Athlete of the Week - McKinley Hunt
Grade 12 student and “lifer”, McKinley Hunt, is a nationally-recognized rugby player from King, who plays for The Country Day School, Team Ontario and Barrie RFC. A leader on and off the field, McKinley applies the lessons she has learned to help create an environment of encouragement and competitiveness.
A naturally gifted athlete, sports consumed McKinley’s free time growing up, including volleyball, basketball and skiing. That quickly changed after she was introduced to the sport of rugby in Grade 9 at CDS. McKinley was immediately hooked and eager to incorporate it into her busy sports schedule.
Since CDS only fields one senior school girls’ team, playing alongside Grade 11 and 12’s was very intimidating for her initially. “They were amazing rugby players and I never thought I could be that good.” McKinley played again the following year and began to realize how talented she was at the sport. She couldn’t wait for the next season to continue playing so she joined a local rep team, Barrie RFC.
Last summer, McKinley reached another milestone in her young career, representing Team Ontario at the Nationals held in Calgary. More than 250 players tried out and after a series of cuts, McKinley made the final roster of 25 players. She is proud of her achievement, “It was the best experience I’ve ever had playing sports. It really taught me I have the ability to compete at an elite level.”
The Ontario team went undefeated in the tournament, until the final game where they lost to British Columbia after a late penalty, a team they beat the day before. It was a cruel finish to the tournament but McKinley views it as a learning opportunity. “Things don’t go as planned, and even with time and effort, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. You need to be resilient to come back and keep fighting.”
She applies the same philosophy to her personal life, “I can apply these lessons to other things like academics, music or extracurriculars. It’s more about learning things along the way for the long-term. It’s still a great experience and I’ll carry those lessons forever.”
She applies the same philosophy to her personal life, “I can apply these lessons to other things like academics, music or extracurriculars. It’s more about learning things along the way for the long-term. It’s still a great experience and I’ll carry those lessons forever.”
For CDS, McKinley plays Inside Centre, but for Barrie and Ontario, she plays Prop and Lock. Her leadership roles also vary from team to team. She views herself as much more of a leader on the CDS and Barrie teams. McKinley remembers her time as a younger player and how important it was to feel valued by the team and uses the same strategy today with new players. She still sees herself as a leader on Team Ontario, but realizes the caliber of the players and tries to fit in as best she can.
Her CDS Coaches Dave Downer and Andrea Switalski recognize McKinley’s influence on the field. Coach Downer explains, “McKinley is an inspired player whose game reflects both skill and creativity. She tirelessly works at improving her game and helps her teammates improve theirs by her example and through her words. She revels in the game and is a keen student who absorbs all aspects of play. She is a leader and served as co-captain last year alongside a Grade 12 player.”
McKinley is driven to help continue the success of Girls Rugby at CDS and is confident that the team will achieve their 11th consecutive CISAA title. “I’ll do everything in my power to have that happen.”
Next fall, McKinley plans to attend Queen’s University and eventually play for the women’s national team.
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
