ABOUT+ME



THIS PAGE IS ALL ABOUT ME!

Yes ... that is me, Andrea Read dressed in painted shorts, a work shirt and a sun bleeched Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup champions hat. I am a woman of many interests and abilities, and the photo above was taken one day while I was working at my summer job for the parks and recreation department in Carleton Place, which is my hometown.

I was born in Almonte and raised just outside of Carleton Place, which is about 45 minutes west from the University of Ottawa. I have grown up in the country admiring the stary nights and the sounds of the animals in the yard and forest. I attended Caremback and Caldwell Public Schools then headed off to Carleton Place High School for grades 9 through 12.

I am the oldest of two children. My brother, Kevin, is 22 and graduated in the spring of 2009 from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics. Kevin and I are very similar and competitive, and enjoy playing a variety of sports. Kevin's passion, aside from sports, is playing and making music and he is a fantastic mucisian.



My Dad, Brian, is an elementary school teacher. He is currently teaching a grade 6/7 class and is very passionate about working with youth and trying to help them succeed. In addition to teaching, my Dad's passion is trains. My Dad has loved trains since he was a young child and to this day, he is just like a little kid when he goes on training chasing excursions!

My Mom, Leyla, does office administrative supply work in the local elementary schools. She is one of the best at her job and some of the office administrators will only call to have my Mom come in to replace them. My Mom is the worlds best baker and loves to bake cakes and goodies for all kinds of occasions. She keeps everyone in order and keeps the family going.



My family is a soccer family. Both my brother and I have played from a young age and we have been refereeing for 10 years now. My Dad is a referee too!! My Mom does not play or referee soccer but she has been the manager for Kevin's team and mine.



So ... enough about my family and back to me!! I graduated in the spring of 2007 from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Human Kinetics (yes, my brother followed in my footsteps!). I completed my Master of Arts in Human Kinetics in October 2009. I wrote my Master's thesis on burnout in high performance coaches. I am currently in the Bachelor of Education program and have been approached by a professor about completing a PhD under her supervision - I have a lot to think about.

In my spare time, I can be found volunteering at Carleton Place High School. I completed my practicum at my old high school and continue to volunteer my time to help the students and gain valuable learning and teaching experiences. I am continuing to coach the junior girls volleyball and the girls varsity hockey team as I am trying to learn about the different aspects of teaching.

I play indoor soccer in two leagues, in addition to Sunday morning pick-up with a group of local soccer players, one of whom is my Dad! I love going to the gym and weight lifting or doing cardio. I love to read, especially authors such as John Grisham, John LeCarre and Paulo Coehlo.

Before I leave, I will introduce a special member of my family. I have a cat named Keeper. I found her November 12, 2008 across the road from my house (there is a forest across the road). The country is a popular place for people to drop off unwanted animals and I was fortunate enough to see this little critter. We have never had a pet before, so my desire to keep this cat was met with great resistence. However, I prevailed and named my kitten Keeper, as I was "keeping her" and I am a keeper in soccer so the name was fitting. Keeper is now 15 months old and has quite the personality!