HOCKEY 2016-2017
PLAYER PROFILE
DANA SOMERVILLE & SARAH POWER
REPRESENTING CANADA ON THE WORLD STAGE This past summer was an exciting one for two members of the York Lions women’s hockey team as Dana Somerville and Sarah Power were both part of the Canadian women’s inline hockey team that won the gold medal at the world championships in Asiago, Italy, in June. Team Canada won the championship with an undefeated record in pool play and a 3-1 win over the United States in the final. The result was sweet redemption after falling in the gold-medal game to the Czech Republic last year, a silver-medal showing that both Somerville and Power were part of. Somerville was on the 2012 squad that represented Canada’s most recent title before this summer. Many people are unaware that inline hockey is played at all, let alone at the international level. But it is a natural transition for high-level ice hockey players, even with the major changes between the two sports. “The structure is much different compared to ice hockey,” Somerville says about the two. “You play 4-on-4 and there are no blue lines, so it is more of a possession game. Going from ice skates to roller skates is easy, but the other way is weird. The roller skates have four wheels, so on my blade I feel like I have no toe.” Power agrees with Somerville that the skating is definitely the most challenging. “The hardest part about transitioning back and forth is the skating. At the beginning of our season here I felt like I was learning to skate all over again, but I picked it back up quickly.” Somerville and Power both started in ice hockey as little girls and took up inline hockey a few years later when they were looking for something to do in the summer. Each of them somewhat fluked into being part of the national team – Somerville’s club team in Mississauga already had a bunch of national team
players while Power was spotted by the coach when playing on a boys’ team – and they have experienced amazing things while getting the opportunity to travel the world and represent their country. “It’s exciting when you go to the tournament and get to meet the fans of the game,” said Somerville, who has travelled to Colombia, California, France and Italy with the team. “Canada is a top team and you are a role model to the people there who are really into the sport. There’s a lot of pride in representing your country, yourself, your school and your sport and to help with its growth.” This year Power played not only on the senior team but also the junior national team, captaining the squad to a bronze medal at the world championships the week after she won gold with the seniors. She was also on another traveling team that won a gold medal in Hawaii, and was asked to join an all-boys’ team at a tournament in Indiana. “The major highlights of my life are all the different places I’ve travelled because of inline hockey,” says Power. “The sport has given me amazing opportunities and I’ve had so much fun at all the tournaments. Next year’s world championships are in China and I 100 per cent will be trying out for the team and hoping to go.” For now, both Somerville and Power are focused on contributing to the Lions for the 2016-17 campaign. It will be Somerville’s last with the team before she embarks on a career that she hopes will be in public relations, while Power is entering her second season and continuing to develop her skills both in inline and ice hockey. Even after Somerville graduates the two may still to be teammates for years to come as they continue to represent Canada on the world stage.