A quick photo op with incoming First Vice President Maureen Keeler. (PHOTO COURTESY OCNA)

No, the game was not fixed, but my column The Game Fixer scored top honours at the Ontario Community Newspaper Association‘s Better Newspaper Awards.

On April 27 my name was called for the 2011 Columnist of the Year accolade. The column in question is the Game Fixer for the Toronto Today. Admittedly I was a little stunned once they failed to mention Toronto Today for third and second places.

Three columns were submitted to the OCNAs back in November: Respect is due volunteers, Fight the power and Context is the message. I was named a finalist out of three newspapers that also included Markham Economist & Sun’s Bernie O’Neill and Oshawa This Week’s Brian McNair.

Algonquin College professor and journalist, Julie McCann wrote, “Whether he is writing about a misunderstood ad campaign or street hockey bylaws gone wrong, he owns his material — and his reader”.

My former colleagues at the Town Crier, Toronto Today and Vaughan Today also took home hardware, pulling in a record-best 10 awards in seven categories.

The act of putting a disc in the carousel is all part of the enjoyment. Downloading it from Apple’s iTunes does not titillate me nor do I want to use my computer as a jukebox.

So, if I happened to be given an ultimatum of having to choose only 25 albums — excluding compilations or best ofs — here are 25 original cuts that I would keep in my collection.

My favourite tunes are included, the top one, italicized.

25.		Album: Kick Artist: INXS Year: 1987 Favourites: “New Sensation”, “Devil Inside”, “Need You Tonight”, “Never Tear Us Apart” and “Mystify”.
24.		Album: Breakfast in America Artist: Supertramp Year: 1979 Favourites: “Gone Hollywood”, “Goodbye Stranger”, “Breakfast in America”, “Take the Long Way Home” and “The Logical Song”.
23.		Album: Point of Know Return Artist: Kansas Year: 1977 Favourites: “Point of Know Return”, “The Spider”, “Lightning’s Hand”, “Dust in the Wind” and “Nobody’s Home”.
22.		Album: Auf der Maur Artist: Melissa Auf der Maur Year: 2004 Favourites: “Followed The Waves”, “Real a Lie”, “Taste You”, “Lightning is My Girl”, “I’ll Be Anything You Want” and “My Foggy Notion”.
21.		Album: Thriller Artist: Michael Jackson Year: 1982 Favourites: “Wanna Be Startin’ Something”, “The Girl Is Mine”, “Thriller”, “Beat It” and “Billie Jean”.
20.		Album: Songs For the Deaf Artist: Queens of the Stone Age Year: 2002 Favourites: “You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire”, “No One Knows”, “Go With The Flow”, “First It Giveth”, “Six Shooter” and “Hangin’ Tree”
19.		Album: Out of Exile Artist: Audioslave Year: 2005 Favourites: “Your Time Has Come”, “Out of Exile”, “Be Yourself”, “Doesn’t Remind Me”, “Drown Me Slowly” and “The Worm”.
18.		Album: 1984 Artist: Van Halen Year: 1984 Favourites: “Panama”, “Jump”, “Hot For Teacher”, “I’ll Wait” and “Drop Dead Legs”.
17.		Album: Fleetwood Mac Artist: Rumours Year: 1977 Favourites: “Second Hand News”, “Dreams”, “Don’t Stop”, “Go Your Own Way”, “The Chain”, “You Make Loving Fun” and “Gold Dust Woman”.
16.		Album: Action Pact Artist: Sloan Year: 2003 Favourites: “Gimme That”, “Backstabbin’”, “The Rest of My Life”, “False Alarm” and “Who Loves Life More?”
15.		Album: Homework Artist: Daft Punk Year: 1997 Favourites: “Around the World”, “Da Funk”, “Burnin’”, “Revolution 909″, “Phoenix” and “Alive”.
14.		Album: Elevator Artist: Hot Hot Heat Year: 2005 Favourites: “Running Out Of Time”, “You Owe Me An IOU”, “Middle of Nowhere”, “Goodnight, Goodnight” and “Island of the Honest Man”.
13.		Album: With Teeth Artist: Nine Inch Nails Year: 2005 Favourites: “All The Love In The World”, “The Collector”, “The Hand That Feeds”, “Every Day Is Exactly The Same” and “Only”.
12.		Album: Boston Artist: Boston Year: 1976 Favourites: “More Than A Feeling”, “Peace of Mind”, “Foreplay/Long Time”, “Rock and Roll Band”, “Smokin’” and “Hitch a Ride”.
11.		Album: Oh No Artist: OK Go Year: 2005 Favourites: “Invincible”,” Do What You Want”, “Here It Goes Again”,”A Good Idea At the Time” and “A Million Ways”.
10.		Album: Brothers Artist: The Black Keys Year: 2010 Favourites: “Howlin’ For You”, “Tighten Up”, “She’s Long Gone”, “Next Girl”, “Black Mud” and “The Go Getter”.
9.		Album: Get Behind Me Satan Artist: The White Stripes Year: 2005 Favourites: “Blue Orchid”, “Take Take Take”, “My Doorbell”, “Little Ghost”, “The Denial Twist” and “I’m Lonely (But I’m Not That Lonely Yet)”.
8.		Album: Them vs. You vs. Me Artist: Finger Eleven Year: 2007 Favourites: “Paralyzer”, “Falling On”, “I’ll Keep Your Memory Vague”, “Change the World”, “Lost My Way” and “Talking to the Walls”.
7.		Album: Gold Medal Artist: The Donnas Year: 2004 Favourites: “Don’t Break Me Down”, “Fall Behind Me”, “It’s So Hard”, “The Gold Medal”, “Revolver” and “Have You No Pride”.
6.		Album: Eliminator Artist: ZZ Top Year: 1983 Favourites: “Gimme All Your Lovin’”, “Legs”, “Sharp Dressed Man”, “Got Me Under Pressure”, “TV Dinners” and “I Got The Six”.
5.		Album: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace Artist: Foo Fighters Year: 2007 Favourites: “The Pretender”, “Let It Die”, “Long Road to Ruin”, “Summer’s End”, “Cheer Up Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)”, “Come Alive” and “Statues”
4.		Album: Back in Black Artist: AC/DC Year: 1980 Favourites: “Hells Bells”, “Shoot To Thrill”, “What Do You Do For Money Honey”, “Back in Black”, “You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Shake A Leg” and “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution”.
3.		Album: Untitled (IV) Artist: Led Zeppelin Year: 1971 Favourites: “Black Dog”, “Rock and Roll”, “The Battle of Evermore”, “Stairway to Heaven”, “Misty Mountain Hop” and “When the Levee Breaks”.
2.		Album: Pronounced ‘Lĕh-’nérd ‘Skin-’nérd Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd Year: 1973 Favourites: “I Ain’t The One”, “Gimme Three Steps”, “Tuesday’s Gone”, “Simple Man”, “Things Goin’ On”, “Poison Whiskey” and “Free Bird”.
1.		Album: This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) Artist: Chevelle Year: 2004 Favourites: “The Clincher”, “Still Running”, “Get Some”, “Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)”, “Panic Prone”, “Another Know It All” and “Emotional Drought”.

BRIAN BAKER, Sports Editor

Permit me to make a few comments on the corporate ninjas who have sabotaged a perfectly good year of baseball.

The corporation in this case is the City of Toronto, whose clandestine introduction of field permits for youth sports has league executives muttering obscenities behind closed doors, in public or even to journalists such as myself.

I first heard about the unorthodox squeeze play from Leaside Baseball president Howard Birnie, who discovered on Feb. 10 his association will be dinged for an additional $13,000 — $80 per player registration.

He was a gentleman over the phone but did speak his mind on the last-minute substitution.

“I don’t like the fees at all, but the way they’ve done it is just mind-boggling,” he told me.

Ball diamonds are given an A, B or C classification, based on whether they have lights, grass infields, fancy stands, booths and other amenities affixed to the baseball culture. Every kid will now be charged $10.52 per hour for A-class diamonds, $7.80 for B-class and $5.31 for Cs.

In my honest opinion, regardless of what political ideologies have attempted to run the city, Toronto has always appeared to be anti-family.

My journalist colleague Karolyn Coorsh and I stole away on the story as soon as we caught the signs. I spoke with league reps from High Park, North York, Leaside, East York and the Balmy Beach Rugby Club. My Town Crier partner in crime, a city bureau chief, thankfully spoke to the politicians and bureaucrats.

Complaints from associations were similar, focusing on timing of the permit fees and the relevance, considering so many organizations already maintain their fields with their own money.

“You hear Doug Ford saying, ‘Oh, they can get $100 more from their sponsors’,” Birnie said. “We don’t get very many of them and it’s just mind numbing. He’s in another world.”

It’s hard enough for the newspaper industry to find advertising, and our staff gets paid to do that. So how does an amateur sports league with volunteers do that?

For East York Baseball Association, they spend $20,000 of their own money a year on maintaining their field, president Andrew Pace told me.

Though he finds the lack of communication from the bureaucrats irksome, adding permit fees is taxing on the 150 volunteers who already spend extra innings working for the league.

Rep is also facing a crunch. Teams are chosen in September the previous year.

“They’re accepting a position on a team based on the budget that was given to them,” Pace said. “And now we’re going to have to go back to these people and ask for more.”

An even bigger problem is the threat against East York’s baseball camp.

“If our fees have to go up $100, $150, in our area that means kids might not go to camp anymore,” he said. “Their parents can’t afford to do that.

“In the end if we don’t get enough kids because we have to raise fees, then the camp closes down,” he added. “Then you have less chance for the kids to be active and be a part of the community.”

That could mean more “idle hands” during the summer. I need not reference the old adage tied to those two words.

Birnie admits it won’t be too bad for some associations to weather the rainout, but he fears many parents are going to be unable to enroll their kids in amateur sports.

“In Leaside it’s not a big deal because the money’s there, and North Toronto’s the same, but it’s the fact that we’ve already got our registration being done and the fees, which we set because we didn’t know about these permit fees,” he said. “So it just makes it extremely awkward.

“There are areas in the city where it’s a struggle,” he added. “It’s going to affect some people’s decision whether their kids are going to play.”

And for the kids who love sports, the city has just thrown them the chair.

Elisabetta Fantone, UMM Spring 2012

Much like Cuba’s infatuation with vintage American cars, the svelte Elisabetta Fantone is inspired by culture from a by-gone era.

The multifaceted actress was filming Havana ’57 with director Jim Purdy in Cuba’s capital and took a moment to share the roots of her artistry. She’s adept at acting, dancing, interior decorating and painting.

“I have my artworks in several art galleries across Canada and the U.S. My biggest passion and inspiration has always been classic Hollywood,” she said. “I’m attracted to figures that own an interesting story and I try to tell their story through my paintings, through their portrait, more specifically their eyes.”

Those captured in her vibrant tableaux tapestries include Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner, Marlon Brando and James Dean. Her flare for the brush is not confined by decades.

Fantone’s pop-art style drew the attention of reality television royalty. During
frequent visits to her Miami-based publicist’s office, the Kardashian sisters bore witness to the Montreal-born actress’ work.

It just so happened the sibling trio’s Dash Boutique was underneath her publicist’s office. The Kardashians commissioned Fantone to do a piece for them.

“It was such a delight because they are stunning ladies so I was really excited to do a piece for them,” she said. “The piece is now hanging in their Dash boutique in South Beach and it looks lovely.”

More of her work will colour the walls of the Kurbatoff Gallery of Vancouver in May in her own exhibit.

“I’m very excited to be having my next solo show,” she said, adding she’s mixing business with pleasure. “I will also be spending some time there for acting. Every day my schedule changes.”

When she’s not painting on one canvas she is in the foreground of another.

Though she was busy with Havana ’57, a previous role in the independent film My Name Is Sandy changed the way she looked at the world.

In the Marco Iammatteo film, she portrayed a French prostitute exploited on the streets of New York City.

“I have to admit I was quite judgemental when it came to the subject,” she said of the oldest profession. “My point of view of the matter has completely shifted.

“You learn that often for these women, prostitution is their only survival choice — that it’s not something they enjoy doing,” she said. “Some of them have had a terrible past that led them to prostitution, some of them have children to feed and are in a situation that offers them no other option.”

Being Sandy opened Fantone’s eyes.

“I didn’t want to dig deep into research to create this role because I wanted Sandy to be unique,” she said. “I owed it to Sandy to have a life of her own.”

Talia Russo, UMM Spring 2012

Talia Russo may stand at five-foot two but she’s a fully charged battery when it comes to powering her journey to success.

Having spent her early years in Liverpool, England and Israel before returning to her hometown Toronto, the femme flaneur has parlayed her self-driven passion for the spotlight into a successful acting, modelling and hosting career.

But she admits her self-motivation doesn’t come from the pursuit of fame but more from the realization that life is short.

Russo lost her father to soft-tissue cancer when she was six.

“I think mainly because a lot of people in my life have died, and I have seen how precious life is, and how short it is, I guess it’s just embedded in me, anything, just do it,” she said. “Don’t wait. People don’t have time to sit around and wait.

“I’ve always been a go-getting girl and if I have something that I want I will definitely knock down every door to get it,” she added. “But I’m nice about it.”

Her tenacity has paid off, and it started at the young age of 16 after appearing on MuchMusic’s Electric Circus.

“That was my first television experience and I didn’t know the impact it had until people in the club district would recognize me and shout out, ‘Supergirl’
because I used to wear a shirt that had a sequined S on it.”

She was then able to groove into a modelling career, one that has her in the Toronto Sun record books as the most prolific Sunshine Girl.

“I think all publicity is good publicity. Every little thing helps,” she said. “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish in your career.

“Just do anything and everything you can to get your name out there, as long as it’s tasteful and classy.”

There are a few promotional strategies she’s not interested in.

“I would never do reality TV,” she said. “I would never do ‘The Bachelor’.  Those girls are forgotten as soon as the new one comes up.

“I’ve been told I have good acting ability and hosting ability,” she said. “So, I want people to know me for my talent rather than some crazy reality television show that insults everybody.”

For now she’s hard at work writing and producing season 2 of her TV show ‘Around Town’ airing on CTV 2, and awaiting the release of her new movie Whiskey Business that she shot alongside Pauly Shore.

And she pulls no punches on where her loyalties lie.

“I want to stay in Canada,” she said. “I’m so proud to be Canadian that I don’t think I could be pulled down to the States.”

GETTING AHEAD: Jorgo Nika, in blue, was a standout performer during East York’s regular season. He helped his squad win the South Region championship, and now has earned his way into a 2nd Bundesliga team’s farm system in Germany.

Jorgo Nika playing with Eintracht Braunschweig under-19 squad

Jorgo Nika stands out.

But it’s not just his size that attracts attention. The East York grade 12’s on-field abilities helped lead his senior boys Goliaths to a South Region title, earned himself an MVP nod in the Canadian Soccer League and got some attention from under-19 team Eintracht Braunschweig in Germany.

“For the last four years I have worked really hard on having a good first touch, a great pass and a hard shot,” he wrote in an email, as he’s in Lower Saxony training with his new German team. “If you have good technique, it shows, it stands out and that’s what I think makes me stand out.”

The striker found himself motivated to work after failing to make the cut at the TFC Academy at age 16.

With resolve, he laboured to improve his skills and at age 18, he’s made it into Eintracht Braunschweig’s farm system.

“I realized that I had to work harder to be better than everyone else,” he said. “Getting cut motivated me to put in extra work on improving my skills.

“Now that I think about it, it was probably for the best because of the way things turned out.”

Jorgo’s father, Spiro, admitted over the phone that he got his son started when he was 3 years old while living in southern Albania.

“He is my product,” Spiro said, with a laugh. “I taught him everything in the field.”

The Nika family moved to East York when Jorgo was seven, and Jorgo started playing recreationally at 12.

Soccer is a universal language, Jorgo said, because even though he can’t speak German, his new teammates help him adjust to the new system.

“The coach and the guys on the team try hard to make sure I understand what’s going on and that makes things a lot easier,” he said.

Nika is unsure he’ll be back at East York CI for the City playoffs, but he said regular season play was an example of what happens when a team perseveres and shows heart.

“This year we had a good group of guys that all wanted to win and, except for one game, we did just that,” he said. “We started the season kind of sloppy, we were winning but it just didn’t feel right.

“After our loss to Western Tech, we all realized that the championship wasn’t going to be handed to us and that we had to work for it,” he added. “That was the turning point. From then on we didn’t concede any goals and won every playoff game with authority.”

As for his footie wanderlust in Deutschland, it’s not over just yet.

“The fact that I’m in a different country doesn’t change the game,” he said. “Even though I made it, I have only scratched the surface because I want to play with the (second Bundesliga) team.

“That’s my goal, and then I can say I made it.”

TO THE VICTORS SPOILS: Manny Diresa and James Sylvester celebrate their South Region title. The two were a key part of a 57-55 win over Oakwood.

Last second deuce by Jamar Martin seals win

With a giant grin, big man Jamar Martin beamed when reflecting on his game-winning deuce in the South Region finals.

Eastern Commerce’s senior boys basketball squad pulled out a dramatic 57-55 win over Oakwood, and it was a great way for Martin to end his basketball career with the Saints.

“I’ve been at Eastern my whole life, always wanted to beat Oakwood, … so this is the first time beating them,” he said.

In the dying moments, Saints point guard James Sylvester carried the ball into Barons territory, letting time slip away from the clock while the match was tied.

“I thought (Sylvester) was going to go to the wing to one of our best scorers Ammanuel (Diresa), but he went to our next senior Jamar, and Jamar caught it,” said coach Kevin Jeffers. “It was one of those weird slowed-down moments where Jamar caught the ball, a hook over the bigman, bounce, bounce and I’m like, ‘You’ve got to go in’ and it did.

“It was one of those feel good moments for him, fifth year guy.”

It was a sign of good teamwork for the Saints who snapped a South Region final losing streak.

“We stuck with it, and we never gave up,” Martin said. “At one point we were down, and just kept up our energy and we stayed together as a team, as a family.”

For the Gold and Blue, Barons coach Anthony Miller stressed the importance of ball possession and accuracy. Oakwood turned the ball over 24 times, a stat no team can recover from.

“If I go to the stats sheet and I look at it and see how many turnovers they had, I’m sure we had more,” Miller said. “How many free throws did they make compared to us? I’m sure they made more.

“If anybody has watched an NBA game, you hear that all the time, the team that turns the ball over more and misses more free throws loses the game.”

Still, Calvin Epistola led all Barons scorers with 13 points, while Tyrell Bellot-Green had 11.

Eastern Commerce started off slow, Jeffers said, but once they got moving their go-to guy was Sylvester, who scored 23 points.

“Sylvester started out the game missing and turning it over,” Jeffers said. “I pulled him out early, looked at him and said, ‘Where are you?’ ”

“We rely on him a lot, he’s a grade 12, and he’s one of our leaders and he came out,” he added. “Then I put him out, he gets a steal and dunk. Next, same deal and that made him come alive.”

Jeffers said the team was not finished as they headed into the AAAA City playoffs. First they beat Sir Wilfrid Laurier 65-56 on Feb. 16, bounced Silverthorn 73-63 in the semis and then eliminated West Hill 56-49 to qualify for the OFSAA championships.

CUTTHROAT DEFENCE: Riverdale’s Emma Gandy gets the blade-end of Nikki Walleh’s stick as she tries to drive into Oakwood’s zone. The Raiders would lose their Tier 2 semifinal 5-1.

Coach John Fallis lauds squad for their dedication

Four years ago, Riverdale CI was just starting its girls hockey program.

On Feb. 29, the team was taking part in its first ever Tier 2 semi-final game, a testament to the hard work put in by coaches John Fallis and James Lau, along with the dedicated roster.

Unfortunately the girls ran into a tough Oakwood Barons squad, dropping their match 5-1.

The girls were unfazed by the loss, celebrating after the game on the ice, skating to one end and firing back before diving on their bellies letting their momentum carry them to the other side.

“It was a great season. When we started four years ago, I don’t think we won a game or scored a goal, but now we get to the semifinals,” Fallis said. “It’s just good to be here. You can see the girls had a good time.”

During the regular season, Riverdale split their series with the Barons a game apiece. Still, Oakwood came out taking a 2-0 lead heading into the second period. Claire Russell and Nikki Walleh netted the markers.

At the 7:06 mark of the second, Oakwood pushed ahead by another goal thanks to Meredith O’Brien being fed by Zora Vaz and Russell.

The Raiders pressed on and a minute later they would crack Oakwood goalie Maggie Prince’s armour. K.D. O’Hara moved the puck into the Barons’ zone, lost it but teammate Ryan Steyer shot it over Prince’s blocker side.

However, in the third period Oakwood would pull away, seeing two goals being scored within a minute of each other. Russell notched her second, unassisted, by dumping the puck past Riverdale netminder Jenn Yee.

Monica Hammond would get the Barons’ fifth goal by way of Walleh and Alex Garreffa.

It will be the first time in a while Oakwood makes the Tier 2 finals, according to coach Lisa Palozzi.

“It’s very exciting to win 5-1. We were a little nervous,” she said. “We were missing three players but our whole season we’ve been short-shifting forwards.”

Oakwood played with a limited bench, cycling forwards in two at a time. Palozzi credited Russell and Prince for being her key players heading into the final against Silverthorn Spartans, March 6.

Fallis took his time to laud his veterans, seven of which will be lost to graduation. His co-coach Lau took time to highlight the work done by captain Emma Gandy, Steyer and blueliner Ariel Plytas.

“It’s been four years with these girls,” Lau said. “We built this team up from scratch.”

SPORTS IS NUMBER ONE: Varsity boys hockey captain, Dylan Ciccarelli, was a big role player on the team this year. Even though the Black Knights lost in the South Region semis, Ciccarelli said he felt he was a part of something bigger.

Hockey crew knows it’s a privilege, not a right to make the cut

Another page has turned in the annals of Malvern CI hockey, and the Black Knights are pleased with the chapter they’ve written for 2012.

After losing the South Region semis 3-1 to Humberside, Feb. 28, coach Brian Spanton took a moment to reflect on a year of surprises.

“There was a total ‘team first’ ethos on the whole team,” he said. “There were no egos and one place we thought we may have some questions was goaltending and our goaltender was terrific, Bolton Kirkof.”

The Black Knights lost a chunk of their experience to graduation, but the youth movement reached its peak when the squad beat last year’s OFSAA champions Brother Andre at the Oliver Mowat tournament.

“I think what happened was we just started looking at each other, the coaching staff, thinking, ‘Maybe we’re better than we thought?’ ” Spanton said.

By the end of the regular season the team had a 6-0-2 record and was tied with North Toronto for top spot in the South.

Spanton directed his attention to his captain, Dylan Ciccarelli, as the one who led the team through its transition.

“We really enjoyed having him around because he is a testament to the program we’re trying to run: school comes first, but very dedicated to the hockey program,” Spanton said.

Work ethic is the most important part of being a Black Knight.

“Even though we might not have had the most skilled team out there, always come to work and you get the win,” Ciccarelli said.

The 18-year-old defenceman sees it in his on-ice partner Will McLean, a grade 9 who is expected to become an anchor on the team’s blueline.

For players new and old, the coaching staff encourages them to look at the photo that hangs outside the athletic director’s office at Malvern. It’s a picture of the school’s 1955 city championship team, taken at Maple Leaf Gardens.

That black and white imprint motivates those donning the black and red.

“I think it makes us feel like we’re part of something bigger than just the season,” Ciccarelli said. “Really it’s a legacy, hockey at Malvern, and it’s always a team that’s done well and has been supported by the community.

“It’s that sense of history you have with putting on the jersey at Malvern, and it makes you work that little bit harder.”

KEEPING IT COOL: After scoring a hat trick, and adding three more assists during a Tier 2 North Region quarterfinal match, Cristine Chao hopes she can help elevate Earl Haig to a title victory.

Standout centre Cristine Chao credits her brother as biggest influence

During the North Region quarterfinal between Earl Haig and Sir John A. Macdonald, one player threaded the needle so often she could have made a quilt by the end of the game.

Skating around her opponents was Cristine Chao, a grade 9 whose on-ice prowess comes from eight years of playing hockey on the bantam AA boys hockey team, Toronto City Blues.

“My brother (Anthony) was playing and my mom would take me to their games,” Chao said of her hockey origins. “She actually started me in figure skating and I wouldn’t do some of the more girly moves.

“So then I was like, ‘Mom, can I play hockey?’ and she said, ‘No’,” Chao added. “One year later she signed me up and I started to play.”

Chao’s abilities and on-ice intelligence are giving her Earl Haig coach, Mike Canzi, reasons to be optimistic.

“She’s a really good resource to have to actually help in coaching the other girls and improving on their skills,” he said.

Most of Haig State’s roster includes grade 9s and 10s. Due to that closeness in age, the girls hang out with each other both on the ice and off.

Canzi takes a moment to joke with his rookie, who is quiet during her chat with the Town Crier.

“She’s become more vocal over the year,” he said. “I think part of it being a grade 9, she wasn’t unsure, but thought observe and see how the team works first.

“Through that leadership, you don’t get permission, but you start to express yourself more.”

Even though Chao is a freshman, she’s already looking at scholarships. She wouldn’t be the first alumna to head south for hockey. Tara Gray, who played for the Toronto Aeros, went to the University of Minnesota-Duluth on a full scholarship.

When asked why she loves Canada’s game, she gives a smile matching the curvature of her hockey stick’s blade.

“It’s different from other sports because it’s all on your feet, so you have to multitask,” she said. “You have to learn to skate, it’s intense and it’s just the feeling that you get when you play.”

As for the game against the Black Scots on Feb. 28, Haig State won 9-0. Chao had a hat trick and set up her teammates on three other markers, paving their way to a semi-final match against Northview Heights.