Robbi Daley wasn’t sure she would play basketball at a competitive level again.
Yet, there she was during a recent team get together listening to hear teammates chant ‘one more year, one more year.’
A veteran of the Maritime Women’s Basketball Association now, Daley is a team leader with the Fredericton Freeze, appearing in 39 of 40 regular season games over seasons and playing in all PRO•LINE Legacy Cup playoff games with her hometown team.
Will she appear with the Freeze for the MWBA’s fifth anniversary season in 2026?
‘Truthfully, as I sit back and reflect, the best way to describe my feelings on what the MWBA means to me, is that it has meant more to me than I ever expected or imagined it to,’ she said. ‘I finished my university career in 2015. Since that time, I had the opportunity to play occasionally in a scrimmage or a tournament, but I assumed my competitive playing days were over. I have helped out here and there with Fredericton High School along side my dad (Kevin Daley) and husband (Anthony Ashe), coaching a number of girls who are now my teammates on the Freeze.’
That’s when Daley realized how much love of game had returned.
‘I had no idea how much I was missing being a part of a team until I had an opportunity to play in this league,’ she said. ‘Now, after my fourth year in the league, I am more grateful than ever for an opportunity to compete at such a high level again, along side a group of young women who inspire me. The calibre of basketball is amazing, the mix of young (current), professional or ‘semi’ retired players makes it unique and incredibly empowering. The MWBA is a place that showcases the power of women in sport. It is a community that I feel lucky to be apart of.’
Daley will certainly take some time to decide and there is plenty of time between now and next spring, of course.
The former Saint Mary’s University Huskies and Dalhousie University Tigers’ wing continues to provide strong play and mentorship to her younger teammates.
Considering she is playing with younger talents such as Eve MacDonald, Bailey Russell and Allie McCarthy, her leadership abilities come shining through.
‘It is amazing to prove to myself that age is just a number, and truly, you are only as old as you feel,’ she said. ‘The connections and sisterhood that we have built through the Freeze organization extends far beyond the basketball season and are lifelong. Investing in leagues like this one is always a good idea. I have talked to students and colleagues who attend our games, who have shared how impressed they are with the level of competition and seeing working professionals still playing a sport they love.’
Daley, 33, is a speech language pathologist, splitting time between schools in Fredericton and the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital.
‘It’s a role I love and one where I often find myself using the same skills I gained from sport including teamwork, communication, resilience and empathy,’ she said. ‘Looking back, sport — and basketball especially — has shaped so much of my life. Those years gave me so much: my closest friendships – my bridesmaids were all teammates – unforgettable memories, and even my husband who I met when he was playing for Acadia.’
The bridge between finishing university, eyeing a whole life ahead and career is a daunting one.
As a university athlete, much of your life was built around training, competition multi-tasking and more. Then, suddenly, there isn’t a practice on a Tuesday. There isn’t a game on a Saturday. Teammates have gone their separate ways.
‘I found myself wondering what was next after five years of university basketball,’ Daley said. ‘There wasn’t anywhere to play or be part of a team, especially for women. Suddenly, that team identity, structure, and purpose disappeared. It can be a hard transition. My passion has always been basketball, and I consider myself lucky that I got to find it again through the Freeze and the MWBA.’
The MWBA is a short season circuit, starting in April, finishing in June.
It’s an intense schedule of 10 games and four teams advance to the PRO•LINE Legacy Cup playoff championship.
Daley and the Freeze qualified this year and hosted the event at the Richard J. Currie Center.
Fredericton lost both games and had to watch New Brunswick rival Miramichi Her-Icanes leave the Capital City with the trophy in tow.
Daley and her husband hosted a team get together mere hours after the season was completed and that’s also a critical part of her MWBA passion.
‘This league is more than just competition. It’s a space that celebrates and showcases the power of women in sport — and the strength, leadership, and joy we bring to the court and to our communities,’ she said. ‘I’m so proud to be a woman and proud of how far we’ve come in breaking down barriers in sport and moving toward gender equity. There’s still lots to do, but we’re definitely heading in the right direction. It reminds people that we don’t “age out” of sport — we evolve with it. We carry our passion, experience, and love for the game forward, and we make space for younger women to see what’s possible.’
Imagine years ago when Daley was working summer camps at the University of New Brunswick.
One of the camper kids was Russell, now her teammate.
‘I was 19-years-old and Bailey was five and I remember walking around UNB campus holding her hand,’ said Daley. ‘Now she’s the same age as I was then and we’re teammates. I’ve had the chance to watch her grow into a confident leader and excel on the court. It’s one of those full circle moments that really stood out for me. Hopefully when Bailey is my age, she will still be playing in the MWBA alongside the little girls who look up to her now.
As for 2026, there’s a summer of travel and working with her and Anthony’s beloved dog, Sullivan.
That’s what’s important now.
We’ll find out about a fifth year down the road.
– Robbi Daley enters the paint during MWBA action. (Fran Harris Photos)