Kate Wright deserves to be in the pantheon of recent Canadian women’s team sport greats — alongside Hayley Wickenheiser, Christine Sinclair and Kia Nurse — even though field hockey doesn’t get the recognition in Canada afforded ice hockey, soccer or basketball.
The Victoria resident announced her retirement this month after a record 228 caps for Canada, earning most of them as captain of the national team since 2012. Now a 32-year-old mother, Wright knew it was time. Not that it was an easy realization to come to. It never is for the legends.
“Many athletes struggle with the transition. It was a hard decision but I know it’s time to move on,” said Wright.
“I hope I’m leaving the national team in a better place than when I found it.”
She certainly is doing that.
There was a dip following the halcyon era when players, many from the Island, led Canada to the 1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics and two World Cup medals. Canada hasn’t been back to the Olympics since, but Wright helped bring the national side back to being a consideration on the world stage.
After two Pan-Am Games medals and three Commonwealth Games appearances, the agony was palpable when Ireland beat out Canada on the last shot in shootout to claim the final berth into the Tokyo Olympics. The only thing missing on Wright’s resume would remain so.
“The ultimate goal was competing in the Olympic Games and that was a tough one,” she said.
But nothing takes away from what Wright brought to the effort. She put her heart and soul into the quest.
Now a new chapter opens in life.
“It’s important to have an identity without sports,” said Wright.
“I can’t put into words what it is like to have a child.”
Kate’s son Charlie Wright is 16 months old. He will certainly have the genes for sports, if he wishes to pursue that path. His dad, Kate’s husband Phil Wright, earned more than 150 caps for Canada in field hockey and played in the Pan Am and Commonwealth Games. Charlie’s uncle Anthony Wright was a field hockey Olympian at Beijing 2008, grandmother Thelma Wright an Olympian in track at Montreal 1976 and Munich 1972 and grandfather Lee Wright an Olympian in field hockey at Tokyo 1964 and Montreal 1976. Charlie’s great-grandfather, Harold Wright, ran track for Canada in the 1932 L.A. Olympics.
“Thelma [Wright] is always trying to get me to run the Times Colonist 10K,” said Kate Wright, with a chuckle.
The sporting roots run just as deep on Kate’s side of the family. Her dad is former NHLer and former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis. Her mom Diane was an international long jumper for Canada who almost made the 1976 Olympics before seeing her dreams of 1980 dashed by the boycott of the Moscow Games.
The Gillis side of the family, including dad Mike and mom Diane, now resides in Victoria.
“I grew up in Kingston, Ont., and Victoria reminds me of that with the same sort of vibe,” said Kate. “And I know it well with so many training camps held on the Island over the years.”
Husband Phil Wright, who got his MBA from the University of Oregon, works for EA Sports as global brand manager for FIFA. Kate’s new job seems tailor-made for her, too, as B.C. manager of the RBC marketing and citizenship branch of the RBC Olympians program, which offers athletes work experience and career support.
Who better to offer that support than Kate Wright? She’s been there and done that with the best of them in leaving a true legacy in Canadian sport.
