NSCnews Online April 2017 | Page 49

Women’s Day 4Regt RAA colleagues… (from left) CPL Michelle Gerome, PTE Elizabeth Brookes, PTE Rebecca Hickey, PTE Alexandra Moran and PTE Cara Rowles She said “being bold” didn’t necessarily mean big things were required, citing her mother’s attitude to equal opportunity when Claudia was a child. Raised in Canada, she inevitably became fascinated with ice hockey, and when she was about 10 years old, came home from school one day to tell her mother she wanted to play. “I was a single child being raised by a single Mum, and it wouldn’t have been easy for her,” Claudia told a packed room at the Geckos function. It was a bold move - 30 years ago ice hockey was a boys’ game. Girls just didn’t play. “That didn’t stop Mum. Off she went and purchased all this equipment - skates, stick, helmet, then got me registered and we showed up for the fi rst training day,” Claudia said. “I will never forget it. Me, Mum and 20 boys with their Dads.” sville Fire and COMD 3Bde BRIG Chris Field Rachael Nelson, SPR Caitlin White all 3CER APRIL 2017 | 49