By Bird Bouchard
A local athlete is hoping her career as a professional hockey player can inspire young girls to keep chasing after their dreams.
When Tricia Deguire grew up in Sherbrooke, hockey had a strong presence throughout the Eastern Townships.
The Montreal Canadiens were just a short trip away, in 2012 the Sherbrooke Phoenix joined the QMJHL and there were many local options to choose from as well.
But in many Canadian cities and towns, finding a local girl’s hockey team to join can be difficult.Having a passion for playing hockey and growing a love for the game, Deguire said she’s thankful to have grown up in Sherbrooke where there were many options for girls to pursue their passion for playing hockey.
“Sherbrooke was a big hockey town when I was there. I’m proud to be from Sherbrooke and it’s great to see how the local hockey programs have evolved and keep getting better,” said Deguire.
The local goalie took advantage of the hockey scene and played goalie for several teams throughout the Eastern Townships while growing up. She played for Stanstead College, The Triolet Sport-etudes program, and Champlain College Lennoxville before making her way to McGill where in 2016, she was the U Sports Rookie of the Year and received national All-Rookie Team honours.
