Star forward off to Germany for world junior hockey series
By Geoffrey Lee
For someone who started playing hockey only four years ago, Isabelle Aubé has come a long way.
The star forward for the National Capital Raiders is off to Europe next month for an exhibition hockey series in Fussen, Germany that will include the world’s best players under the age of 22.
On Feb. 7, the women’s junior team will leave Canada to do battle with European teams and the Nelson Street, Centretown resident will be leading the charge. The seven-day competition is one in a series of warm-ups for next year’s first-ever junior women’s tournament.
“I’ll think she’ll do great,” says Mel Avery, president of the Raiders and the National Capital Competitive Program, the association in which the team plays. “She’s hard and fast. She’s one of the firepins on the team. Always go, go, go. Full of energy. Hates to lose and loves to win.”
Aubé is in her second season with the Raiders, Ottawa’s team in the National Women’s Hockey League. She is their leading scorer, with nine goals and two assists as of last week, and also carries the responsibility of being assistant captain. The NWHL is in its second season and now boasts nine teams from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
In 1996 Aubé picked up a hockey stick and began playing for an AA competitive division team, before getting the call to play at the next level up for the Raiders AAA squad, her current team. Before playing hockey, Aubé played ringette for the New Brunswick provincial team for two years. Although both games are played on ice with sticks she says the games are completely different.
“You can’t compare the two. The speed of it (hockey). Ringette is fast but there’s so much control of the ringette itself. Hockey is more physical. It’s such a wonderful game.”
In addition to her talents on the ice, Aubé has been making tracks in the classroom as well. In April she will be graduating from the University of Ottawa with a degree in physiotherapy. She says the school/hockey-balancing act has been demanding but she’s appreciated the chance to play in a league with such a high level of talent.
“It’s been great. It’s really great hockey. It’s probably the best league in the world to play in. You play with really experienced players from across the world (in the NWHL). It’s a great opportunity to improve your skills and bring your game to a different level”.
Aubé’s stellar play with the Raiders and her exposure to international calibre play — this is her third stint competing with the junior team — has her knocking on the door for a position on the national squad. She came close this January when she received an invitation to tryout for Canada’s top female amateur team but failed to make the cut. She says she will try again next year and hopes to earn a spot on the team that will eventually take part in the 2002 Olympics in Utah.
Linemate Marie-France Ethier, who plays defence, thinks Aubé has the talent to make it to that level of play.
“She’s definitely got a lot of potential. She’s extremely fast. She’s really dedicated and has awesome team spirit. She always pumps us up.”
Aubé’s coach, Wayne Baird, agrees.
“She can go as far as her desire will take her. It all depends on what the national team is looking for. If they’re looking for a strong defensive forward then I’d say she has a good chance.”