Name:
Nadia Popov
Program: Life Sciences
Academic Year: 3
Sport/Position: Rugby/Fullback
Entering her third year, rugby player
Nadia Popov (Newmarket, Ont.) has not had the most conventional student-athlete experience. From Queen's Gaels standout to the Canadian national team stage and back again, Popov has accumulated many accolades and inspired other student-athletes along the way.
Rewind back, the year 2012 saw first-year Popov's rookie debut for the Gaels women's rugby team. After a stellar season, the young fullback would be named OUA Rookie of the Year and nominated to the OUA All-Star team.
"My rookie season feels like forever ago, but the one memory that drives me to this day is that year's OUA final against Guelph. The entire game was a chess match, with both teams defending fiercely and keeping the other off the score board," said Popov. "We lost the game 10-6, but we proved to ourselves that we could compete with the best."
After her rookie season, the Newmarket native was faced with a decision. She had an opportunity to join the Canadian national team on the west coast, but it would mean shedding her student-athlete status to pursue rugby full-time. In the end, Popov decided to postpone her degree – a decision that she does not regret.
"It was a very tough decision for me, because my education had always been my top priority until that point, and it was also incredibly difficult to leave my team and all the friendships I'd made at Queen's behind," reflected Popov. "But at the end of the day, I knew that the opportunity to represent my country again was worth the uncertainty of it all, and that it was a challenge I needed to take on."
Popov would go on to find success with the national program and win a gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto at just 21 years of age. Following the tournament, she had her sights set on a spot with the Rugby 7s team for Rio. However, the young player missed the 7s roster and would not compete in the 2016 Games.
Little known to many of her teammates at the time, Popov was not just battling for a national team spot, but she was also battling crippling depression.
"During my time with the 7's program, I experienced some of the highest and lowest moments in my life. I am and always will be grateful for my coaches for seeing the potential in me and giving me the opportunity to pursue my Olympic dream - with their guidance I grew tremendously as a rugby player and was pushed beyond my comfort zone to grow as a person," said Popov.
"My battle with depression was an incredibly dark time in my life, but knowing that I was able to overcome those challenges while training at a high level gives me confidence to move forward through future setbacks."
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As a young athlete, Popov shows tremendous resilience in overcoming adversity and learning from her life experiences. Â Â
"The biggest lesson I learned throughout my journey was that we have the power to define what success and failure are to us. My perspective on success has shifted away from big outcomes - like making the Olympics - to how well I live by my values and better myself as an athlete and a person on a daily basis," said Popov. "I may not have made that final roster, but I came away knowing that I contributed my best efforts to the team by pursuing the best version of myself on and off the field."
Last year, Popov returned to Queen's to resume her degree in Life Sciences. For a rugby fanatic, her Gaels homecoming saw her return to the classroom
and the field. Popov returned to the Gaels women's rugby team to play in the tricolour kit once again. Popov was Queen's leading scorer in the 2016 season and was named an OUA All-Star and U SPORTS All-Canadian. She led the Gaels with five tries, seven conversions and a penalty goal during the regular season to finish 8th overall in the conference with 42 points.
Today, Popov wears many hats. She is a busy student-athlete entering her third season with the Gaels. Beyond that, Popov is also a #OneTeam ambassador through the You Can Play organization – a non-profit organization that works to promote LGBTQ inclusion and respect in sport throughout the country.
"My role as a #OneTeam ambassador is to be an advocate for creating inclusive and respectful environments for LGBTQ athletes across campus," said Popov. "Queen's Women's Rugby actually played a big role in supporting me as I came to terms with my sexuality in first year, and that's a testament to the culture of inclusion we strive for as a team."
This season, the Queen's women's rugby team will be looking to make conference playoffs for the 13th consecutive season with their eye on medal contention and a title.
"Our goals are to set the bar high for the future of this program. We want to earn our place in the OUA final, and use the depth of our roster to bring home a gold medal," said Popov. "As a senior player, part of my role is ensuring the team's transition to learning from a new coach goes smoothly, which we've accomplished so far this training camp. As a graduating player, I'm excited for the opportunity to help our younger athletes develop their skills and confidence to take Queen's women's rugby to new heights in years to come."
