L'ANSE-AU-CLAIR, N.L. — A thrilling opportunity lies ahead for a young ball hockey player from southern Labrador.
Alyson Thomas, 17, will soon be wearing the red, white and black colours of Canada for an international ball hockey tournament next year.
The L’Anse-au-Clair teen was recently chosen to play for Canada’s U20 National Girls’ Ball Hockey Team.
She will be playing left wing when the team hits the floor for the 2020 ISBHF U20 World Cup held in Slovakia from July 2-5.
It will be Alyson’s first time participating for her country in this competition.
“I am over the moon excited about this opportunity,” she told The Northern Pen. “The night I found out I hardly slept.”
Alyson was scouted for the team as a member of the U19 Girls’ Newfoundland and Labrador Ball Hockey Team, who played in the junior nationals in Vancouver in July.
She says she was aware that scouts were at the tournament finding players for the national team and she was determined to leave them impressed.
“I knew that I had to work as hard as I possibly could to be noticed because Team Canada is such an amazing opportunity and I had to do anything in my power to not miss that chance to make that team,” she said.
Alyson netted three goals in the tournament, including an overtime game-winner in the semifinals, on the way to a silver medal finish.
It turned out to be enough.
Her family got the call late September that she had made the team.
Over the next few months, she says she’ll need to continue to train hard to stay in shape.
That will entail trips to the gym five or six times a week.
She says she will do whatever she can to ensure she can perform to the best of her abilities.
