BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
When Lindsay Bennett was a kid growing up in the suburbs of Lively she would play road hockey with the boys down the street from her house.
 |
|
name="valign"
top
>
Lindsay Bennett, 18, played with the boys in Walden house league. She has won a hockey scholarship to Wisconsin Superior. |
As far back as she can remember, she has always loved the sport.
?My parents have told me that when I was young I always wanted to play hockey.?
Bennett, now 18 played a lot of hockey in the Walden house league.
She first started to achieve success when she reached the atom level. That year she ended up being the only girl in the league.
It would be a season to remember for Bennett. First, she was named captain of her team.
?The coach took me aside and handed me an envelope and he walked away saying see you later,? said Bennett. ?I opened it up and the C was in it.?
Bennett was honoured and accepted the role.
?He told me I received the C because of my hard work.?
Bennett went on to enjoy a decent season and ended up sharing the Most Valuable Player of the Year with two boys.
?Some of the boys didn?t like me winning, but I was proud of myself.?
Bennett then went onto play girls hockey in the Sudbury league.
Throughout most of her career she played defence. This past season she played for the Sudbury
Lady Wolves at the midget ?AA? level. She was also switched from her traditional role of defense to left wing.
?The coaches put me at left wing hoping I would generate more goals for the team.?
The transition was rough at first.
?I wasn?t happy about it at first because I had played defense my whole life,? said Bennett. ?I was worried about the change.?
Bennett had grown accustomed to being the go to girl on the blue line, but the switch ended up being a good decision.
?I ended up scoring more goals and I liked it.?
This year, while Bennett was competing in the provincial midget ?AA? championships, she was scouted by the assistant coach of the Wisconsin Superior Women?s hockey team. The team went all out to recruit Bennett.
The team used a unique way to persuade Bennett to come to Wisconsin Superior.
While she was playing at the National Aboriginal hockey tournament in Cornwall, Wisconsin Superior
sent a girl that played for Saskatchewan, who also played for Wisconsin over to me. It made me feel a lot more comfortable knowing somebody from down there already.?
Bennett will receive a scholarship to cover most of academic expenses. She is hoping to study exercise science and one day teach children.
Dan Laughlin, assistant coach of the university?s women?s hockey team is thrilled to have Bennett.
?She has great speed and tremendous hockey sense,? said Laughlin. ?I think we can build up her skills here and she might end up as an all-American all-star.?
Bennett has played soccer and basketball and was quarterback for the Lively girl?s flag football team this past season, but hockey is her true love.
?I just love being out on the ice and skating around.?
