Chatham-Kent’s Ally Oulds, Making CK Proud

Chatham-Kent sends athletes across Ontario, Canada, and the globe each year to compete athletically. Sponsored by baCK to Chatham-Kent, we’ll be featuring local athletes who have left Chatham-Kent, and are proudly representing our community. We hope many of these athletic ambassadors for our community someday come baCK to call Chatham-Kent home.

This week, we feature Chatham’s Ally Oulds. Oulds is a runner for the Western University Mustangs track and field team. Previously, Oulds competed for Team Ontario, and Team Canada, including a 5th place finish at the 2017 U20 Pan American Championships in the 400m hurdles.

Here are Ally’s responses to our baCK to Chatham-Kent athletes interview:

1. Can you describe what support you’ve felt from your hometown/Chatham-Kent while you’ve been away?

My parents always come to watch me race no matter where my meets are (whether it’s a 1-hour drive to Windsor or a 5-hour flight to Edmonton), I always receive good luck texts from my grandparents, and Peak Athletic Training usually posts my meet results on Instagram/Facebook.

2. What do you enjoy about coming home to visit?

I enjoy seeing my family when I come home, I also enjoy seeing my friends that go to school in other cities/in the states that I don’t get to see very often. I also enjoy that you can see someone you know almost everywhere you go in Chatham, which I don’t experience in London.

3. Would you consider making Chatham-Kent home again some day?

I would consider making Chatham-Kent home again some day, I enjoy the small-town feeling and like that I can see my parents, papa, cousins, aunts, and uncles whenever I want.

4. What advice would you give to young athletes baCK home in Chatham-Kent?

Advice I would give to young athletes still in Chatham-Kent is that it’s a great opportunity if you get the chance to leave Chatham for athletics, especially if you have the opportunity to pursue a sport in post-secondary. The exposure you get playing a college/university sport is a great opportunity to improve your performance and see some elite-level competition. But, always remember your roots and where you came from!