cares? You play as hard as you
possibly can (in this case for
31 minutes) -- after you’ve
spent eight years living just
around the national poverty
line, training for the Games
-- and when you lose in a skills
competition, you’ve decided not
to wear your consolation prize.
A day later, Hockey Canada
was forced to issue a statement
for Larocque’s “transgressions.”
It said that Larocque had
apologized to her teammates
and fans. For what? Losing?
If we ever get to that point,
the Olympics will be nothing
more than one giant apology.
Here is what Larocque
was alleged to have written,
although most people suggest
that it was written by Hockey
Canada. And make no mistake,
Larocque had nothing for
which to apologize.
“I take seriously being a
role model to young girls and
representing our country,”
Larocque wrote. “My actions did
not demonstrate the values our
team, myself and my family live
and for that I am truly sorry.
“In the moment, I was
disappointed with the outcome
of the game, and my emotions
got the better of me. I meant
no disrespect. It has been
an honour to represent my
country and win a medal for
Canada. I’m proud of our team,
and proud to be counted among
the Canadian athletes who have
won medals at these Games.
“Being on the podium at
the world’s biggest sporting
event is a great achievement
and one that I’m thankful I
was able to experience with my
teammates. For all fans, young
and old, please understand this
was a moment in time that I
truly wish I could take back.”
Larocque, who became the
first Indigenous woman ever
to play for Team Canada in the
Olympic hockey tournament
when she hit the ice in Sochi in
2014 and won gold, played on
the 2018 team with two other
Manitobans, Brigette Lacquette
from Mallard and Bailey Bram,
who also hails from Ste. Anne.
She was a trailblazer growing
up and became the first girl
to play in the Winnipeg Boys
High School Hockey League.
“I started to play hockey
when I was six in Ste. Anne,”
she said. “At the time, I didn’t
even know there was women’s
hockey. I started playing with
the boys and I played boys
1 1 4 | G AME ON | PL AYOFF ED ITION 2018
though she was playing hockey
in Calgary, she still graduated
from Lorette. In 2006, she
helped Canada’s national
Under-22 team win gold at
the MLP Nations Cup and in
the fall of 2007 she accepted a
scholarship to the University of
Minnesota-Duluth and started
playing for the Bulldogs. Her
NCAA career was outstanding.
She played at UMD from
October of 2007 until the
end of the 2010-11 campaign
IN HAPPIER TIMES
and was one of the most
decorated players in NCAA
women’s hockey. The 5-foot-6,
138-pound defenseman was the
WCHA outstanding student-
hockey until I was 12. Then I
gave up the game for two years athlete of the year, the WCHA’s
and played ringette. I came back defensive player of the year, a
to hockey at 14 and played with first-team All-WCHA selection
both the boys and the girls and and a first team All-American.
then at 16, I moved to Calgary.” She was also nominated for the
2011 Patty Kazmaier Award
From 2002-04, Larocque
as the NCAA’s female player of
played both boys hockey and
the year. Most importantly, she
girls basketball at Lorette
got her degree in accounting.
Collegiate. In 2003-04, she
While at UMD, she also
played in the Winnipeg High
played for Team Canada. She
School Boys Hockey League.
won silver at the 2009 Canada
In 2005, however, she decided
Cup, gold at the 2010 Four
to move to Calgary to play for
the professional women’s team, Nations Cup, silver at the
2011 World Championship
the Calgary Oval X-Treme.
and Gold at the 2012 World
“I made the decision to go
Championship. But on Nov.
and it was a big step but I
27, 2009, she was cut from
played on teams with Hayley
Canada’s 2010 Olympic team
Wickenheiser and Cassie
and vowed she would never
Campbell and what better
let that happen again.
way to develop as an athlete
She didn’t. Now she has a
than to do that,” Larocque
gold medal and a silver medal
said. “I learned pretty early
for her efforts and admits that
from Hayley and Cassie and
the she’ll be more appreciative
the rest of my teammates
of the silver as time goes on.
that I had to get into better
Jocelyne Larocque is one
shape. I learned how to lift
of Canada’s greatest athletes.
weights and I learned the
Fierce, competitive, smart and
importance of off-ice training
fearless. She’s a role model.
and why it was as important
And forcing her to apologize
or even more important than
for not wanting to wear a
just playing the game.”
silver medal for a few minutes
Lorette Collegiate went out
is both sad and silly. ❍
of its way to help Larocque
finish high school and even