T&T’s Maureen Craig-Rousseau and Reyah Richardson were among four women highlighted by the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) as being a fantastic role model as part of their International Women’s Day celebrations on March 8.
Writing for PAHF.org, Sarah Juggins noted that International Women’s Day was a chance for the world to come together to celebrate women and their achievements.
And at PAHF they are blessed to have some magnificent and talented women operating at all levels of the game.
From players to coaches, to umpires, to officials - our hockey community proves that, when it comes to ability and performance, everything is equal.
In naming four stand-out contributors, PAHF selected Craig-Rousseau, Richardson, USA’s Pam Stuper and Chile’s Camila Caram.
Craig-Rousseau is a former president of the T&T Tobago Hockey Board (T&THB).
Currently, she is a member of the Federation International Hockey (FIH) Executive Board and PAHF Executive Board and has been involved in hockey at the highest level through her roles as Tournament Director and Tournament Official.
In her working life, Craig-Rousseau is also high up the ladder of achievement. An impressive career path has seen her move through the ranks within the financial world to her current position – Organisation manager at First Citizens Bank.
Working alongside Craig-Rousseau at hockey tournaments, you get a measure of the strength and capability of the former T&T Hockey Board President, and she admitted that she has had to develop the dual characteristics of resilience and tenacity to succeed in work and sport. She adds that her mantra is “Treat others as you wish to be treated,” and she adds, “that has worked out pretty well.”
There is little doubt that Craig-Rousseau has faced challenges along the way but she had taken control of her destiny by embracing educational opportunities and making sacrifices along the way. The result is someone who feels confident enough to say that she can “stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone in any board room.”
At the top of her career path and having achieved the highest positions within hockey administration, Craig-Rousseau says that she now sees part of her role as “providing support and encouragement to other women to reach their goals and potential.”
Another T&T hockey official who has grasped the opportunities offered through our sport is Richardson.
Currently, Richardson, a former national team player, is T&THB Honorary Secretary and she is an active and proficient tournament director and technical official.
She is also a scientist, working as a laboratory supervisor at HPCL.
When she reflects on the pathway she has followed within hockey, Richardson says it is important to take learning opportunities from every experience – good and bad.
“Each obstacle or stumbling block to me is an opportunity and it has shaped and moulded me for the next step and the next level in my career. I was fortunate to enter the sport when there were strong women in roles of leadership and they paved the way for us young girls coming into the sport.”
Now a role model in her own right - both in her career as a scientist and on the hockey field, Richardson has these words of advice: “Make your voice heard, and challenge when necessary, but also respect and understand the person you are dealing with because you will meet people from all sorts of different backgrounds. But you can choose to find a way to deal with any situation.”