Francesca Alpajaro: From Owen Sound to playing field hockey at Georgetown University
OWEN SOUND, Ontario — The road we take in life is full of twists and turns. Without a dream and a burning desire to accomplish great things, dreams rarely materialize. Francesca Alpajaro has both, and embodies the twists and turns of sport itself.
Attending school in Owen Sound, whiling living in Port Elgin Francesca was an avid participant. “Sports are where I started bonding with my parents and really coming into my own,” she says. “It was a great outlet for my energy and personality. Lacrosse is a great sport and I encourage everyone to try it!”
Hockey was Francesca’s original sport of choice but she wanted to play year-round, so field lacrosse came into the picture. When she was 10 years old, she began playing it as something to do with friends between hockey seasons, and the integration of the two sports really helped “hook” her on it.
“There are lots of similarities,” Francesca muses. “I’ve always enjoyed competition, and being part of a team was something that appealed deeply to me.” Naturally, she had an internal debate about which sport to pursue long term. “I did agonize somewhat over that. Hockey was in my life first, so it was a challenging decision to make. But it became clear that if I wanted to pursue a collegiate career, lacrosse was the best choice. I’m very happy to be here.”
“Here” is Georgetown University (just outside of Washington, DC), where Francesca is a defender for the Hoyas, a member of Division 1 NCAA Women’s Field Lacrosse. Having made the transition from living in Bruce County to the US, she has an even greater appreciation for team camaraderie. “I couldn’t imagine coming to university, especially in a different country, without being part of a team. All the girls have been super welcoming, and helped me find a sense of community.” Francesca adds, “The warm welcome has been especially helpful during the pandemic.”
Despite the obstacles, Francesca Alpajaro is thriving on the Georgetown team. It is ranked in the Top 25 nationally out of some 150 teams and they have big plans for the future. “We have team goals that are laid out clearly. They provide a standard for where we should be, where we want to be. A team environment provides a chance to be the best version of yourself. It teaches accountability and to be part of something bigger than yourself.”
When asked about women in sport, Francesca clearly didn’t think it was an issue. “I guess sometimes people can be a little biased but I’ve never been told I couldn’t do something because of my gender. My parents always encouraged me to play sports.”
Balancing academic and athletic work is vital to Francesca. “Georgetown is an academic school first and foremost. We are student-athletes, in that order,” she says. Currently taking Human Science for Pre-Med, she aspires to be a doctor. Her ambition comes shining through when she talks about her future, leaving little doubt that she will succeed at whatever she sets her mind to. “I always wanted to play collegiate sports, but it seemed improbable. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but believe in yourself. I had positive people tell me that, and it has propelled me to something I really wanted to do.”
With self-confidence, a healthy dose of rural Canadian vigour, and an entire team behind her, Francesca Alpajaro has her sights set on a whole lot over the coming years. After just a couple conversations, it’s clear that you don’t want to bet against this girl!
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