Meet Maggie.
Maggie McClure graduated and retired from a fruitful Nordic skiing career at Carleton University in the summer of 2024. Now, post-graduation, she’s reflecting on her time competing with the Ravens and her experiences as a woman in sport.
When deciding where to pursue her postsecondary education, McClure says the bounty of ski trails and Carleton’s Nordic Ski team’s reputation played a large role in her decision.
"Carleton has a wonderful ski team. It's one of the most supported varsity ski teams in Canada. So that was a huge draw to Ottawa," says McClure.
While at Carleton, McClure was a leader in her field – capturing several championship titles and medals as a member of the Ravens Nordic ski team. She was awarded Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Athlete of the Year in 2024, and also brought home both gold and silver medals at the OUA Championships that same year. Rounding off her final year as a student-athlete, McClure also won the Ravens 2024 Women’s Nordic Skiing MVP.
Photo: Jarron Childs, Superior Images, OUA 2024
McClure credits the Carleton coaching staff for contributing to her success on the slopes, citing the valuable insights and knowledge she gained by working with both men and women coaches as a key factor in her development. Grateful for the opportunity to learn from women coaches throughout her time at Carleton, she recognizes that there is still a need for expansion in coaching opportunities for women.
McClure says that having more women in leadership roles will advance the future of women in sport not only in Nordic skiing, but in all disciplines of athletics.
“I think one of the biggest challenges or difficulties for women in sport is getting the opportunity to be exposed to one other. There is a lot of underrepresentation of women in those leadership positions,” she says. “It’s important to have that balance and acknowledge the differences in coaching styles.”
She hopes that in the future, more women will enter leadership roles that allow young athletes the opportunity to work alongside women mentors.
“Visibility is super important, and specifically for cross country skiing. Getting more women coaches is a big area that needs to be worked on.”
Photo: Jarron Childs, Superior Images, OUA 2024
Since graduation, McClure has moved back to her hometown province of Nova Scotia to pursue a career in engineering. As she enters a new phase of her life, she plans to remain involved in the skiing community by coaching local clubs and the provincial race program, with hopes of continuing to be a leader in sport.
“Being a woman in sport, it’s so important to have strong female role models to look up to and to give back to the sporting community. In turn, I try to be that role model for future athletes, demonstrating what is possible and promoting ambitious goals and teamwork.”
