Dreaming at the Highest Level: A Conversation with Katrina Monton on Performance and Perseverance
Professionals who operate in stressful environments often use the word “camaraderie” to describe their deep attachments to their teammates. It wraps together a complexity of feelings such as friendship, pride, empathy, determination, and occasionally grief. Shared memories vary from hours of training, humor, boredom, pain, milestones, and trauma. A group of people from diverse backgrounds come together, ruled by a system of regulations, standards of excellence, and embedded values. Firefighters, paramedics, military service members, and law enforcement often come to mind as examples of high-performing teams under pressure. Yet, listening to Katrina Monton tell her story as a former senior athlete at Water Polo Canada may expand your perceptions of true courage, leadership, resilience, and camaraderie.
Dreaming at the Highest Levels
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire” is an anonymous quote that reminds Monton to pursue her passions. As a child, she loved sports in general and dreamed of training at the Olympic stadium. Despite the fact that she did not know the names of any women professional players in water polo, a niche sport, Monton focused hard on growth and developing her skills. It paid off when in high school, she earned a spot on Canada’s Junior National Team. A couple of years later, Katrina Monton stepped into a spot on the Senior Women’s National Team and took a step back from college.
“People think that being an athlete, in general, is a great accomplishment. Our team was second at the world championship. Yet, it took 8-9 years to complete my bachelor’s degree program. I was very focused on the sport, and it was most of my identity.”
Under intense pressure to perform constantly, Monton and her teammates formed a powerful bond. These women possessed an innate fighting spirit that helped push them through physical and mental barriers. Performance readiness was prioritized over all other areas, sometimes including individual well-being. Injured players experienced intense pressure to recover quickly or feared losing their position. Additionally, many coaches considered 26-years-old as the peak performance age for women athletes. An intertwined balance between competition and supportiveness demanded constant energy, focus, and interpersonal connection from the athletes.
Challenges for Women in Sport and Society
Sport takes something that exists in society and amplifies it. Monton’s experience on the Senior Women’s National Team fell under all-male leadership. Traits such as toughness and aggression were valued higher than community and responsiveness. For a long time, her underlying assumption was to work hard and listen to the men in authority. At the time, Monton did not question these conditions, as she felt honored for an opportunity to represent her country in the sport. Yet, reflecting, she realizes that she never felt empowered or participated in any decision-making processes.
“Experts like to tell athletes what is best for them without asking the athlete how they feel. This wouldn’t happen in other contexts or organizations. The philosophy is flawed. Many coaches don’t challenge methods that have been done for years. They need more training to learn to lead differently.”
Today, Monton feels there is progress for women athletes’ rights in sports, but there is a long way to go. She suggests replacing “old school mentalities” with a reconstructed model that is athlete-centered.
A New Day Comes
In 2016, Katrina Monton retired from water polo. The transition period without her teammates was one of her most significant personal challenges. The majority of her life focused on the team, including friends, family, doctors, counselors, and mentors. After the last day, all of those resources disappeared, and Monton searched for a new purpose. Now, Monton is most proud of her achievements outside of the sport, describing it as “not-so-glamorous but intrinsically rewarding.” Since then, Monton graduated from McGill University with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, will soon graduate from Columbia University with a Master of Arts in Social-Organizational Psychology, and is set to pursue her doctoral degree at Columbia University. Monton’s research involves social justice, diversity, and authenticity in the workplace, and she hopes one day to return to the world of sport as a consulting psychologist supporting athletes. Her advice for others finding their path is, “Get down to what it is that you want to be and how you want to be remembered. Not big goals, but focus on you as a person. Always being kind. Set small milestones and drown out the noise. Everyone will have an opinion. If you truly want something and believe it, you will eventually get there.”
Monton encourages women not to back down when it comes to equity and safety. Reminiscent of her days on an all-women team, she urges women to support all women, citing it as “the only way to change the future for ourselves and each other.”
Jacqueline M. Thompson is a master’s student studying social-organizational psychology at Columbia University. She serves as an active duty Captain in the U.S. Army and has earned the Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge. She works as a research intern for Legacy Consulting & Research Group. This article reflects the writer’s opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Defense
Jacqueline M. Thompson
