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Jen Kish
Jen Kish
Jen Kish
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Key Information

Jennifer "Jen" Kish (born July 7, 1988) is a Canadian former rugby union player.[1] She was a member of Canada's women's sevens team that were runners-up at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Russia.[2] Kish captained the sevens squad from 2012-2016 until she left the centralized program and while still player, she was replaced by Ghislaine Landry.[3] She is known for her aerial skills and defence (and her ink[1]). Kish was awarded the Most Influential Athlete of the CAAWS Most Influential Women List of 2016.[4]

Rugby 15s

[edit]

Kish's dream of being an elite athlete started at an early age and in Grade 2, she put down "professional athlete" as her future profession[5] Kish started rugby in Grade 10 at W. P. Wagner High School in Edmonton because her football coach was a rugby player and suggested she should try the sport.[6]

Kish typically played flanker and occasionally 8-man.[5] Playing for the province of Alberta at 16, her skills were recognized and she joined the U-19 Team Canada roster.[1] Six months later, at 17, before joining the senior women's team, Kish tattooed the Rugby Canada logo on her right calf. She would go on to play in three Nations Cups and the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup.

Rugby 7s

[edit]

Kish tried out for the sevens team in 2007, but she was cut after her first tryout .[7] After the 2010 World Cup, John Tait invited Kish to a sevens camp. In 2013, Kish captained Canada to silver at the 2013 Women's Rugby World Cup.[8] Her stellar performance was awarded when she was named the 2013 Sevens Player of the Year, for the second year in a row.

Kish won a gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games as a member of the Canadian women's rugby sevens team.[1][9]

In 2016, she was named to Canada's first ever women's rugby sevens Olympic team, which won the bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[10]

Her favourite pre-match tune is "Watch Me Rise" by Mikky Ekko.[6] Her pregame rituals consist of eating mustard before every game and writing what's important to her on her wrists, particularly "#ruckcancer", in honour of her father Steve, a cancer survivor.[8]

Kish announced her retirement on April 30, 2018, due to injuries that forced her to miss the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and recent Canadian appearances on the Sevens world circuit.[8] Upon the end of her sevens career, Kish played in 134 matches and scored 170 points (34 tries).[11]

In 2019, Kish was on the World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year award and the World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year award voting panels.[12]

Personal life

[edit]

Kish is openly lesbian.[13] During May 2018, Kish was part of a group of four female athletes, including Cassie Campbell, Fran Rider and Kerrin Lee-Gartner to publicly pledge their brain to a Canadian research centre. The posthumous donation shall be made to Toronto Western Hospital's Canadian Concussion Centre to further research on the effect of trauma on women's brains.[14]

Kish married two-spirit Mohawk (Six Nations of The Grand River) musician Shawnee in 2021. They were married in Edmonton, Alberta by former Premier Rachel Notley.[15]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Jen Kish

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Jennifer Kish (born July 7, 1988) is a Canadian former player, best known as the of the national women's team that secured a at the in Rio de Janeiro, marking Canada's first Olympic medal in the sport. One of the most decorated athletes in Canadian rugby history, Kish played over 130 international sevens matches, scored 34 tries, and led her team to numerous victories on the Sevens Series circuit before retiring in 2018 due to chronic hip and neck injuries. Her leadership, aerial skills, and defensive prowess earned her recognition as a pioneer in women's , and she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023 as part of the Class of 2023. Born in , , and raised in , , Kish initially pursued football, playing varsity at W.P. Wagner High School and aspiring to become the first woman in the Canadian Football League (CFL). She discovered rugby at age 16 through provincial play and rapidly advanced, captaining Canada's under-19 team in 2006–07 before transitioning to the senior sevens program in 2007. Appointed sevens captain in 2012, Kish guided the team to gold at the in and consistent podium finishes in the World Rugby Sevens Series, including multiple circuit titles. She was named Rugby Canada's Women's Sevens Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013, and served as a finalist for the World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year award. Following her retirement at age 29, Kish has become a prominent advocate for athlete and awareness, sharing her experiences with multiple sustained during her career and pledging her brain to the Canadian Concussion Centre for research. She delivered a keynote address on the topic at Western University's Impact Day in 2023, highlighting the psychological toll of injuries on elite athletes. Kish continues to contribute to rugby through and , inspiring the next generation of players while emphasizing resilience and in high-performance sports.

Background

Early life

Jennifer Kish was born on July 7, 1988, in , , . She spent her formative years in , , where her family relocated early in her life. Kish was raised in a modest household by her single , Steve Kish, following her parents' when she was three and a half years old. Along with her older brother, , she grew up in a one-bedroom apartment with limited furnishings, often sleeping on the floor, as her father juggled multiple jobs to cover essentials and support their interests. Steve prioritized his children's well-being, instilling values of determination and positivity despite financial hardships; he once remarked that Jen displayed a "sparkle in her eye" from a young age, excelling in various activities. The family came from a sports-oriented background, with Steve encouraging active lifestyles to channel their energy. From around age five or six, Kish immersed herself in team sports, beginning with martial arts such as and to stay engaged after school. She later joined boys' football teams, including the Grizzlies at the bantam level and the varsity squad at W.P. Wagner High School, where she was the only girl and played as a safety on defense. Kish harbored early aspirations to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL), drawn to the physicality and camaraderie of the sport. Rather than sedentary pursuits like video games, which she rarely engaged in, Kish focused on athletics and practical responsibilities such as grocery shopping, a choice shaped by her father's emphasis on discipline and outdoor activity. This commitment to sports over idle time laid the foundation for her athletic pursuits, including a brief transition to rugby in high school alongside friends.

Education

Jen Kish attended W. P. Wagner High School in , , where she completed her secondary education. During Grade 10, at the age of 15, she began playing rugby, having been encouraged by her football coach who recognized her athletic potential in contact sports. She continued participating in school rugby through Grade 11. Kish balanced her academic responsibilities with these early athletic pursuits, transitioning from varsity football to rugby while maintaining involvement in her high school's sports programs.

Rugby career

Fifteen-a-side rugby

Jen Kish made her debut for the Canadian women's national team at the age of 17, marking the start of her international career in the fifteen-a-side format. She began her club-level play with the Edmonton Rockers, where she developed her skills starting at age 15, contributing to her rapid progression to the senior national squad. Over the course of her fifteen-a-side career, Kish earned 18 caps for , showcasing her versatility as a flanker and occasional number 8. These appearances included participation in three Nations Cups, annual invitational tournaments that provided key competitive experience against international opponents. Kish represented Canada at the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup in England, where she competed as a forward. Canada finished second in Pool C with victories over Scotland (37–10) and Sweden (40–10), despite a 23–8 loss to France. In the quarter-finals, they fell 22–10 to New Zealand. In the 5th–8th place matches, Canada defeated Scotland 41–0 before losing 23–20 to the United States in the 5th-place match, securing sixth place overall. This performance highlighted Canada's emerging strength in the women's game, though it was Kish's only World Cup appearance before shifting focus to sevens.

Sevens rugby

Kish transitioned to rugby sevens in 2011 after gaining experience in the fifteen-a-side format, joining the Canadian women's sevens team as it became a full-time program. This move allowed her to adapt to the fast-paced, high-intensity nature of the sevens game, where shorter matches demand quick decision-making and endurance. In 2012, Kish was named captain of the Canadian women's sevens team, a role she held until her retirement in 2018, leading with a passionate and inspiring style that motivated her teammates and fostered team unity. Her leadership emphasized hard work, resilience, and collective effort, contributing to the team's rise as a competitive force in international sevens rugby. Over her sevens career, Kish made 134 appearances in the Sevens Series from 2013 to 2018, scoring 34 tries for a total of 170 points. Under her captaincy, achieved strong overall standings in the Series, finishing third in 2013, third in 2014, second in 2015, and third in 2016.

Achievements and honors

Major tournament results

Under captaincy of Jen Kish, the Canadian women's rugby sevens team achieved a silver medal at the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow, Russia, where they fell to New Zealand 29-12 in the final after defeating Russia 15–12 in the quarterfinals and Spain 10–0 in the semifinals. In 2015, Kish led Canada to gold at the in , defeating the 55-7 in the final match, highlighted by multiple tries from Magali Harvey, Ghislaine Landry, and Karen Paquin, marking the team's first title in the tournament's inaugural women's sevens event. At the in Rio de Janeiro—the debut of women's as an Olympic sport—Kish captained to a historic , securing Canada's first Olympic podium in the discipline after a 17–5 semifinal loss to , followed by a dominant 33-10 victory over in the match, with tries from Ghislaine Landry (two), Karen Paquin, Bianca Farella, and Kelly Russell. Kish was sidelined by persistent hip and neck injuries for the in Gold Coast, , where Canada competed without her, ultimately contributing to her retirement announcement in April 2018 after over a decade with the national team.

Individual awards

Jen Kish received the Rugby Canada Women's Sevens Player of the Year award in both 2012 and 2013, recognizing her outstanding performance and leadership on the national team during the early development of the women's sevens program. In 2013, she was nominated for the Women's Sevens Player of the Year award, then known as the IRB Women's Sevens Player of the Year, highlighting her international impact as one of the top players in the sport. Kish was named to the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and (CAAWS) Most Influential Women in Sport and list in 2016, in the athletes category, for her role as captain of Canada's Olympic bronze-medal-winning women's sevens team and her contributions to promoting women's rugby. In 2023, Kish was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023, selected for her extraordinary contributions to Canadian rugby, including captaining the women's sevens team to historic successes and demonstrating significant and impact on the sport's growth at national and international levels. The Hall of Fame criteria emphasize notable achievements as players, with inductees required to have made substantial influences on 's development, such as through performance, , or advancing the sport's financial and organizational strength over a sustained period. Her induction was celebrated at a special ceremony during the 2024 Sevens on February 24, 2024, in , British Columbia.

Later career

Retirement

Jen Kish announced her retirement from professional rugby on April 30, 2018, at the age of 29, after a career spanning more than a decade with the Canadian national team. The decision was driven by cumulative injuries sustained during her sevens career, including a hip labral tear from May 2017 and two slipped discs in her neck from 2016, along with five diagnosed concussions throughout her career; the recent hip and neck injuries ultimately prevented her participation in the on Australia's Gold Coast. In reflecting on the end of her career, Kish expressed a mix of pride and necessity, stating, "The decision to not finish the season was necessary for my physical and mental ," while emphasizing the honor of representing and the inspiration drawn from her teammates. Teammates and officials paid tribute to her as a foundational figure; head coach John Tait described her as a "generational player" whose leadership had been instrumental in the program's success and in inspiring young athletes across the country. Shortly after her announcement, in May 2018, Kish pledged her to the at Western University to support research on the long-term effects of repeated head trauma in , becoming one of the first female athletes to do so.

Post-playing activities

Following her retirement from professional rugby in 2018, Jen Kish transitioned into personal training, leveraging her athletic background to help others achieve their fitness goals through gym-based programs. She expressed passion for inspiring lifestyle changes in clients, drawing from her own experiences to motivate participants in fitness initiatives. In 2023, Kish served as a coach on the CBC reality competition series Canada's Ultimate Challenge, guiding teams through physical challenges and emphasizing resilience and teamwork. Kish has become a prominent advocate for mental health in sports, publicly sharing her 2020 diagnosis of bipolar disorder to reduce stigma and support others facing similar challenges. In her 2023 keynote address at BrainsCAN's Impact Day at Western University, she discussed the profound mental health impacts of multiple concussions—over 30 sustained in her career, five of which were formally diagnosed—sustained during her rugby career, highlighting the need for better awareness and support in athlete recovery. She continued this advocacy with a keynote at the 2024 Canadian Concussion in Sport Symposium, organized by the Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC), where she shared lessons from her experiences to promote safer practices in women's sports. In 2019, shortly after retiring, Kish contributed to the sport's governance by serving on the voting panels for the World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year and Women's Sevens Player of the Year awards, alongside other former international players. She continues to promote rugby and empower women in sports through and advocacy efforts focused on health and inclusion.

References

  1. https://olympic.ca/team-canada/jennifer-kish/
  2. https://rugby.ca/en/news/2018/04/jen-kish-announces-retirement
  3. https://rugby.ca/en/news/2023/12/rugby-canada-announces-hall-of-fame-class-of-2023
  4. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/follow-ourathletes-jen-kish-s-road-to-rio-1.3624185
  5. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-full-episode-1.4658752/why-canadian-rugby-player-jen-kish-is-donating-her-brain-to-science-1.4658757
  6. https://brainscan.uwo.ca/_news/2023/Impact_Day_JenKish.html
  7. https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/travel/article/why-olympian-and-rugby-superstar-jen-kish-loves-edmonton
  8. https://globalnews.ca/news/2913685/raising-an-olympian-how-a-single-dad-helped-daughter-jen-kish-reach-the-podium/
  9. https://edmontonsun.com/sports/other-sports/jones-jen-kish-honoured-back-where-rugby-career-started
  10. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/jen-kish-adds-to-memory-mosaic-with-olympic-tattoo-1.3738575
  11. https://schoolsportalberta.ca/sportsmanship/recognition/hall-of-fame/jen-kish
  12. https://edmontonsun.com/2016/08/08/it-gave-me-goosebumps-local-rugby-club-proud-of-edmonton-raised-jen-kish
  13. https://rugby.ca/uploads/attachments/2023_HoF_Bios/English/Hall_of_Fame_Bio_%25E2%2580%2593_Jen_Kish.pdf
  14. https://www.sportsnet.ca/more/canadian-captain-kish-seeks-pan-am-rugby-gold/
  15. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/canada-wins-opener-at-women-s-rugby-world-cup-1.960577
  16. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/canadian-women-thump-scotland-at-rugby-world-cup-1.903629
  17. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/canada-6th-new-zealand-wins-women-s-rugby-title-1.963265
  18. https://nationalpost.com/sports/olympics/jen-kish-a-q-and-a-with-the-olympic-rugby-sevens-star
  19. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-sevens/2016/04/01/hsbc-world-rugby-womens-sevens-series-2015-16-canada-captain-jen/
  20. https://www.canadianliving.com/life-and-relationships/community-and-current-events/article/olympic-rugby-player-jen-kish-on-taking-her-team-to-rio
  21. https://rugby.ca/uploads/attachments/2023_HoF_Bios/English/Hall_of_Fame_Bio_%E2%80%93_Jen_Kish.pdf
  22. https://www.world.rugby/news/33433/new-zealand-are-womens-rwc-sevens-champions?lang=en
  23. https://www.world.rugby/news/80348/golden-double-for-canada-at-pan-am-games?lang=en
  24. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/2.7171/rugby/canada-beats-britain-rugby-sevens-bronze-1.3712440
  25. https://globalnews.ca/news/4176669/former-rugby-sevens-skipper-jen-kish-moves-up-retirement-due-to-injury/
  26. https://www.thespec.com/sports/canadian-kish-up-for-irb-womens-sevens-rugby-player-of-the-year-award/article_201b40ff-2eb8-5972-bb64-cb9f9e73ed94.html
  27. https://www.world.rugby/news/33405/kish-we-are-here-to-win?lang=en
  28. https://csiontario.ca/caaws-recognizes-most-influential-women/
  29. https://rugby.ca/en/about/awards-and-recognition
  30. https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2018/05/03/jen-kish-officially-confirms-retirement/
  31. https://www.sportsnet.ca/more/canadian-rugby-sevens-star-jen-kish-retires-13-seasons/
  32. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/rugby/canadian-rugby-icon-jen-kish-retires-1.4640108
  33. https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/generational-player-jen-kish-hangs-up-her-rugby-cleats-4661666
  34. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/former-star-athletes-will-donate-brains-after-death-for-concussion-research-1.4657302
  35. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/rugby/jen-kish-rugby-mental-health-1.5721259
  36. https://theprovince.com/sports/rugby/captain-canada-jen-kish-hangs-up-her-cleats-with-no-regrets
  37. https://www.cbc.ca/television/canadasultimatechallenge/meet-the-teal-team-canada-s-ultimate-challenge-1.6723017
  38. https://sirc.ca/articles/concussions-and-confidence-why-mental-readiness-matters-in-recovery/
  39. https://sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SIRC-Annual-Report-2023-24-FINAL.pdf
  40. https://www.world.rugby/news/407650/stars-join-new-look-world-rugby-awards-panels?lang=en
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