9 N.L. players lead Canada to gold at World Junior Ball Hockey Championships

Nine young athletes from Newfoundland and Labrador had a ball at the2023 World Junior Ball Hockey Championships in the Czech Republic, taking home the gold medal along the way.

Canada's team won 1-0 against Slovakia on Thursday to win the championship.

Cassie Drover, 18, says she has been playing ice hockey for 15 years andwas scouted for Team Canada in 2022 after winning gold at the nationals in Winnipeg.

But this game, she said, was "unmatchable."

"I can't even put it into words how it felt to even have the opportunity to go. But to come home with a gold medal is just it's unbelievable to me," she said.

"I think I'm still in shock, like it doesn't feel real."

Danielle Close, the team's general manager, helped get them there.A childhood athlete herself, Close is all too aware with the challenges of sports, as well as the triumphs.

She described the win as "surreal."

"I'm 47 years old, so I've come from a place in sport where I've been told no more than I've been told yes with regards to playing," she said.

"I didn't have the opportunities that these girls did. So for me, for them to win gold was just that. It was just that that final feeling of, 'Yeah, I've done it, and finally. I finally done it. And I'm here.' And these girls believed in me for four years."

Close said it's important for female athletes to have these opportunities. Her advice to anyone who wants to be in sports is "don't ever stop."

All-around support

Butthere is more to learn from the gamethansimply how to win.

In the semifinals, Team Canada beat Great Britain 18-0. Close said the teams took a photo together and supported each other.

"Every single goal thatgot scored on those goalies, all eighteen goals. Those goalies, the two of them had 63 shots on them in the game. That's unheard of," she said.

Droversaid the support that came from other teams was heartwarming. She said they built relationships with the British and Americanteams.

Before the gold medal game, both teams sported Canada shirts to cheer them on.

"They supported us for the full game and it was just crazy to see all that support," Drover said.

'There's just so much heart'

Drover said representing the province, and representing Canada, was "everything."

"After every game, the winning team would stand on the blue line and they play your national anthem. And to just stand there with like 22 of my best friends that I just met it was a crazy feeling and it's, like, it's unmatchable."

A big portion of the team was from Newfoundland and Labrador, Close said, and the number of athletes from the province on these kinds ofteams is growing.

"I honestly the nine players from Newfoundland are they're like nothing else. The families, the players these families just believe in their kids and they believe in the program," she said.

"There's just so much heart."

The nine members of Team Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador are

• Brooke Lannon ofPlacentia.
• Jenni Simpson ofGlovertown.
• Renee Falkner ofSt. John's.
• Ashley Hayley ofSt. John's.
• Julia Butler ofPortugal Cove-St Philip's.
• Jayme Guy ofArnold's Cove.
• Cassie Drover of Upper Island Cove.
• Alyson Thomas ofL'Anse au Clair.
• Maggie Jones ofMarystown.

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