January 29, 2025
Anne-Marie Fortier
The 2025 OUA Championships are coming up February 7-9 in Markham! Meet some of the Ontario University swimmers competing in this new series!
Swimming is what some people may call “moving meditation”.
Think about it. There’s a comfortable space, the soothing physical sensation of being in water, time to focus on breathing and the mental ability to zoom in on one thing. It’s what can also be defined as complimentary mind-bodied medicine.
In the grand scheme of things, swimming – the competitive version – is very much about individual performances and, as the saying goes, “giving it all in races. In many cases, it’s also about accomplishing personal best times and making trips to the medal podium.
Yet, there’s also the calming sensitivity in the recreational side of the sport – especially when, exiting the water, the body releases flashes of pleasure to the brain and the overall feeling of happiness.
Anne-Marie Fortier knows about all of that – and has thrived on swimming since those early days of her life. She has heard the stories of when, as a six-month old, her mother took her to the local pool. It wasn’t to watch others, but to get her into swim classes for babies.
Noticing how much she enjoyed water, lessons would follow. At age seven, Fortier was introduced to the world of competitive swimming via the Beaconsfield Bluefins – a swim club on the west island of Montreal.
Club coaches spotted a youngster who they determined would become an elite swimmer. Gifted in many ways, fondness for water, she was eager to learn. Fortier said coaches made swimming so enjoyable, and that it also strengthened her desire to excel.
“I just loved water back then and nothing has changed,” said Fortier, now a 20-year-old whose dominant stroke is the butterfly. “There were times, around age eight, when I was afraid - but the skills and believe in myself helped me overcome the fear to become the person I am today.”
Strong challenges would give way to the rewards and benefits of superb coaching.
“Coaches and my parents told me to believe that I could do it,” she said. “When someone believes in you, that can mean a great deal. It did for me. I worked hard and the mental barriers that I (had) experienced were overcome with lots of strength and determination.”
Fortier would move, with her family, to Toronto when she was nine years old. Club swimming would continue with an affiliation to the North York Aquatic Club (NYAC) where she swam for nine years. These days, you’ll find Fortier in the Nation’s capital.
She’s likely dividing her time between the Carleton University Athletic Centre and focusing on third year studies in a degree program leading to a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management. A busy schedule also sees Fortier actively involved in a variety of university clubs and activities.
No, politics is not on her agenda.
As a young girl, there were aspirations of becoming a human rights lawyer. It was in her graduating year at Toronto’s De La Salle College – and she was a four-time academic honors student – that Fortier started to explore career avenues.
Carleton had a program that sparked interest, and now her career path is leaning to work in international development.
“I have always wanted to help people, provide assistance and be there for those who may not be as privileged as me,” she said. “I have learned a great deal about life skills - things that everyone should have.”
As for her future in swimming, Fortier said she’s not in the running for a spot on Canada’s next Olympic or World championship teams. Leadership is big for her – and it’s evident in her capacity as one of the captains of the university swim team. The objective: to support teammates, make everyone feel committed about attending practices and thrive on the sport.
“It’s amazing to win a race,” she said. “For me, the real true award is knowing that in every race, I go out to do the best that I can and leave everything in the pool. I train hard, about 14 hours a week in the pool and gym, but the objective is always to give it all.”
Worth noting is that hard work, persistence and self-confidence have been huge factors in her compiling personal best times in three butterfly events.
At the OUA championships in her rookie season of university competition, Fortier had a personal best time of 31.20 seconds in the 50-metres butterfly. In the Fall of 2024, she was timed in one minute, eight seconds in the 100-metres butterfly at a Carleton tri-school meet. A few weeks later, and at the Dean Boles Divisional Championships in St. Catharines, her time of 2:44.39 was the quickest she swam the 200-metres butterfly.
So, what about coaching?
“I started coaching at NYAC when I was in grade 12, coached Master’s swimmers, and am now coaching with ROC (a privately owned swim club that functions out of Carleton),” said Fortier. “I thoroughly enjoy coaching, sharing my love of swimming, and teaching life skills – because it benefits people in so many ways. I also want to instill the love of being in water to others because I know the happiness and joy it can bring.”
Swim Ontario, in conjunction with the OUA, values the commitment to the sport by athletes, coaches and officials in Ontario and Canadian universities. This story is part of a series that has the spotlight shining on a variety of individuals, and their post-secondary institutions, who excel in academics, swimming and community life.
David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 50+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.