Local ringette player awarded for dedication

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Former Strathmore ringette player Gabi LeMoine was recognized for her countless hours dedicated to playing, refereeing and coaching the sport she has a true passion for.
Her dedication was rewarded with the $1,500 Alberta Scholarship Award, which is awarded to the ringette player that best displays strong academic performance and commitment to ringette through participation and involvement.
“I was really happy when I got the award,” said LeMoine. “Ringette has been a big part of my life the past 12 years. I’m really glad they recognized me and help me with my tuition. Since I’ve coached, refereed and played ringette. They just recognized my outstanding commitment to the sport.”
LeMoine, a first year communications student at Mount Royal University, was one of four candidates that received the scholarship province-wide and felt that it was extra special because of the connection she was able to make in the Strathmore Ringette Association.
“It was great,” said LeMoine. “With Strathmore being a small community, I really got to know the players I was coaching, refereeing and playing with … girls that I grew up with. That’s a really good thing about playing in a small town.”
Some of her highlights of playing for the Strathmore Ringette Association were the multiple trips to provincials, which included a fourth place finish a season ago. LeMoine said playing the sport and seeing all aspects of the game was an enjoyable experience too.
“It’s kind of how you approach things,” said LeMoine. “On the ice as a player, sometimes you don’t see the things that a ref may see or a coach may see off the ice.”
Other awards in her career included the Youth Volunteerism award and the Laurie Morton-Ruppe award for leadership and dedication for her team.
Her mother Tami was more than delighted to see her daughter get honour for her commitment to the only sport she has ever loved.
“It’s a huge honour,” said Tami. “We were so excited for her. She’s one of those kids that this was her sport, her whole life. She didn’t do a lot of school sports or other things because she didn’t want to compromise her ringette.”
LeMoine plans to stay in the sport in some capacity while she continues her studies.