ARTHUR – Keira Healey from Arthur played with Team Ontario Red and won gold in the Canadian Junior Hockey Nationals in early November.
The hockey nationals took place in Dawson Creek, British Columbia from Nov. 5 to 12.
Asked about her favourite part of going to nationals, the 17-year-old said, “the experience to go down and be able to play in all the games and representing my province.”
Playing in the U18 championships, Ontario Red won its sixth consecutive gold medal, defeating Quebec 3-2 in overtime.
“They were [difficult to defeat],” Healey told the Community News.
She has played hockey since the age of four and has also enjoyed playing lacrosse. However, she now has her focus set on hockey.
Outside of playing for her team at nationals this year, she plays defence for the Etobicoke Junior Dolphins.
In order to qualify for Team Ontario, Healey had to go through two tryouts.
“And then if you’re good enough they invite you out to a second trial to see if you actually make the team,” she explained.
Ontario Red has now captured gold in 13 out of 14 national championships since the inaugural tournament in 2001, according to hockeycanada.ca.
Host province British Columbia finished third overall in the national championships with Quebec winning its eighth silver medal.
“[British Columbia] had a very big crowd come to try and cheer against us. And then we ended up winning, so they were definitely my favorite [team to play against],” Healey said.
“Just being able to like play in front of the crowd and seeing all the different provinces come together [with] probably 2,000 people in the finals watching us, that was pretty cool.”
