Jen Kish

Biography

One of the best female sevens players in the world, Jen Kish was the captain of Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team at Rio 2016 where they won bronze in the inaugural Olympic rugby sevens tournament. The native of Edmonton, Alberta began playing provincially at the age of 16 and quickly made the jump to Canada’s U-19 Team, captaining the squad in 2006-07 and demonstrating from a young age her desire to wear the Canadian jersey. While Kish’s future would be spent on the sevens pitch, she opened her Rugby Canada career with the Women’s Fifteens Team, going to three Nations Cups as well as the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Since then, she has participated in pretty much every World Rugby sevens tournament to date. She captained Canada’s 2013 Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens Team to a second place finish in Moscow, Russia and was a finalist for the 2013 IRB Women’s Player of the Year award. In 2012 and 2013 she was named Canada’s women’s sevens team Player of the Year. Kish was also captain of the team that won gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto where she recorded two tries in the tournament.

Getting to know…

Getting into the Sport: Started playing rugby at age 15… Played multiple sports growing up but was drawn to rugby because it had multiple skillsets that interested her… Has wanted to represent Canada since watching the women’s hockey team win gold at Salt Lake City 2002… Outside Interests: Likes to play guitar, watch movies, go golfing and bowling… Worked as a personal trainer prior to becoming centralized with the national team… Odds and Ends: Nickname is Jenny Ann… Eats mustard before games… Writes #RUCKCANCER and her goals on her taped wrists before games… Collects Starbucks mugs from her travels… Favourite motto: Talent will get you noticed, but hard work will keep you noticed… Inspired by her father Steve Kish’s determination to succeed in life, no matter the obstacles, and his “I can do anything” attitude…