PEAK OF THE MARKET PLAYER OF THE MONTH
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SIDNEY SHYIAK
HEIGHT 5’ 2” | WEIGHT 115 | AGE 17 GOALS 1 | ASSISTS 4 | POINTS 5
BALMORAL HALL’ S SHYIAK COMMITS TO UNIVERSITY OF REGINA
Sidney plays in the Major Junior Division of the Junior Women’ s Hockey League, consisting of 10 teams from Chicago, Vermont, Boston, Detroit, Washington, Ontario and B. C.
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This is Sidney’ s second season with the Balmoral Hall Blazers.
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Sidney lived in Portage la Prairie until the age of four, but after graduation from BH this year, she plans to study Kinesiolgy at the University of Regina.
Sidney Shyiak may not be the biggest player on the ice on any given moment, but she certainly carries one of the largest hearts. This speedy winger on the Balmoral Hall Blazers prep team hit the ice at a young age, and hasn’ t slowed down since.
“ My first sport was ringette,” said Shyiak.“ I started skating really young and really enjoyed the skating aspect of ringette. But then I moved and there wasn’ t any ringette offered, so I decided to take up hockey to see if I liked it or not. And I just stuck with it.” Now able to attend a private school, play prep hockey and travel across North America as a part of the Junior Women’ s Hockey League, Shyiak looks at her monthly calendar and can find upcoming games in Boston, Chicago, Washington and Detroit.
“ Playing in this league is honestly an amazing experience,” she said.“ You’ re playing the game you love, going all around North America, and you’ re doing it with your best friends. It’ s an amazing experience.” Shyiak – who is committed to play at the University of Regina beginning in the 2018-19 season – knows that she has a tremendous role model to look up to in her coach, Sarah Zacharias.
“ Sarah is an amazing coach,” Shyiak reflected.“ She always makes us feel comfortable. She is just like one of us – professional, but at the same time she is like one of our best friends. She’ s a great coach.”
Born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan
BY CARTER BROOKS Photos by Laurie Anderson
134 | GAME ON | DECEMBER 2017