by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Nadine Shilling is Ojibway from the Curve Lake First Nation. She is the daughter of Duane Shilling from Curve Lake, ON, and Tina Heffernan from Peterborough, ON.
Nadine graduated from Thomas A. Secondary School in Peterborough Ontario, and is currently attending school at Durham College in the Social Service Worker program.
Nadine is a fast learner with rugby and has played only five years. She is traveling the globe with international play. “I’ve played many sports growing up, but my main interest is rugby,” said Nadine. “I’ve played for T.A.S Rugby, Peterborough Pagans Rugby, Barrie Rugby, Durham College Lords Rugby and represented, and won gold at the Ontario Canadian championships for Ontario Rugby.”
“2014 was my first year playing Peterborough Pagans rugby,” said Nadine. “In 2015 it was my first year playing high school rugby at Thomas A. Secondary School. In 2017, I went on the T.A.S rugby tour to United Kingdom and playing Scotland, England and Wales, traveled to Calgary, Alberta to the Rugby Canada championships and placed 1st with a gold medal with Rugby Ontario and with T.A.S we won the COSSA senior girls rugby championship, advancing to OFSAA for the first time since 2010.”
“In 2018 T.A.S won OFSAA girls AAA rugby consolation championship and in 2019 Made Durham College rugby team, as of October 9, seeded 1st in the OCAA in Ontario,” added Nadine.
“I am a strong, caring and empathetic individual,” said Nadine. “I support each team on and off the field. I am hardworking, a leader, and I push myself to my absolute best, and believe in every player on every team. I am a committed, motivated and resilient individual. I am a goal setter and achiever.”
“My tribe values define who I am as an athlete because it’s what I have grown up learning about and has made me the person I am today. I follow my traditions, and am a jingle dress dancer/healer,” added Nadine.
Nadine shared: “I hope to start my career in social work, helping my community with mental health and addictions, and then in my future I hope to be accepted into the police college to work for communities across Canada. Athletics has gotten me to where I am today, if I didn’t have sports, great coaches and teammates, I would have a whole other outlook on life. Sports has given me a positive outlook on life, and it also gave me skills of communication, strong work ethic and simply a great coping mechanism.”
“My parents, family and friends have always been a positive influence on me. I’ve always had my parents at all my games cheering me on, supporting and reminding me to never give up. My dad would wait hours for me to finish practice, and drive miles to get me to where I needed to be. All of the car rides and traveling, my dad always was there for me, and he is a huge influence on my life. My coach Craig Harris who passed this year will always be a coach who influenced me. He saw my potential, and helped me succeed in my athletic career. He believed in me, and helped me grow as a player. No matter where I played, he always had my back and I will never forget him”, added Nadine.
“No matter where you come from, no matter what life throws at you, you can do it”, said Nadine.
Photo provided courtesy of Nadine Shilling.
Wow. Nadine. You are simply incredible. You have accomplished so much already. I’m so proud to know you. Xx