Headed to Honolulu: Elise Drake’s recruitment journey from Canada to Hawai’i

A senior at Kelowna Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada, Elise Drake is as focused, driven, and dedicated to her craft as a high school track and field student-athlete can be. When it comes to her perseverance of effort and passion for achieving long-term goals, Elise credits her “grit.”

Her grit has helped her to build an impressive resume in what is still a fledgling athletic career with boundless potential. In the hammer cage, Elise has set PRs of 52.91 (3kg) and 49.94 (4kg) metres. But her attitude and work ethic don’t stop when she leaves a training session or competition; they extend into the classroom as well. With an average academic percentage in the mid-90s, Elise showcases that academics truly are as - if not more - important than her athletic accomplishments.

Elise signs with the University of Hawai’i

Recently signing with the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Elise Drake’s grit has produced the hammer throw and scholastic results that not only earned her spot on the Rainbow Wāhine’s roster beginning in the 2024-25 academic year, but secured her significant scholarship funding as well. Elise will be soaking up the sun in Hawai’i, studying towards her Bachelor of Science degree in health and exercise science, and competing in the the Big West and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation NCAA Division I conferences. Congratulations to Elise Drake for a big step in her journey as a student-athlete!

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While Elise’s grit, talent, and academic edge have been pivotal for her, the support and guidance she’s received from Kelowna Secondary School, Kajaks Track & Field Club, and her coach, Garrett Collier (who’s also the circle throws coach for the University of British Columbia track and field program) have also been vital ingredients in her recipe for success en route to her commitment to the University of Hawai’i.

The process: from grade 11 to campus visits to decision time

When our team at Streamline Athletes first met Elise Drake a year ago, she hadn’t spoken with any collegiate coaches but had a fairly well established idea of what she was seeking for the next chapter in her athletic and academic story. Academics were of the utmost importance to her; she was looking for a reputable university that offered health and exercise science. Also vital to Elise was attentive hammer coaching from people who would have her personal development at heart, the geographic location (somewhere sunny was preferable!), and scholarship funding to make attending her dream school financially feasible as a Canadian.

Catching up with Elise recently, she reflected on her initial criteria: “Academics always came first and nowhere that needs a winter jacket,” she said with a grin, knowing Hawai’i checks all of her boxes.

Whether student-athletes and their parents/guardians use the free Essentials version of the Streamline Athletes platform or take advantage of our more impactful products and services, like Plus, personalized advisory, or Pro (like Elise), our goal at Streamline Athletes is always to provide the information required for unrivalled confidence when it comes to making decisions about where to pursue education and sport.

And that’s what we did with Elise. According to her, making her decision to attend the University of Hawai’i with confidence was the most critical factor that came as a result of using Streamline Athletes’ Pro service throughout her collegiate track and field recruitment process. Speaking with a variety of coaches at colleges and universities in different associations and divisions, taking and preparing for official visits to three schools in New York, Utah, and Hawai’i, and personally meeting members of the teams she could prospectively join allowed her to understand key elements of her decision, like coaching philosophy, training environment, campus life, and more.

Elise feels the scholarship offers from the schools she ultimately did not commit to helped her understand her own value, thereby increasing her confidence during discussions with Hawai’i.

During the campus visiting stage of her recruitment process, Elise found our visit preparation sessions “really helpful, especially before the first one” and benefited from debriefing and reflecting after each visit in order to remind her of what she valued most at the beginning of her recruitment journey.

Here’s some feedback we received from Elise and her family:

“As parents of an athlete who has always dreamed of competing in the NCAA, we couldn’t have asked for a better support team. Streamline Athletes helped us navigate the world of collegiate athletics with one thing top of mind: what will be best for Elise. We appreciated their expertise every step of the way.” - Parents of Elise Drake

“Streamline Athletes made my recruiting process a straightforward and positive experience.” - Elise Drake

“I am very grateful to have had both Brett and Regan help me through my recruiting journey. They opened my eyes to all of the potential opportunities to continue my athletic career at the collegiate level.” - Elise Drake

Hawai’i bound

When asked why the University of Hawai’i truly feels like the right fit for her, Elise credits the academic support provided to student-athletes, her specific field of study, new track and field facilities on the horizon, the team’s family environment, and of course, the warm weather.

With her sights set on academic excellence and development as a hammer thrower, she is most looking forward to training in the sunshine alongside dedicated in-person coaches and teammates.

From our team at Streamline Athletes, we wish Elise Drake the utmost success as she pursues her goals in the classroom and in the field representing the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Wāhine. She might be too humble to state it, but we know she has what it takes to win a conference title in the women’s hammer.

How can you get more out of Streamline Athletes?

Start with a 30-minute online advising session to receive an extended list of schools where you would qualify for athletic and academic scholarships, a guide on what to do next, and get your questions answered from a professional in the track and field recruitment space.