Europe recruits CIH Academy instructor
Tawnya Guindon, a 25-year-old hockey instructor at the Canadian International Hockey Academy in Rockland, just signed her first contract to play professional hockey in Europe.
It is a one-year contract to play in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Guindon’s season starts September 8th. She has been playing hockey recreationally since she was four years old, but only started playing competitively when she was 17.
She then pursued the sport at a CEGEP in Quebec and spent five years playing for the Carleton University. Guindon went from playing on one of the first girls’ hockey teams in Rockland to being recruited professionally abroad – proving that “there is somewhere to go in hockey for girls.”
One of Guindon’s biggest challenges with the sport was making the transition from playing hockey just for fun to having to keep score and feeling the pressure of a competitive league.
“I was really, really shy, but finally I made the team, and it was a really big challenge having to win now, and do all the practices, training and workouts,” said Guindon.
“But after CEGEP, I got out of my bubble and had three years experience in competitive hockey.”
Now, Guindon is no stranger to intensive Tawnya Guindon, une instructrice à l’Académie canadienne internationale de hockey, vient de signer son premier contrat d’un an pour jouer au hockey professionnel en Europe. La saison de Guindon commencera le 8 septembre à Gothenburg, en Suède. Elle joue au hockey de façon récréative depuis l’âge de quatre ans mais elle a commencé à jouer au hockey compétitif seulement à l’âge de 17 ans. Elle a ensuite poursuivi ce sport au CEGEP de Québec et a joué pendant cinq ans pour l’Université Carleton. Tawnya Guindon est partie d’une des premières équipes de hockey pour filles à Rockland, et voilà que maintenant elle est recrutée pour jouer professionnellement à l’étranger – ce qui prouve « qu’il est possible pour les filles de faire carrière dans le hockey ». training, attending the gym every day of the week, but admits she will skip some days in order to maintain a social life. Guindon leaves for Sweden at the end of August, diving head first into strenuous practices and training in order to be ready for her season opener at the beginning of September. Although everything is coming into place very quickly now – receiving her contract, accepting it and leaving for Europe all in the span of a month – the process beforehand was lengthy and nerve wrecking for Guindon.
“The process was very long, and I hadn’t applied for any jobs here. I just finished university, so I was like ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do now?’” added Guindon.
After contacting over a dozen coaches abroad and sending videos of her game highlights, Guindon went months without any responses. Although she did eventually have several interested teams, she ultimately decided that the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL), the elite league of women’s ice hockey in Sweden, was the best fit for her.
On top of the numerous weekly practices and games and having to train every day, Guindon is also looking for a job in Sweden, as professional women hockey players do not make enough money for her to be able to support herself abroad solely on her hockey salary. Despite the natural nerves that come with such a big move, Guindon is excited to embark on her new adventure.
“I’m a hometown girl, my whole family lives in Clarence-Rockland, and I don’t think anyone from my family has ever moved away from here,” admitted Guindon. “But, I think it will pay off.”