Sideline Stories: Ashley Potvin-Fulford, UNE Head Women’s Rugby Coach, Founder, A Running Passion; Girls Got Game Camp Director
Athlete’s Gonna Athlete: Finding joy in competing, training, and trying after competitive sports
Athlete: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. I grew up in Biddeford playing and doing a little bit of everything. I danced, figure skated and played basketball, soccer, ice hockey, and softball. When I went to college, I played two seasons for the Norwich University Women’s Ice Hockey team and later found the amazing game of rugby. I was fortunate enough to play for, at the time, one of three NCAA women’s rugby programs. After college, I continued playing rugby with the Portland Women’s Rugby Football Club. I was an athlete. An athlete was how I identified, how I socialized; it was who I was.
As I reached my mid-twenties, I hung up my cleats and focused solely on coaching. As most other things, I went all in. I coached several sports in the Biddeford School System including girls soccer, softball, and ice hockey. In addition, I was coaching the UNE Women’s Rugby team (now my full-time job) and giving private skating lessons all while teaching a full load of classes at Biddeford Middle School. My competitive rugby and team sport days appeared to be over but I also wasn’t quite ready to stop moving or “athleting.” My schedule went from revolving around my own playing schedule to the practice and playing schedules of the teams I was coaching. I guess I was…a retired athlete, but when in our lives are we supposed to stop identifying as an athlete? If there are senior games and masters athletes, do we ever stop? Should we ever?
Since ending my playing career in competitive athletics, I have since dipped my toes into numerous activities and sports and dug right into others including speed skating, spin class, golf, yoga, tennis, curling, rock climbing, weightlifting, hiking, camping, and with the help and encouragement from my late husband, Will Fulford, I started long distance running. Since 2013, I have run eight half marathons, two full marathons, and a slew of 5ks and 10ks. I am not the fastest or the best— but I train hard, run hard, try hard, and still surprise myself from time to time. I am an athlete.
As a younger athlete, I loved being coached. I loved working towards improvement, learning new things, and pushing the envelope. I still love all of those things. I am thankful that the skills I learned and joy I found as a young athlete have helped me continue to stay healthy, learn, grow, try new things and encourage young athletes to reach for their fullest potential whether it be in my role as a collegiate coach, the Girls Got Game Sports Camp Director, or the president of the non-profit organization, A Running Passion.
Is there anything better than reaching the top of a mountain, runner’s high, or the excited butterflies you get before you’re up to bat? Your body still has so much to give after the last whistle or buzzer of your most competitive years. Find new passions to ignite and don’t stop moving. After all, athletes are going to athlete even if it looks and feels different than it once did.
