By Barb Brouwer
Contributor
The Oxford Dictionary describes sport as an activity involving physical exertion and skill.
It is a concept intrinsic to the life of award-winning author and professor Angie Abdou, who will be a presenter at this year’s Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival, in Salmon Arm, and its Young Writers Program.
Abdou, who has written several books on many aspects of sports, was born into a competitive family.
Her father was a national wrestling champion, her mom is a swimmer still competing in her 70s, and her brother wrestled for Canada in the 2000 Olympics and is currently head coach at Simon Fraser University.
“Sports were never a question,” said Abdou, who describes it as a valuable part of life, and shares her passion in her books, by coaching young swimmers, and by continuing to compete in her 50s. She began swimming in her childhood home of Moose Jaw, Sask., and adopted a regimen that included swimming before and after school.
“I love swimming. I broke a provincial record in the 200-m butterfly in January, and I’ve got my eyes set on the 800-m and 1,500 free,” she said, describing swimming as a moving meditation in which she focuses on her body. “I love swimming and I like setting goals and pushing myself.”
As a former varsity athlete and Athabasca University professor teaching sport literature, Abdou is well aware of the highs and lows that come with having a child in competitive sport.
Her first novel, The Bone Cage, explores the physicality, euphoric highs and the darker side of sport programs that push young athletes relentlessly then dump them when they are no longer competitive.
The Bone Cage was a finalist for Canada Reads 2011 and for the 2017 Banff Mountain Book Award in the fiction and poetry category.
In her novel Home Ice: Reflections of a Reluctant Hockey Mom, Abdou takes her reader on a ride through a full season of an Atom-level hockey mom, from summer hockey camp to the end-of-season tournament. It hit the Canadian bestseller list the week of its release.
A review in New York’s Booklist claims: “The book is a first-rate memoir and a fine example of narrative nonfiction. It’s also a must-read for parents with youngsters who play organized sports.”
But the book also brought criticism from some members of the hockey world. Abdou is reluctant to say much about the current state of affairs in Canadian hockey but acknowledges the culture needs to change.
“It’s having its day of reckoning, a bit later than it should have,” she said, noting fans often turn a blind eye to the actions of sport “heroes” in their country’s most idolized sport. “In Canada that’s hockey.”
Other novels by Abdou include The Canterbury Trail, Between, and In Case I Go. Her latest non-fiction offering is a mother-daughter-wilderness memoir called This One Wild Life. It is a story about her and her 15-year-old daughter’s mountain climbing challenge near their Fernie, B.C. home.
In 2023, The Sport Literature Association awarded Abdou a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions in the field of sport literature. She is the first woman, first Canadian, and the youngest scholar to receive this honour.
She is the recipient of many awards and accolades and continues to shine a light on the sometimes dark aspects of organized sport.
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Abdou’s daughter and 17-year old son followed in her wake. Her son swam competitively until he was 15 and her daughter is currently a member of the local swim team she coaches with great pride.
“I love seeing them going from coming to practice to showing up to work,” she said, noting kids become committed and learn many life skills. “I really attribute any success I’ve had in my life to swimming - time management, discipline, work ethic and goal setting.”
Abdou received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Regina, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Western Ontario, and a PhD in English in the field of creative writing and Canadian literature from the University of Calgary.
She is very excited to be involved with the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival’s Young Writers Program that is available to local high schools and any other affiliated programs, such as Indigenous, home school, or alternate programs. Active in the schools for 10 years now, this year’s program is made possible by a grant from the City of Salmon Arm.
“I very much enjoy working with teenagers by coaching or teaching,” Abdou said, pointing out that while the passion for writing remains, the presentation has spread beyond books to include blogs, world building for video, scripts for TikTok and more.
The Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival takes place May 17 to 19 at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort in Salmon Arm. Sessions include both skill development workshops and open forums with presenters based on questions and answers, in a relaxed and intimate setting. Early Bird registration opens on March 1 and closes April 6, 2024. Find the full list of this year’s presenters and much more information online at wordonthelakewritersfestival.com.