Hockey has strengthened bond between siblings, helped them cope with father's death
Every time Shyla Jans steps on to the ice for the MacEwan University Griffins, she honours her father’s death.
In September of 2014, George Lemoine walked out of Confederation Arena carrying his goalie gear after a men’s league game and collapsed next to his truck before dying of a massive heart attack. He was just 49.
Lemoine and his daughter shared a dream of one day seeing her playing university hockey, and when that moment came three years ago with the Griffins, she wanted to find a way to pay proper tribute.
On the ice, she wears No. 33, which was the number her father wore when he played.
And she’s also found a way off the ice, too.
Her dad loved the game of hockey, passing down his knowledge of the sport to Jans and her younger brother, Joshua Lemoine. But it was their dad’s love of coaching in general that has led to Jans stepping behind the bench as an assistant coach with Joshua’s bantam KC Sabres team.
While juggling her academic and athletic commitments at Mac Ewan, Jans was also coaching with the Sabres as part of the 55th annual Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week beginning Jan. 12.
It was one of her father’s favourite tournaments.
“He was the one that taught us how to play hockey. How to skate, shoot and stickhandle. He was always at all of our games and practices. He passed on his passion for the game to both of us,” said Jans. “He always instilled in us to give back to the game, and he enjoyed coaching and after he passed away, I started helping to coach my young brother’s team.
“Now that he’s gone, hockey’s helped keep us strong. Every time Josh and I step on the ice, we feel his presence the most.”
Jans was forced to endure something no teenager should ever have to face in losing a parent. It’s been incredibly difficult for her and her family, but both she and Joshua use hockey as an outlet in coping with the loss.
“The love of the game is something that I got from my dad, and that’s something I want to teach Josh,” Jans said. “Getting the opportunity to coach him has brought him and I closer together. We’d talk hockey a lot on those drives to the rink, but then a lot of times, our conversations would be about dad, and we’d remember the good times we had with him and that’s helped us a lot.”
Last season, Jans helped the Griffins win their first Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championship since 2007-08. The St. Francis Xavier grad has played an integral role for MacEwan since joining the program in 2015, and is a two-time second-team allconference all-star.
In 61 career games, Jans has scored 22 goals and 36 points, totals she looks to add to this weekend, as the Griffins (12-2-3) are facing the Red Deer College Queens (10-42) in a home-and-away series. Red Deer beat MacEwan 1-0 on Thursday night, while MacEwan hosts the Queens on Saturday (6 p.m.) at the Downtown Community Rink.
“It’s been a dream come true to play for MacEwan, and I know that my dad would be incredibly proud of me,” said Jans. “He never got to see me play university hockey, but I can feel his presence with me.”
Jans has so many fond hockey memories with her dad. She recalls one time playing a game with her dad’s Friday afternoon team.
“Any time my dad and I were out on the ice, we always were competitive with one another, and that day, I got to play with him and a bunch of his friends,” Jans recalled. “I made a deke on him and scored. His buddies had a few laughs over that.”
Now, as she’s in the midst of her collegiate career, there are plenty of moments where such memories pop back into her mind while she’s on the ice.
“He was a goalie, so he’d always give me advice on the best places to shoot,” said Jans. “Every time I shoot between the pad and blocker and pad and glove and try to get it as close to the post as I can, I can’t help but think of my dad.”