Hannah Chown, OISE student and soccer captain, shoots toward her next chapter
After five years of leadership, dedication and perseverance towards the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, student-athlete Hannah Chown is turning the page as she completes her Master of Teaching at OISE, graduating in June.
The balancing act of academics and soccer was instilled in her from an early age.
“I started playing house league when I was three, it was very ingrained into our family structure, my sister was my first coach, and then my dad coached me until I went to a more competitive level,” said Chown.
She made Varsity Blues history by leading her team to a as captain and defender. The same commitment to leadership and camaraderie followed her throughout her early soccer career – an attitude shaped by her father.
“My dad always used to tell me a good player can do all the right things on the field, but a great player is someone who can bring their teammates up to their level” she said.
She has earned significant recognition; including the U Sports First Team All-Canadian Honours, earning gold, U of T’s Academic Excellence Award and consecutive OUA All-Star selections. Chown emphasizes that these achievements are shared. “The memories, photos, the celebrations and the relationships are so much more valuable to me than any piece of paper or trophy could be.”
Hannah’s road to the captaincy
During her time at St Aloysius S.S, she played in the Ontario Player Development League until the start of Grade 11. In Grade 12, she decided to play closer to home with North Mississauga Soccer Club, where she was named Athlete of the Year twice. An Umbro Showcase in 2019 led to her being scouted by her current assistant coach, Angelo Cavalluzzo.
The pandemic brought a significant outcome within the Varsity Blues. It disrupted how rookies and veterans integrate into the squad – the season pushed into 2021, leaving first-year players as rookies in their second year of studies.
“Hannah and a lot of the players her age were kind of just thrust into the spotlight and had to perform at a high level from their very first year because of the changes that happened,” says Cavalluzzo.
In her second year of competition, Chown was brought into the on-field leadership team of captains and co-captains, a group designed to cultivate future leaders, eventually taking on the captaincy herself.
At first, her leadership style was defined by perfectionism and a need for a clear game plan. Over the years, through practice, setbacks and conversations with Coach Cavalluzzo she learned to lead by example, striking a balance between maintaining standards and adapting to the unique needs of each teammate.
“Hannah has been able to cater to the needs of different people on the team, whether that’s a certain someone who needs extra encouragement, or a little bit less coaching,” says Natasha Budisa, a third year forward for Varsity Blues and a U of T student in the Rotman Commerce program.
In her fourth year, she transitioned to coaching, gaining a new perspective on the sport. Her team partnered with The Soccer Club of Toronto’s girls’ program, where she initially helped run summer camps.
“I find coaching so fulfilling, honestly, sometimes more fulfilling than playing soccer, seeing [the girls] grow, look up to you and [do skills] they couldn’t do weeks ago way better,” says Chown.
Continuing her studies at U of T in 2024 felt like a natural step.
“My mom’s a teacher, she went to U of T for her undergrad and did her bachelor of education at the time, she’s definitely my inspiration in terms of career path,” says Chown.
Chown joined the Academic Support for Athletes Program as Student Coordinator in late 2024 to further integrate herself, mentoring the Varsity Blues, sharing advice and her own student-athlete experiences with everyone from new rookies to graduating seniors.
“Being involved in all these different sports-related spaces but also student related spaces and educational spaces and areas where you can make policy, just to be able to talk to different people and to hear different ideas and different perspectives, it only helps prepare me for whatever is coming next,” says Chown.
Cavalluzzo marvels at what student athlete life entails for Hannah and the team. “It’s so much to juggle, so you have to make sure that, you know, you’re empathizing and showing a little bit of grace.”
The final score
Being the first team in program history to win the Women’s Soccer OUA Championship this past November, has remained incredibly exciting for Chown and her team, even weeks later.
“We have these expectations coming in and realizing that those expectations were met was super rewarding, “says Budisa.
Hannah was extremely proud of the team, stating, “they worked so hard, whether it was somebody that was a starter [that] played 90 minutes, or someone that came off the bench and only played 10 minutes, even the girls that didn't dress, you executed [greatly.]”
In the final match of the season, Budisa reflected on Hannah’s leadership: “in those high-pressure situation moments, like in the playoffs against Ottawa when it was super tight, in those little huddles she reassures us that we are here for a reason-to prove ourselves and leave it on the field.”
After graduating, Chown plans to move to Britain to explore professional opportunities in soccer and hopes to go back to Hungary after previous training to represent their national team. Ultimately, she intends to pursue a career teaching.
Her departure from the final match on November 8th has left a lasting impact on her Varsity Blues peers.
“What people think of you upon [first impressions,] that’s how you get recruited, but it’s more important what people think about you when you leave. When [my] opinion about Hannah got better over [these last five years] that’s the mark of a true fantastic human being,” says Cavalluzzo.
“I would [like to] say thanks for being a great captain and being that kind of backbone for our team for these three years,” adds Budisa.