to start us off, and then the grease train just kept going and every hit, we just built more momentum and then everybody on the bench was just fired up and yelling alberta grease, and you know for a fact it just like was rent free in all of ontario's heads. And we had to win that game or else we were done like we had to win that we had to win that game to stay eligible to even play for a medal.

Speaker 3: 25:01

So the fact that we were able to come back by three and I think we won by like a few runs- as well, um, I think that was kind of funny. And then we went on to win bronze last year so that was kind of funny. And then we went on to win bronze last year. So that was kind of the TSN turning point of the tournament.

Speaker 1: 25:15

Yeah, we brought that grease with us and we needed it and the fire was burning. The grease fire Momentum is a crazy thing in sports, oh for sure, 100%.

Speaker 2: 25:24

People don't realize it, who've never played the game. But you start squeezing the stick a little bit harder. You in baseball? I don't know what the term would be, but what's the definition? What's the equivalent of squeezing your squick too hard, Squeezing your stick too?

Speaker 1: 25:39

hard. Russian plays squeezing the bat too hard yeah.

Speaker 3: 25:45

Gripping the ball too tight, gripping the bat too tight. Everything's just you guys. Ever get the yips.

Speaker 2: 25:50

You're familiar with the yips in golf. You ever get the yips. You're familiar with the yips and golf like you ever get the yips and ball.

Speaker 3: 25:53

Where you're like making a play from shortstop to first, she's like no, I'm maddie's too good for that no, no, no, I I just haven't had something like that, but I've definitely there's been times where I'm like man, I can't throw to first, but I don't know if I'd call it the yips, I just couldn't make the throw, maybe internal thing.

Speaker 1: 26:16

Yeah, it could have just been an internal thing.

Speaker 3: 26:17

Could have been an arm is sore thing. Could have been.

Speaker 1: 26:20

So it could be the yips but it could have been the yips, I just don't want to call it that. Yeah, I respect it.

Speaker 3: 26:27

That's a hard mindset. You're like unflappable.

Speaker 2: 26:32

What do to turn back the clock 10 years as a young female athlete now seeing the opportunities that are out there for hockey players, that are coming for baseball players, golfers out there I know we had this discussion when I was in Edmonton around like maybe I would have gone harder when I was younger at golf, seeing some of the other people and what they pursued. Do you have thoughts on that now, looking back, or maybe what you advice you would provide to that next gen?

Speaker 3: 27:04

I know we had a conversation about kind of that decision-making process between baseball and golf, because I feel like I could have gone either way. That was probably the decision. But to me at that point in my life I wanted to stay with the team sport. I just enjoyed it better. I felt like I was meeting a lot more people like me and having that competitive mindset and going into golf I mean it could have been a whole lot of fun. It could have been brought me a whole bunch of other opportunities. I'll never know, but to me at that point in my life I love the team sport but also the individual aspect of baseball. I thought, or I still think, it's the perfect combination of individual within a team, because you can't go up there and bat for someone, you have to do it yourself. You can't make a play for someone else, they have to make the play. But at the end of the day it's a team win.

Speaker 2: 28:00

And.

Speaker 3: 28:00

I love that aspect of baseball and I know every summer when it's time to play baseball again. Um, it challenges me mentally every single summer and then it allows me to stay in that competitive mindset that when I go back to hockey I'm ready to go and cause. Baseball is the game of failure, as we know, and it it is really hard to stay positive when you're failing most of the time, especially with hitting.

Speaker 2: 28:29

So yeah, Three for 10,. You end up in the hall of fame right, like, literally like and which is a crazy stat because no other sport. If you make contact with a golf ball three out of ten times, you're definitely not making it to the hall of no but I mean a guy like ichiro, what was it?

Speaker 2: 28:46

first 11 at bats and then, or first, 10 at bats and I think after that his career batting average never dropped low 300. But like that never happens and that's a hall of famer. Yeah, right, and to your point we were talking about earlier. It's like you never have an opportunity to even half the time be successful in that sport, which is mind-boggling 100.

Speaker 1: 29:09

That is, it's for sure, a mental battle. Like I know. That's something that I struggle with. Um, the mental aspect of hockey I'm a little bit better with, but when it comes to baseball I get a little bit more in my head.

Speaker 2: 29:20

Um you like seeing those 900 saves?

Speaker 1: 29:21

yeah, I was looking at your stats 971 968, yeah like I would say um, yeah, the numbers look a little bit better in hockey, um, it's. It's definitely a little bit harder when you're looking at your numbers and you're batting below 300. Um, definitely more of a mental thing that I struggle with. Um, but it always keeps you working, always pushes you, it makes you want to get over, like overcome the failure to get over 300, not super, like realistic, but that's always the goal are you?

Speaker 2: 29:54

a knucks fan. Yeah, let's go. Oh, that made so much better I think demko's he is.

Speaker 1: 30:00

We're in a bit of trouble, yeah, a little bit sad.

Speaker 2: 30:03

Yeah, when this goes live, we're going to find out. We'll know then whether we need to cross every finger possible.

Speaker 3: 30:10

Between.

Speaker 2: 30:11

DeSmit, I think maybe we I don't know We'll see Dakota Joshua playoff D man. He's legit, he's the best Canucks all the way.

Speaker 3: 30:20

Sorry.

Speaker 2: 30:21

Leafs are going to be done after the first round again.

Speaker 3: 30:23

Probably that's just my hot take here. That's just how it is.

Speaker 1: 30:27

I'll get some flack for that one, but either way, who's your?

Speaker 2: 30:30

team Colorado. You're both Abs fans.

Speaker 3: 30:33

No, no no, I don't like the Abs I just think this oh, she just wears a hat.

Speaker 2: 30:39

Yeah, here I am just confused. She likes the merch, not the team, so both of you being from alberta, screw the flames and oilers, eh I, I cheer for the oilers, but I wouldn't say they're my team.

Speaker 3: 30:53

I mean, I grew up in edmonton and I want them to do well, but colorado is this where it's at.

Speaker 1: 30:58

I'm gonna get backlash for this, but I hate the flames there's a lot of people that share that opinion.

Speaker 2: 31:04

Uh, there's also a lot of people that thought I looked like mcdavid when I was in edmonton and signed a couple autos disappointed just soaking it yeah yeah, I definitely. If they're in, if they end up against the canucks at some point, what we might have to create some content around that. Have some fun, confuse some fans only briefly, it just leads to disappointment at the end.

Speaker 1: 31:28

Don't worry, I brought my Canucks jersey to Quebec, so we're going to be repping it.

Speaker 2: 31:32

I should have brought mine. We could have gotten a team take here.

Speaker 1: 31:35

That was poor planning on my part. I should have known.

Speaker 2: 31:38

But the hoodie looks better.

Speaker 1: 31:39

It does. Of my part, I shouldn't know, but the hoodie looks better, and it does.

Speaker 2: 31:41

It's a very nice hoodie. It's important that people realize what we're doing. I appreciate you guys coming out here to perfect sports, for chatting, driving all over ontario, coming down for this conversation. Um, what else did we want to talk about today? Balance was a factor that we wanted to bring up, or maybe the fact that balance isn't a thing. Or how do you balance being a three sport athlete, winning mvp at national championships like balance? Is it a thing? Is balance a thing?

Speaker 1: 32:08

um, yes, and I would say it's something that's can be tricky to balance. Um, especially because once you start getting older you don't see as many multi-sport athletes, a lot of people start to pick um, which a little advice I would say stick in as many sports as you can for as long as possible, don't pick one um. But yeah, balance is a huge part of it. Um, I think it definitely personally.

Speaker 1: 32:34

For me helps a lot that I don't do hockey all throughout the year and then do baseball all throughout the year that I kind of have my moments of like hey, here's six months of hockey or whatever, here's six months of baseball. It's nice that I get to split it up, but it's also important that I maintain throughout the summer, even though I'm not playing hockey, maintain that and come back so I can be just as good as I was when I left, like where I pick up where I started, which is something that's a little bit harder, especially with the amount of baseball that I have been doing.

Speaker 1: 33:10

But there's ways. You'll adapt training programs like stuff like that. You'll find ice times. You'll do what works for you and if you can, I'd say, do it.

Speaker 2: 33:20

I think we talked about it, maddie around, like you know you, you can still maintain that competitive edge and spirit and, honestly, the other piece was not overworking your body in one specific range of motion or modality, right like being able to change it up from golf baseball, hockey is important.

Speaker 3: 33:40

For sure, and using different muscles, like we talked about not overworking the same ones. I know, when I go to baseball or then when I transition back into hockey, definitely using different muscles and it's important that you get to strengthen different ones and get to use your body in a different way. Same thing that Caitlin said competitive mindset Like you're in that competitive mindset year round and it looks a little different way. Same thing that Caitlin said competitive mindset like you're in that competitive mindset year round and it looks a little different too.

Speaker 3: 34:06

I mean we talked about with baseball, right Like you're failing most of the time and it's how you deal with your mental battle. And then when you go back to hockey and something doesn't go your way, it's a lot easier to deal with because in hockey you can almost make up for your mistake right away. You don't have to sit with it as long. Definitely in baseball, like if you strike out or you don't get a hit, you have to sit and think about it, basically until you're next at bat. But you have to learn how to park that, how to let it go. Have a memory of a goldfish, as Ted Lasso would say.

Speaker 2: 34:41

Heck yeah.

Speaker 1: 34:46

I love that. I love that, I love that would recommend that show.

Speaker 3: 34:47

Yeah, a hundred percent. You gotta have a, you gotta have a memory of a goldfish, because if you carry that with you back to the plate it's not gonna help you so that's a.

Speaker 2: 34:55

I hadn't even really thought about that. But baseball is an extension. Like if you had a bad shot in golf you got like anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds before your next shot. You can kind of recover, make up for it, change your mindset, but like paul you might be waiting three innings before you hit next you're gonna simmer over that for an hour and just unleash and I'd probably swing and miss again.

Speaker 2: 35:16

Oh man, what's been like your maybe biggest myth that you've uncovered over the years within sports? Um, you know, some people are always looking at the fact that you know. There's different things that you uncover as an athlete that work for you or don't, whether it's cold exposure, training with carbohydrates before or after, like. Are there specific things that you've uncovered in your training or that you've learned along the years that you're like oh, that's something that I wish I knew when I was younger too, or might benefit a young female athlete I don't know if this is a myth, but I always used to think that it was a myth.

Speaker 1: 35:55

Recovery is important. You need to stretch, yes, especially for me catcher and a goalie. I did not stretch at all when I was younger and now my body's facing a little bit of the repercussions that's crazy.

Speaker 1: 36:08

You're very mobile, from what I've seen yeah, but a lot of physio, a lot of athletic therapy, a lot of work to maintain that. Uh, maintain injuries, prevent injuries, not maintain injuries. But you know what I mean, like prevent injuries, whatever. So stretch, do your stretch, do your cool downs, do your warm-ups. It's important. I still struggle with it to this day. Um, but yeah, I thought I used to think it was a myth.

Speaker 3: 36:35

Not a myth, do it yeah, you get to a certain age where you can't afford to skip a warm-up or cool down anymore. I know when I was 16 or 17 I I could do whatever whenever and I didn't face the consequences of it. But now, like you need to warm up, you need to cool down, you got to give your body that chance to warm up and recover properly.

Speaker 2: 36:59

So I would say, make sure you incorporate that it's like those big rocks people don't realize like the importance of sleep and I think it honestly comes down to habits in general. Like your parents, coaches are probably preaching it growing up that you should be getting eight hours of sleep.

Speaker 2: 37:15

You should make sure you're getting your protein in you're sleeping, you're recovering properly to your point, like and if you're not sleeping eight hours, if you're not drinking adequate amounts of water, if you're not fueling your body with the right food, you're probably not going to perform at your best and it's going to handicap you, despite all the hard work, despite all the reading, everything else that you do. So that is like huge advice and I think, hopefully, those folks listening whether you're female, male or any other sport, looking to participate and get better, you should be doing those big rocks. Um, why didn't you believe that when you were young?

Speaker 1: 37:54

um, I don't know, maybe I think, maybe I had a little bit of a mindset like I'm, I'm naive, I'm invincible like it's, it's not gonna happen to me. My body feels fine now. It's not gonna bother me in a couple of years. I had the same thing when I was 16. I was like I feel like money, like I'm not yeah money, baby.

Speaker 1: 38:14

But I'm like I feel like money, like I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna have injuries, like I haven't gotten anything so far, like anything like it'll go away in a couple of days. It's like no, like I'm 22 now and I'm like starting to feel my age and I'm not even that old. So yeah, I think I was just a little bit naive to it and it is very much there.

Speaker 2: 38:36

I guess you mentioned age. Obviously, with how things have progressed with the pwhl, that's both on the radar. We were at the draft six, eight months ago, whenever it was, and that was incredible to be able to witness in downtown toronto. For you guys, what are those career aspirations? What do you want to still achieve, whether it's in golf, baseball, hockey or any other pursuits? Like I think you guys have the ability to do anything. You set your minds to both of you clearly, so I'd love for you to share it with our audience so that they can check in with you, follow along your journeys, because I know you're going to be posting more on your socials this summer. So what should they be looking forward to?

Speaker 1: 39:15

Want to go first. No, you got it. Okay, I think the goal that I've set myself ultimately for the next couple years is to get drafted in the p-dub. Um, I have another year of university left and then after that I'm hoping to enter the draft and go in that league. Um, further aspirations would be hockey Canada. Um, finding a way into their system, maybe playing for the national team one day. I think those are my two ultimate goals, but I do want to play pro hockey after, and also hoping that I can balance a little bit of baseball on there too, to keep that going, heck yeah.

Speaker 2: 39:51

Yeah, despite it, maybe not paying as much as it should, right. Baseball yeah, I know they can't say it, but I will. Yeah, we're working on it.

Speaker 1: 40:00

We're working on it. One day we're hoping, maybe this league will grow, that we're in Baby steps.

Speaker 2: 40:05

We need people like yourself playing in it. It's the performances that you guys are putting together. People are paying attention and it's only a matter of time, right?

Speaker 1: 40:14

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2: 40:14

Yeah, what about you Willen?

Speaker 3: 40:17

Similar to Caitlin, would love to continue to play hockey once I'm done with with U of A, whatever that looks like for me, whatever's the best fit, if that's playing in the PWHL, if that's going to play somewhere in Europe, something that's a really good fit for me. Continuing to live out my athletic career as long as possible, I think, has been my uh, my goal. So, whatever that looks like, if that's with hockey, if that's with baseball, whatever will allow me to play, as long as my body allows me to, I would love to do that maybe, maybe we'll be able to play on the same hockey team for once yeah, that is something we haven't done.

Speaker 3: 40:54

That would be fun, so I don't have to shoot against you all the time.

Speaker 1: 40:59

Score on me.

Speaker 2: 41:00

Hey, maybe by that time the P-Dub will expand out west. Maybe a Calgary franchise.

Speaker 1: 41:05

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 41:06

Maybe an Edmonton franchise That'd be nice, who knows? I know, that Mississauga is applying for a PWHL team. I believe I just saw yesterday on Six Buzz, that being the super, super riveting news and the best channel source for all of your information for anyone wondering other than the?

Speaker 2: 41:23

athletes podcast. It's then six buzz right underneath, um for highest quality. For sure, cbc ctv never heard of them. Um, no, what do you guys want to leave the athletes podcast listeners and viewers with? Because I feel like we we dragged you all the way out here to the Middle East of Ontario and of Canada. I should say, yeah, what do you want to leave with? What have we not touched on? Where do you think that you can provide a bit of insight here in the last couple minutes of this conversation and that thousands of athletes are going to benefit from?

Speaker 1: 41:58

I'd say, probably my, well, probably one, my one piece of advice um, doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, what gender you are, anything like that. If you want to play in sports, you can. If you want to play a high level, you can. You can play in competitive sports. Um, I know a lot of the times growing up it was oh, woman can't be in sports, Woman can't be in sports, Women can't be in sports. It was a strong narrative, Like oh, they should be on their own. If you want to play with the boys, you can play with the boys. If you want to play with the girls, you can play with the girls. If you want to play, play. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. It doesn't matter who you are, Do what you want.

Speaker 3: 42:37

That's a tough one to follow.

Speaker 1: 42:41

No, that's just something that I would have liked to know when I was younger.

Speaker 3: 42:44

No, for sure.

Speaker 1: 42:44

Do what you want to do. It doesn't matter what anyone else says. No, I love that.

Speaker 3: 42:50

I think for me, similar. But if you want to play more than one sport growing up, that is do it. You definitely can. You can make it work. It's going to be hard, there's going to be some challenges with that. There's going to be coaches and parents and other people telling you that you shouldn't and that you should just focus on this one sport and that, um, it'll be better for you. But, honestly, do what makes you happy.

Speaker 1: 43:13

If you want to continue to play too, because you love them both, then do it and there's also that, that that positive correlation of okay, this sport, we're using these muscles, that can translate over to this sport, like, oh, you're catching baseballs in this sport and you're going and you're being a goalie in this sport, that correlates Like there's, it keeps you, it keeps you in tip top shape, it helps your other sport. Like it helps you in all aspects, it helps you as an individual, an athlete and a person.

Speaker 3: 43:38

So A hundred percent. You're definitely a more well-rounded athlete when you play more than one sport.

Speaker 2: 43:45

We should have just let you guys do that whole thing right there that was unreal.

Speaker 3: 43:48

Hey that's where we're ending it. If I could drop this mic.

Speaker 2: 43:51

I would Caitlin Ross, Madison Willen. Thank you guys so much for coming on the athletes podcast. I'm sure those listening are going to benefit a ton. They're those listening are going to benefit a ton. They're going to share it with another athlete who could benefit and they're going to crush some perfect sports.

Speaker 2: 44:09

Using the code ap20, save 20 and uh hey, they're going to watch you this summer out in montreal, quebec, wherever it is out east. You guys will be traveling everywhere and then they'll watch you next year. Crush it on the ice. Thank you guys for coming. I appreciate it we'll look forward to featuring you again at some point when you're in the p-dub, probably overseas crushing it, maybe playing on the lpg tour, who knows?

Speaker 1: 44:26

yeah, I look forward to it. Thanks for having us it was a great time being on here. So yeah, thanks david. That's the pod.

Speaker 2: 44:31

Thanks, gals. Just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for each of you who are a part of this watching, listening, consuming our content. We can't do it unless you folks are a part of this. Continue to sharing that. I appreciate it so much when you folks continue to share this content with other athletes who you believe would benefit. As you know, this is why I started the athletes podcast. I wanted to be able to educate, entertain and inspire that next generation of athletes, be able to provide them with resources, knowledge and wisdom that I wish I had growing up and hopefully you folks do now and those around you do. Let's make the next generation of athletes so much better. Thank you, perfect Sports, for fueling us. Thank you for tuning into this episode and we'll see you next week. Hope you have a great rest of your day. Bye.