聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Having grown up near Shaunavon I remember seeing the metal sign on the west side of town proudly stating they were the home of Hayley Wickenheiser. It was so cool to me that someone as high profile as that was from a small town where my family would go to run errands. She was just like everyone else, only she was Hayley Wickenheiser, so not really just like everyone else.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I remember watching the gold medal match on television when I was nine. It was the first time women鈥檚 hockey was in the Winter Olympics and even if I wasn鈥檛 a hockey player, I was so excited to get to watch the Canadian women鈥檚 team play. I didn鈥檛 understand why they weren鈥檛 allowed to play before, so it was exciting. Disappointed they lost in the final that year it was that feeling of excitement and hope, that you could do whatever you put your mind to, if you worked hard at it and never gave up.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Then at 13 I remember the gold medal game was in Salt Lake City and the Americans had allegedly stomped on our flag heading into the game. It was later proven to be false, but the rumour was out during the game and Canada was fired up.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The entire women鈥檚 team played phenomenally in that game and it was so much fun to watch and cheer for Hayley. I am in fact a terrible skater and although I could play floor hockey pretty well, playing on the ice is a no. It鈥檚 a fantastic game though and I鈥檝e always enjoyed watching it. But, getting to cheer for someone from the town over who made it to the Olympics, even if I had never met her, was very exciting. Then at the end of the game she called the Americans on the flag incident saying, 鈥淭he Americans had our flag on their floor in their dressing room and now I want to know if they want us to sign it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although after it turned out to be false allegations, I do think she apologized for her statement. But, I just remember at the time she seemed like a defender of our nation in some way. It was really cool.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Then I watched the battle in Torino on TV in 2006, she again dominated the ice. The following year she came to speak at my high school, bringing her two gold medals and her silver. Since then she鈥檚 claimed another two gold medals and has gone on to be the most decorated female hockey player ever and actually leads Hockey Canada in games played, goals, assists, and points over a total of 23 years on the Canadian women鈥檚 team.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 She never broke into the NHL, but she did something that was unheard of, she played in the men鈥檚 professional league in Europe. Again, she proved that she was one of the best in the world. Just the other day she announced her retirement from the game and was honoured at the Battle of Alberta: a game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Another hockey great was there, Wayne Gretzky, and he exclaimed: 鈥淵ou鈥檝e touched so many lives. You played with heart, desire, finesse, speed, skill. You鈥檙e the female Gordie Howe.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although I鈥檓 not a hockey player, I do appreciate the sport and she was a hero of mine when I was younger. It started with finding out she was from a neighbouring town and I just wanted her to succeed simply for that reason to her being a great role model in general as her career unfolded and she became more and more high profile.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Now she鈥檚 headed into medicine and remains a great role model as she actively continues to pursue her dreams showing everyone that if you have the abilities and work hard that you can reach your dreams. Nothing is ever just given to you and even if you have all the ability in the world, people with better work ethics will pass you, so despite being naturally gifted 鈥� hard work is still everything.
