As captain of the Mississauga Chiefs, Sommer West leads her team in the admirable tradition of women’s hockey greats Angela James, Geraldine Heaney and Cassie Campbell. That’s the opinion of Sami Jo Small, gold-medal winning Olympian and the Chiefs’ goaltender who has played with those iconic figures.
“Sommer is an intense leader who strives for excellence in her play and is never satisfied with mediocrity. She pushes her teammates to be better through her effort, her commitment and her drive to be the best,” says Small. “She's one of the best teammates I've ever had.” ... [read more]

To be effective, goaltenders need to be mentally tough and Erika Vanderveer is no exception. She loves a challenge, whether it’s putting herself on the line in the net for the Burlington Barracudas or literally living on the edge as an avid rock climber who has tackled some of the world’s most treacherous climbs.
"I’ve traveled to many places around the world to climb various famous walls and mountains," says Vanderveer. "I’ve been to the Alps; Kalymnos, Greece; Portrero Chico, Mexico; Red Rocks, Nevada; and some day, quite possibly Mount Everest!" ... [read more]

Although it’s her rookie year with the Ottawa Senators, Melissa Boal, with her exceptionally hard shot and standout hockey sense, is making an impact. When it comes to Senators stats, Boal stands second in points behind veteran Christin Powers.
Samantha Poyton, Boal’s linemate from Wayne State University, where the two played D1 hockey until Boal graduated last year, remembers what it was like to play with the skilled, left-shooting sniper.
"Melissa is a talented player, with a crazy good snap shot. She knows the game well and has good vision of the ice whenever she is playing. She always knew.... [read more]