How family, 5am training sessions & a canteen influenced Madison Ashby’s career
In a team full of world-class talent, Madison Ashby might just hold the key for Australia ahead of the Toulouse Sevens and an Olympic campaign.
This season hasn’t gone to plan for the Australian Women’s Sevens side, and Ashby didn’t shy away from that in a recent interview with RugbyPass.
Australia started their World Series title defence with a Cup final victory over rivals New Zealand in Dubai, but the Black Ferns have dominated the circuit since then.
Going into the final event of their season, Ashby said this weekend’s event in Toulouse was an opportunity for “redemption” – and the vice-captain will certainly play a key role.
At just 22 years of age, Ashby has proven herself to be one of the best players on the Sevens World Series circuit.
Every time she dons the coveted gold jersey, Ashby plays with skill, maturity and leadership well beyond her years – and there’s a reason for that.
Ashby has been training for this her whole life.
Growing up, Ashby’s dad would wake her up at 5am to train.
Looking back at her youth, Ashby said was “one of those kids” who would say that they “have a strict dad.” But now, the 22-year-old described her father as “one of my biggest inspirations.”
“If I could describe my family I would just say they’re like my ‘why’. So when I play they’re one of my biggest reasons on what influenced me to strive to even be better at my game,” Ashby told RugbyPass.
“They always tell me, ‘When you play you’ve got to enjoy it and think this is what you really want to do.’
“My dad, he’s been one of my biggest inspirations since I was little.
“When I started to make Australian teams, my dad would wake me up at 5am every morning because he would have to go to work or I had to go to school, and he would take me down to our local park and would make me run with him just to get fit.
“He would always say, ‘You’re never sevens fit’… he helped me, especially with little skills.
“He didn’t want me to go about my life not really doing anything, and I think he really wanted me to make a career out of it.
“Because I’m good at it, he was like to me, ‘I don’t want you to be a waste of talent… I grew up with a lot of people that were amazing at what they do but they just got in with the wrong crowd.’
“I grew up with Faith (Nathan) and Sariah (Paki), so if I went anywhere I was with Faith and Sariah, I did everything with them.
“I definitely was one of those kids where I was like, ‘I have a strict dad, he won’t let me do anything.’ But looking back at it now, I’m very grateful.
“Yes I sacrificed that then but going to a party on a Saturday night to winning the gold medal at the World Cup and then going out with my team afterwards, I would rather than so much more.
“Working towards deserving to do that stuff, and I think that sacrifice is what got me to where I am now.
“At the time it was a lot of pressure, especially as a teenage girl, sometimes you’re like, ‘I wish my mum and dad were a normal parent.’
“Any great athlete, they have a bit of a psycho parent.”
After years of sacrifice, unwavering commitment and resilience in the pursuit of her dream, it all paid off – but let’s go further back; her rugby journey began at a canteen.
When Ashby was six-years-old, she used to ask her dad for money at her brothers games. Eventually, he decided to “shut me up” by signing her up for the sport.
Growing up playing league with boys, Ashy switched over to rugby union when she was about 12.
Then, a year later, the future Commonwealth Games gold medalist was playing in an open women’s competition.
That same year, as reported by The Daily Telegraph, Ashby made national headlines when her coach and parents attempted to convince Rugby Australia to let the rising star go to the Rio Games.
But unfortunately for Ashby, she was too young – eventually, she realised that childhood “dream” at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“It was like a big thing,” she added.
“I was 13 playing in an open women’s comp and my mum and dad got in trouble for letting me play because you’re not allowed.
“They knew I wasn’t ready, I was so young. Being here now, I’m 22, and we’re about to (go to) the Olympics.
“The amount of physical told it takes on your body to be able to do it, looking back then, when I was 13 that would’ve been an amazing dream and it was a dream.
“To already have played at an Olympics and now training for another one, to my younger self I would have been like, ‘Be patient, be patient.’”
Ashby was patient, and again, is now one of the best players on the Sevens World Series circuit.
With an elite playmaking ability, as well as some fast feet and electric pace, the 22-year-old will play a key role in the success of the Australian Women’s Sevens team for years to come.
Next up, Toulouse.
Before they go on holiday and enter the off-season, the Women’s World Series has one more stop on the 2022/23 circuit.
“Gotta get through the pool games first.
“Always quarter-finals, I say are our hardest games of the tournament because they’re do or die games.
“Just got to get through those games but definitely redemption for us. We want to leave this series with a bang so we can enjoy our break and then get ready for Olympic season.”
Comments on RugbyPass
harry potter is set in stone. he creates stability and finishes well. exactly what schmidt likes. he’s the ben smith of australian rugby. i think it could quite easily be potter toole and kellaway for the foreseeable future.
5 Go to commentsThis is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
2 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
5 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to comments