Q&A GHISLAINE LANDRY
How did you get into the sport?
I started playing rugby in Grade 9 at high school. It was a pretty popular sport at my high school, actually, and my sister had played before me and I followed in her footsteps.
Had you played it before it became an Olympic sport or did you start afterwards?
I started playing rugby well before it was an Olympic sport. I dreamed of going to the Olympics as a kid and I didn’t really know what that was going to look like, but I just idolized these Canadian athletes winning and standing on the podium and singing O Canada. ... When I shifted to rugby, the Olympics weren’t going to be part of that anymore, so when it was it was more the rugby that drew me, not the Olympics that brought me there.
What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t playing rugby?
(Laughs) I have no idea what I’d be doing. I went to university and then I’ve played rugby ever since; that’s what I’ve been doing and we’re full time. There’s definitely passions and hobbies that I’d be doing if I had more time. I would love to get out on another canoe trip ... I spent 42 days on a canoe trip once and it was just one of the most incredible experiences. And I would love to do that, but rugby doesn’t so much accommodate that lifestyle.
Who was your biggest inspiration or someone you look up to?
I’ve been looking up to my sister a lot lately. She’s a tough lady and no matter what’s going on, she’s standing tall and she’s kind of given me just this image of someone who, no matter what’s going on, they’re going to stand tall and they’re going to be proud of who they are and it doesn’t really matter what’s going on behind the scenes, they can handle it. It’s just this image of strength.