Brian Swane, Special to Canada West
EDMONTON –When you hear Kelsey Rocque’s story, it might seem like the talented curler made plenty of sacrifices to be a student-athlete, squeezing in studies and practice during countless 18-hour days.
But for the 24-year-old, not one was actually a sacrifice in her mind.
As a student-athlete at the University of Alberta, the Pandas curling skip and Physical Education and Recreation student found synergy in her athletic and academic pursuits.
“I always told my parents that the minute things started becoming a sacrifice for me – if I thought going to practice was a sacrifice, or staying up late to study was a sacrifice – I wasn’t doing the right thing anymore,” says Rocque.
“I chose to miss things to make sure I studied for an exam, or I stayed later at practice, but I never sacrificed, and that’s the biggest thing: make sure you make the right choices but try to find a way to make your passions coincide with each other.”
Rocque, who graduated from the University of Alberta in 2017, currently works as a recreation therapist with Alberta Health Services while skipping her Edmonton-based rink on the World Curling Tour.
“I love being busy,” says the Fort Saskatchewan native. “I used to leave home at seven in the morning and I wouldn’t get home until 11 at night after practice and studying. I was at the university all day, but I wouldn’t have changed anything. I think it made me a more well-rounded person to go to school and still maintain a social life while competing at the highest-level as an athlete.
“There’s always going to be points when you’re pretty stressed out, and when you won’t get everything done, but you’re always able to get there, sometimes you just have to choose one thing over the other.”
Rocque enrolled at Alberta in 2012, drawn both by the opportunity for a quality education while being able to curl at a very high level.
“To be able to juggle both parts of being a student-athlete was pretty important for me,” she says.
Over four years competing for the University of Alberta women’s curling rink, Rocque skipped the Pandas to two U SPORTS curling titles (2015 and 2016) to go with three from the Western Canadian University Curling Championships (2013, 2014 and 2016). When they didn’t win gold, the Pandas never settled for less than silver, finishing runner-up at nationals in 2013 and 2014, and at the 2015 Western Championship.
The capper on Rocque’s university career came in 2017, when the Pandas represented Canada at the Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The rink won gold, after Rocque served as flag-bearer for the opening ceremony, and led Team Canada into Almaty Arena.
“That was the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” says Rocque, who also captured gold at the World Junior Curling Championships in 2014 and 2015.
“To be able to carry your country’s flag and represent all those talented Canadian athletes was such an honour. I will forever have those memories and remember the moment that I realized I would get that opportunity.
“Never did I think that that my curling career would get to that point, and being a flag bearer, representing not only my curling team, but all of Canada at Universiade was a pretty special moment.”
In the classroom, Rocque also found fulfillment. She had long aspired to work in health care – a field that always intrigued her.
“I can’t say enough about the University of Alberta and the education,” she says.
“I love what I took in school and I learned so much.
“I have no regrets. I lucked out for sure with enjoying what I did in school while still curling the whole time.”
During a practicum at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Rocque found her calling working with stroke and brain injury patients. After graduation, she made it her occupation.
“I was able to see how individuals could go back to competing in the sports they love and doing things they were passionate about, and how I could have a helping hand in that,” she says. “I just loved seeing people succeed and work hard towards their goals.”
Rocque continues to be based out of the Saville Community Sports Centre, located on the U of A campus, skipping a rink that came up just short of a trip to the 2019 Scotties, finishing second in Alberta to Chelsea Carey’s rink.
Curling at such an elite level while maintaining her career path in rec therapy, Rocque continues to find balance, not sacrificing one for another.
“When you find something that you’re really passionate about you want to hold on to it as tight as you can.”
“You want to have that drive and keep that drive, going as hard as you can, full-force at it.”
2019 Canada West Curling Championships
Curling makes its return as a Canada West sport February 1-3, as the Saville Community Sports Centre plays host to the 2019 Canada West Curling Championships. For the first time since the 1980s, conference curling champions will be crowned, as the sport rejoins the Canada West fold after more than three decades. Two men's and two women's teams will advance to the 2019 U SPORTS/Curling Canada Curling Championships March 15-19 in Fredericton, N.B.
About #CanadaWestCreated
The #CanadaWestCreated series features stories of former Canada West student-athletes who have moved on to excel in their careers and communities. The individuals profiled in the #CanadaWestCreated series exemplify how student-athletes build the skills and connections needed to succeed following the completion of their time in university.