Tara Hedican facts for kids

Tara Hedican is an amazing Canadian athlete who was part of the National Wrestling Team for ten years, from 1998 to 2008. In 2001, she made history by becoming the first Canadian woman to win a World Junior Wrestling Championship. That same year, she also received the Tom Longboat Award, which celebrates Indigenous athletes. Tara also won a Pan American championship in 2003. She was a talented athlete at the University of Guelph, where she wrestled from 2001 to 2004. Her achievements were so great that she was added to the Guelph Gryphons Hall of Fame in 2016. Tara earned her degree in History from the University of Guelph in 2006. After that, she started a career where she teaches and coaches.

Tara's Sports Journey

While at the University of Guelph, Tara was a star on the Gryphons Wrestling Team. She won four gold medals in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. She also won three gold medals in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships in 2002, 2003, and 2004, all in the 65 kg weight class.

Tara was named the OUA Athlete of the Year in 2003. She was also recognized three times as a top CIS All-Canadian wrestler. In both 2002 and 2003, she was named the CIS Outstanding Female Wrestler of the Year and the University of Guelph Female Athlete of the Year. Besides wrestling, Tara also played rugby. She was an OUA Russell Division all-star in rugby in 2001 and 2002. Her biggest wrestling moment was winning the World Junior Wrestling Championship in 2001 in the 63 kg class. Another highlight was winning the Pan American Championships gold medal in 2003.

Tara's Education

During her second year of university, Tara was not just an athlete. She was also a coach and a referee. She is a proud member of the Eabametoong First Nations in Ontario.

Tara finished her Bachelor of Arts degree in History at the University of Guelph in 2006. She then went to D'Youville University and earned her Master of Science degree in Secondary Education and Teaching in 2009. Later, in 2012, Tara completed her Professional Master of Arts in Public Administration at Queen's University. She is currently working towards her Advanced Coaching Diploma through the Canadian Sport Institute of Ontario.

Tara's Work Life

Tara is very passionate about education for First Nation communities. In 2014, she started teaching courses at Confederation College. Since 2016, Tara has been part of the two-year Advanced Coaching Development (ACD) program. This program helps her improve her coaching skills even more.

She has taught many interesting courses, including Traditional Knowledge and Ethics, Contemporary Aboriginal Society, and Sociology of Community: The Aboriginal Context. Tara also teaches health and physical education at Mizhakiiwetung Memorial School. There, she is also the Athletic Director, helping to organize sports activities. Tara has been an elementary school teacher for the Upper Grand District School Board since 2006. She was also the Principal of Ojibway Heritage School during the 2002-2003 school year.

Helping Out (Volunteer Work)

Tara has volunteered a lot in sports. In October 2016, she was named the Assistant Coach for the Ontario Women's Wrestling team. Starting in August 2016, Tara became the Team Ontario Wrestling Manager for the 2017 North American Indigenous Games. Since 2013, she has also been the Manager of the Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario.

Awards and Recognition

Tara Hedican has received many awards for her hard work and achievements: