X-Women rugby # 8 player Tyson Beukeboom is the latest athlete featured in our Getting to Know your X-Women and X-Men series throughout the summer. Tyson recently completed her second year with the X-Women and is a Human Kinetics student from Uxbridge, ON.

What brought you to StFX?
When I was picking schools I always wanted to come out East and I was looking at a few schools, but none of them had all three of hockey, rugby and Human Kinetics. Then I heard of a few girls that I played with on Rugby Ontario who going to StFX and I looked into it and contacted Mike [Cavanagh] and Ticker [Synishin] and they were both interested. So I came out on a recruiting trip and within seeing the campus I knew I was going to be going to school here.

What has been your best moment in a StFX uniform so far?
Definitely winning the CIS championship this past season with the rugby team, and being able to play a role in that win. That was my third championship and it was by far the most intense, emotionally and physically testing week of my life.

What are you most looking forward to this season?
I’m looking forward to seeing what our team will be like, we are not losing a lot of players from last year and we have a bunch of rookies coming in that are pretty talented. I’m excited to see us take a huge step forward from last year and hopefully bring back a second championship.

Who has been the most influential person in your life (and why)?
Obviously my parents have the biggest role in my success as an athlete. I have learned a lot from my dad about dedication, nutrition training and all that jazz as he was a professional athlete himself, and even my mom was a high level athlete when she was younger so she has helped a lot too. I also wouldn’t be able to play without their support, they drive me literally all over the country on a regular basis just for a few days at a time sometime, and they have always encouraged me to do my best. As well, they tell me what’s what, which I think helps a lot, they are not afraid to tell me if I straight up sucked and what I need to work on, LOL.

One thing I cannot live without is…?
I have a really bad sweet tooth, which I know is not the best thing to have as an athlete, but I just can’t resist sometimes!! I could not live without sugar and chocolate.

My dream vacation destination is…?
Hawaii, I have always wanted to go there, my family travels a lot and I travel a lot with rugby and that is the one place I have never been and I think it would be awesome.

Tell us one thing that fans may not know about you?
Most people don’t know that I have three horses and that I used to ride competitively for about 7 years. I still ride when I get the chance, when I tell people they are usually shocked.

FAVORITES:

1. Past-time/hobby: running or reading
 
2.  Restaurant: anything that serves sushi 

3.  Book: anything that keeps you on your toes 

4.  TV show: Grey’s Anatomy 

5.  Movie: Good Will Hunting 

6.  Actor/Actress: Will Farrell…absolutely hilarious 

7.  Singer/Band: Queen
 
8.  Sport (other than your own): hockey 

9.  Pro sports team: New York Rangers 

10. Pro sports athlete: don’t really have one