Mac squash player keeps tradition alive

Fraser Caldwell

Sports Editor

Mikaila Nederveen makes a habit of battling opponents on court as a member of McMaster’s squash team, but on Apr. 1 she plans to put her talent with a racquet to a more charitable use.

Nederveen is the organizational mind behind the upcoming Squash Cancer Tournament, the latest in a series of initiatives brought about by the McMaster athletic community to benefit research aimed toward curing women’s cancers.

In December and January, the Marauder basketball and volleyball teams conducted the Shoot For The Cure and Dig For The Cure events and raised over $3000 earmarked for breast cancer research. This latest initiative is organized in support of the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers, which will benefit the Princess Margaret Hospital. That will be followed by a two-day, 60km walk in September.

The youngest of three proud Marauder siblings, Nederveen continues a longstanding tradition of charitable contribution by she and her family.

Older brother Josh was consistently active in volunteer activities during his time with the Marauder volleyball squad, and sister Meagan Nederveen has been similarly involved as she completes her fourth year in Maroon and Grey.

The youngest of the Nederveens believes that the commitment of she and her siblings to charitable work stems from the continued example set by their parents.

“My parents have always been involved in some way, whether it be through coaching or through charity,” said the young Marauder. “We feel obligated – because we’ve been so fortunate to be able to participate in sport and come to a good school – to give something back. Any opportunity that we have to do that, we feel that we have to take it, and it’s always really fun.

“People have the misconception that volunteering is just work, but it’s really not. You can do anything and it’s very rewarding, especially being able to work with kids. It’s a give and take thing, and I actually feel like I get a lot more out of it than I give sometimes.”

Nederveen and many other Marauder athletes have such an opportunity to interact with children on a regular basis as part of the Mac Athletes Care program’s relationship with the inner-city youth organization at the Eva Rockwell Centre.

However, the cause of breast cancer – and women’s cancers more broadly – is one that Nederveen has devoted particular attention to. She explains that her involvement is the product of both her friendship with fellow volunteer Rebecca Babcock and the impact of cancer on her own family.

“I was very fortunate to essentially fall into it,” said Nederveen of her association with the Weekend to End Women’s Cancers. “Rebecca has done the walk a couple of times. All of the money that is raised from these walks goes directly to cancer research at the Princess Margaret Hospital. I’m representing Mac and got a chance to go to Toronto and meet a bunch of other representatives from other universities.

“While going through the hospital we were given a tour and it was really impactful. We got to see the different clinics and experience the unique ‘survivorship’ program, where a survivor and their family can come in for counseling. With my family being directly affected by cancer, it’s really something that sticks with you. Having someone to talk to you about what’s next is really special I’d say.”

Nederveen is hardly alone among Marauder athletes in her commitment to charitable work, as an increasing number of those sporting the Maroon and Grey have come to be involved through such outlets as the Mac Athletes Care program.

For her part, Nederveen believes that involvement comes naturally to varsity players who become accustomed to a full and hectic schedule.

“I think the Mac Athletes Care program was a really good chance for people to get involved if they didn’t really know how to go about doing it,” said the sophomore Marauder of the new initiative. “It’s not so much that people gravitate toward it, but more that athletes are used to having things to do. They’re used to doing some kind of activity.

“When something comes up, it doesn’t seem like it’s such a big, time-consuming thing because they’re so used to being on the go all the time. I think once they get a little dose of it, they’re really into it, which is something I found with people visiting the Eva Rockwell Centre. Going one time isn’t enough for them, they need to keep coming, and that’s really good to see.”

Beyond the coming weekend’s tournament and the September walk, Nederveen and her fellow volunteers are planning several more events to benefit the cause of the Princess Margaret Hospital. She indicates that volunteering is part of a constant process of self-improvement, and argues for others to become involved on the same grounds.

“If you have a little bit of time between classes, or you’re around in the summer and you want to do something, volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do and it really changes you as a person.

“Being involved in things like The Weekend to End Women’s Cancer has really made me the person that I am. It puts a lot of things into perspective and shows you that not everyone has the same opportunities as you. If you have the time to do it, absolutely do it. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get from helping other people.”