Instagram: @andreakozan
WEEK #28: ANDREA KOZAN
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Andrea Kozan. I’m a 47 year old mother of 5 very active girls and I have been married to a very patient man for 20 years! For most of my life I have lived in Saskatchewan. I graduated from the U of S with my BA in Sociology and the U of R with a degree in Education. I did teach for a few years, but when we started having a family, I left teaching and focused on my children.
I’ve always loved sport and being part of them in one way or another. Growing up I figured skated, danced, played ringette and ran track. I continued to run track throughout high school and into university.
Please share a story about an internal or external barrier you have faced. How did you overcome that barrier? What skills did you develop in sport that helped you overcome your barrier?
Having five children is a gift that I would never give back, but having 5 children makes for a good excuse to stop doing “me”. In fact it would be much easier. Mothers often feel the pressure to give themselves up to provide and nurture for their children. There’s often just no more time or energy left in the tank for me to worry about what makes me tick. And for me it is being part of something and being actively involved that makes me happy.
As my children started to grow and get involved in sports, I immersed myself into their activities. I volunteered for everything I could to help with their experiences…manage teams, fundraise, and organize tournaments. Afterall, it is being part of something and contributing that makes me happy. Once my youngest was about 3 years old, I started going to the track with my daughters. They were training with the track club, and after taking them a few times, all of my amazing memories from the track started flooding back to me. I loved my track years. I formed so many lifelong friendships and I learned so much about myself. I was determined to have track in my life again. As a self-proclaimed expert time manager, it seemed practical to start training at the same time as my children did. So, I joined the track club and ran for the finish line! I love training, I love competing, and I love the fact that I can do it all, even with the challenging juggling act that I endure everyday. And most of all, I know I make my children proud, and not because I can win a race, but because they see how happy I am.
My lifelong experiences with sport have developed my skills of commitment, dedication, and time management. As the head of a busy household, being able to organize our time is sometimes one of my most important jobs! These skills have allowed my family and I to pursue whatever interests they have.
If you had one word to describe your character, experiences or philosophy what would it be? Why?
INSPIRED
It’s actually the young athletes that I see that inspire me. I often say, “I want to be like her when I grow up”. I see so much drive and dedication in young athletes today. They have the attitude they can have it all…that’s inspiring!
If you wanted to motivate a young female athlete to #BuildHerUp, what quote would you use? Why?
“Don’t just do it, do it because you love it!”
Loving what you do makes all the hard work seem much easier. Your passion will make you greater than you could ever imagine.