Not only is Caley Miskimmin busy balancing soccer, school and a social life, she is also a member of the University of Manitoba track team. This balancing act is a particularly impressive feat because Miskimmin has managed to perform exceptionally in all these different facets.
Having just wrapped up her final season with the Bisons soccer team in her fifth year of eligibility, Miskimmin was recently named a CIS All-Star for the second year in a row. She is both honoured and excited about the selection, acknowledging that she feels like her hard work throughout the season has paid off. Although Miskimmin put in a lot of effort, she is careful not to take all of the credit. “I also could not have been selected as an All-Star without my teammates. They contributed a great deal to my success and without them I would not be where I am today,” she explained.
It is the team aspect of soccer that has Miskimmin so enamored with the game. Her most memorable moment this season was when the team initiated their rookies on the first home games of the year. “We had a lot of new players come to our team this year and it was a really great team bonding experience. They were such good sports about everything and it was just a lot of fun,” she recalls. Experiences like that helped the team to work more cohesively on the field, which Miskimmin contends is integral to winning. “In order to be successful the in the university league, your team must be able to connect and work as a unit,” she has learned.
As important as team work is to soccer, Miskimmin also relishes the individual performances required in the sport. “As a forward, you can score goals and set up plays. That is my favorite part because you can score some pretty sweet goals. I loved getting breakaways and catching the goalie off guard with a nice easy pass into the bottom corner,” she reminisces. It is this passion that had Miskimmin named the team’s MVP last season.
This season, Miskimmin was scouted by the Senior National Team and was asked to attend a national soccer camp in Florida last month with teammate Desiree Scott. Miskimmin admits that her experience at the camp was overwhelming. “The soccer was like nothing I have ever been exposed to before. I have been in some pretty intense training environments but this exceeded those experiences greatly,” she recalls. Nonetheless, she is happy to have had the experience and to have had the opportunity to improve her soccer skills. She aims to play in the World Cup and possibly the Olympics in the near future.
However, Miskimmin’s current priorities lie in completing her studies and graduating in May. She will have a bachelor of human ecology degree, with a focus on child development and family violence. With this degree, Miskimmin wants to help free women and children from abuse and find ways to help them get their lives together again.
Miskimmin admits to always having a calendar nearby to keep organized, and there is little wonder as to why this is necessary. On top of soccer and school, Miskimmin also plays ringette and runs track. She runs the 4×200 meter and the 60 meter, and was last year’s Canada West 60 meter champion. Her relay team with Meagan Woo, Diana King and Kim Bordoun won CIS bronze last year.
Despite being so busy, it is a priority for Miskimmin to maintain space in her life for friends and family. “When I am not playing sports, I love spending time with my family and friends because they are my support system that has kept me strong for so many years,” she affirms.
