Chatham-Kent’s Laurin Ainsworth, 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 Erie Beach’s Laurin Ainsworth. Ainsworth has played volleyball for Team Ontario, and is currently a member of Brock University’s volleyball team, where she is making CK proud.

Here are Laurin’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?

Support from such a small home town is incredible, I get support from previous coaches and teammates as some of us still try to keep in contact over face time calls, etc. My family has been incredible with travelling and bringing me back, forth to and from home which I greatly appreciate!

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

Coming home brings a sense of safety knowing that I have people who support me and being back in a town where everyone asks how things are going and want to encourage me to keep moving forward with my goals, being home is also a big stress relief due to the fact of being able to see my family and loved ones, rather then being isolated by myself away from home during this pandemic!

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

I consider Chatham-Kent to be a good place for a home in regards to the support system I have been surrounded with and I would not have been able to accomplish all I have without the incredible leaders in this environment, making this my home again someday would mean that I would be able to provide my future family with the same support system and opportunities I had been so graciously given.

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

In regards to a message for younger athletes, I would say don’t stop trying to achieve yours goals, we may live in a smaller community where some may say that we can’t accomplish as much as those who live in bigger cities and are exposed to more, but we have such an amazing support system of people who will help you and push you to get the farthest you can!

Reaching your goals in Chatham Kent is possible, we have many amazing athletes coming out this town who have achieved many amazing things. Although some may say we can’t achieve as much because our teams aren’t as high caliber, we are given the opportunity of developing our kind sportsman ship and dedication allowing us to preserver as an individual. This is something that we work hard for and we train to do our selfs as it can not be taught, so my advice would be to keep your head held up high and anyone who try’s to hold you back push harder to prove them wrong and don’t be afraid to reach out for help and use the resources available around you.