Wickenheiser set standard for elite women’s hockey
Hayley Wickenheiser has flourished while growing up in the hockey spotlight.
The native of Shaunavon was first named to the Canadian women’s national hockey team when she was 15 years old, making her the youngest player to earn that distinction.
Since then, she has represented Canada at five Winter Olympics, sharing in four gold medals and a silver.
She has been a member of the national team each year since first making the squad. Wickenheiser, 38, has shared in seven gold medals in 13 appearances at the women’s world championships.
Wickenheiser, who grew up playing hockey exclusively with boys’ teams until she was 13, was the first woman other than a goalie to play in a men’s professional hockey league with Kirkkonummi Salamat in Finland’s Division II.
In 2003, she became the first woman to score a goal in a men’s professional hockey league with Kirkkonummi.
She was a multi-sport talent, representing Canada in women’s softball at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
She also was Canada’s flag bearer in the closing ceremony at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. It was at those same Winter Olympics that she was named to the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes Commission.
Wickenheiser has worked off the ice to raise the profile of women’s hockey. She is also involved with Jumpstart, Kid Sport, Right to Play, Ovarian Cancer Canada and other charitable endeavours.
Wickenheiser has made two trips to Africa on goodwill missions with the Right To Play, an athlete-driven organization that aims to improve the lives of children through sport in disadvantaged areas of the world.
On Jan. 13, Wickenheiser announced her retirement as a player to focus on her studies in medicine and her teenage son, Noah.
As we celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, the Leader-Post and Star Phoenix are telling the stories of 150 Saskatchewan people who helped shape the nation. Send your suggestions or feedback to sask150@postmedia.com.