THE STORIES BEHIND RUGBY CANADA’S JEN KISH AND ALL HER INK!

from Aptoella Rugby:

There are a couple girls on the NSWT that are very recognizable.  One of these players is the fabulous Jennifer Kish.  Not only is she ranked as one of the best players in the world, Kish is a passionate leader on both the 15s and Sevens side.  She captained the Sevens team at the World Cup qualifier and at our most recent tournament in Dubai.

Kish is recognizable for her evasive running skills, demoralizing tackles, and of course her ink.

I asked Kish to pose for me when we were at the beach in Dubai after a recovery session.  I thought it would be a great way for the world to enjoy her tattoos while getting to know a little more about this great player.

When I first met Kish she was 17 and attending an under 19 Canada team tryout.   I was a student and rugby player at Western University where the camp was being held and therefore I was helping out.  When I saw the large Rugby Canada logo tattooed on her right calf it took my breath away; not because of its beauty but because my skeptical, judgmental mind thought, “Really?  Who does this kid think she is?  She hasn’t even made the senior team and she’s already branding herself with the Rugby Canada logo.”  For some reason I felt the RC logo tattoo needed to be earned and in my mind there was no way a 17 year old could have sacrificed enough to deserve it.

Right then and there I put my own meaning onto Kish’s tattoo.  I didn’t even know her, but to me her tattoo stood for: ignorant, cocky little punk.  How quick I was to judge and how incredibly wrong I truly was.  I’m thankful my mother taught me that “if you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all”.  I didn’t know anything about Kish or the positive powerful meaning her calf tattoo had for her.

I now know it helped drive her to become the amazing person, wonderful friend, and incredible athlete she is today.  I hope this blog can help us judge others a little less quickly.  Thank you Kish for sharing and for teaching a 23 year old punk that she didn’t know shit about shit!

I hope you readers enjoy!

Rugby Canada Logo – Growing up I watched and played a lot of sports. I remember being in elementary school working on a, “what do you want to be when you grow up” project and the only answer I ever came up with was: an athlete. In 1998 I remember watching on TV the Canadian Women’s Hockey team celebrating after winning an Olympic (silver) medal. It was that memorable day where I said to myself, “I want that to be me. I want to play for Canada.” I had no idea which sport at that time because I was in a lot of sports, but I was determined to make that dream come true. In 2005 at age 16, just 6 years later, my dream became a reality. I was so excited that I decided to go and get my first ever tattoo, which was the Rugby Canada Logo. Due to my age, the tattoo parlour needed a parent consent form signed before they would even touch me with a needle. My dad was out of town at the time so I gave him a call, bagged him to wire me some money and then signed his name on his behalf. When I look back on that day, it baffles me how easy it is for underage kids to get ink nowadays. Anyway, at the time my dad didn’t care too much for tattoos, but when he got back into town, I showed him what I had done and shockingly he wasn’t mad.

Why did you pick the Rugby Canada Logo?
I was proud to represent my country in the sport I love playing. It was the logo that sat right on top of my heart (on my jersey) when I played, so to me it was fitting.

Why on your calf?
I wanted the tattoo to be BIG and I didn’t want to hide it. The calf seemed like the best possible spot for it.

In God I Trust – I got this tattoo when I was 19. I believe in a god, but not an organized religion. You can’t see it in the picture, but on the top of each wing, has a golden halo. One represents my father and the other my brother. My family has experienced some hard times and during that time my brother was in a phase in his life where we weren’t sure if he was going to end up in jail or dead. I believe everything happens for a reason and I do trust in a god with not only my life, but the lives of the ones I love as well. For those of you wondering what ended up happening with my brother, he grew up and now owns his own trucking company.

 

Dance like no one is watching, Sing like no one is listen, Laugh like you’ve never been hurt, Live like it’s heaven on earth – I got this tattoo with my best friend of 6 years. We got it in the first year of our friendship and have it in the exact same spot as one another. We chose that saying because it expresses the kind of friendship we have and the kind of life we want to lead each day.

3 Ancient Keys – The ancient Greeks believed that if you had all 3 keys together that you would have unlocked the doors to health, wealth and love. To me, those are the main keys to a successful life. In the picture you can notice that all 3 keys have no colour. My goal is to colour all keys when I unlock all those doors in life. I’ve already unlocked 2 doors; just one more to go.

Angel – This image represents endless love and hope in relationships. The love and hope acts as oxygen to the flames, keeping it strong even after it experiences difficult times. I chose an angel because I felt like it worked well with the piece.

Life’s A Gamble – This piece consists of things that symbolize gambling and luck. There are 2 dice that each equal 7. I also have a #7 on the inside of the forearm below the rose. 7 is also my lucky number and my birthday is 07/07. I chose life’s a gamble because everyday you make choices in your life, small or big ones, and you never really know the outcome until it comes. It reminds me how precious life really is. (She also plays open side flanker #7 and the fabulous game of 7s)

Roses – I love the look and meaning of a red rose. To me a red rose means love, respect, courage, and passion. The lily and rose are my favourite type of flower.  Ok potential stalkers now you know what to send. 

Live True / Love Life – This is my favorite tattoo because it reads right-side-up and upside-down. I always want to be true to myself and love life at the same time.

Laugh Now Cry Later – This piece still has a lot of work to be done on it, but this saying to me means to enjoy life as it is, live in the moment and worry about things later when they come. I got this done when things weren’t in my favour and instead of watching the world pass me by, I decided to keep moving forward and enjoy life as it was at that moment. This tattoo was the most painful, that’s why it is not complete. PAINFUL. A high percentage of people do not go back to finish their side pieces due to the pain. I will not be one of them!

Is it fair to assume you are putting it off because you want to laugh now and this tattoo makes you cry in pain?

 

Music Note Tattoo – The music notes read harmony. I also have 2 doves that symbolize peace. To have peace and harmony in my life is important because without it I think I would go crazy.

Purple Hibiscus Flower Tattoo – This flower is known as the “queen of the tropics”. It’s the kind of flower that you cannot help but to admire and respect because its blooms last only one day in the ground. I picked this flower not only because of its uniqueness, but also because it covered up my previous tiger tattoo well. I still need to go back for another sitting to complete the piece.

Tiger tiger tell us more?

I was 19, bored, in Bali, Indonesia and wanted another tattoo. So I pretty much went to the tattoo shop, picked out a picture I liked at the time and said “This one.” The tiger tattoo had no meaning to it.

Stars – I have stars all over my arm and back because when I was younger I used to always look up into the sky before bed and make the same wish. My wish was to give me strength when I felt weak and it has come true many times.

What I Do Today Is Important Tattoo – I fell in love with the quote, “What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it”. It’s completely true and keeps things in perspective for me.

What work do you plan to get done in the future?
I want to finish my side and add to my calf tattoo. Basically have a sleeve from my knee to the top of my foot.

Is there anyone in pop culture who’s tattoos you love?
I really like David Beckham’s tattoos. They flow nicely.

How do you think you would feel if you couldn’t/didn’t have all of these tattoos all over your skin?
I think I’d feel naked and just another face in the crowd. I have this desire to be unique and to be remembered for that. Not to mention it’s my way to express myself, the things I value and the kind of life I want to lead.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting a tattoo?
The only advice I have for people is make sure it means something to you. There is no such thing as a dumb tattoo. Just because people don’t understand it, doesn’t mean it’s stupid. As long as it has a meaning to you, then you’ll be forever happy with what’s showing on your skin no matter who judges.

Are you worried about what your tattoos will look like when you’re older (80-90)?
I was but then I ended up seeing an older lady in her 60′s with sleeves at the grocery store and all I thought about was how freaking cool it was to see that! Sure, the lines weren’t as clean as they were when she was younger and it had faded but you could tell that she was still proud of what was on her skin.

How much money have you spent on your tattoos?
So far I think close to $7,000

What was your longest sitting?
I’ve had a few 8 hour sittings.

Are all your tattoos done by the same artist or different artists?
The majority of my tattoos are done by the same artist. I’ve been going to him for 5 years now.

Where do you get your tattoo’s done?
D&M tattooing in Edmonton, Alberta. The owner of the shop, Dinni, does all my ink.

Any final words?
I get judged everyday because of what’s on my skin. Some love it, some hate it, but the only thing that matters is what the tattoos mean to me. Some people express themselves through their music, different forms of art, the way they dress, piercings and so on. Mine just so happens to be Ink. Plus, I like that it’s with me for life.

Thanks for you honesty and sharing the stories of your tattoos with us!