by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — It was a younger brother who showed an older sister that playing hockey is fun — and five years later, that older sister is now playing for the Lady Sens Bantam AA.
Eryka Lariviere began skating as a young child, but the thoughts of putting a ‘cage’ on her face wasn’t for her.
“I hated that so much, I didn’t want to wear it,” she said.
However, at the age of 9, she decided to follow in her younger brother Riley’s footsteps and take up hockey.
“I started playing because Riley actually started his first year in IP and it was half-way through the season, I told my dad I wanted to play, after I said I never wanted to,” she recalled.
“I found out there is more to it than just playing hockey. You become a big family.”
Looking back over the past few months, Eryka, now 14, said she was encouraged by friends and coaches, to try out for the Lady Sens. She missed the first try-out, but decided to go for the second one.
At the end of April, the Cobden hockey player was told she made the defensive line on the team, which is made up of hockey players 13 and 14 years old.
The Lady Sens have played exhibition games and last weekend participated in the Stoney Creek Showcase. Eryka noted there were 48 teams in the tournament, and they were one of the top 12.
“We were in the semi-finals for bronze and lost in over-time,” she said, explaining there were bronze, silver and gold for each of the medal divisions.
This Saturday, Eryka will be playing in her first home game for the Lady Sens. The game is at Carleton University on Saturday at 5 p.m.
“I’m excited,” she said.
Eryka began her hockey career with the Cobden Cobras, a house league team. Two years later, she joined the Ottawa Valley Thunder, playing on atom, peewee and bantam teams.
But, Eryka didn’t just play hockey in the winter months, she also played spring hockey, which is a higher calibre, which gave her the confidence to try out for the Lady Sens.
“The Lady Sens are more of a challenge,” she said. “We’re all just trying to do our best.”
The Lady Sens Bantam AA is much faster hockey, Eryka said.
Her mother Megan also noted it’s much more serious hockey. There’s not as much joking around in the dressing room or on ice.
Along with playing in games, Eryka must also attend practices, which are in Kanata. Practices are on and off the ice, which includes working out at FitQuest with circuit training, including weights and various machines. The on-ice practices are for building stamina, learning to skate at a much faster pace and of course the strategies of the coaches and how her teammates play hockey.
It’s important players get to know their teammates, how they play, where they play, their strengths and weaknesses, Eryka said.
“Different positions need different strengths,” she said.
To help the hockey players, who come from as far away as Deep River down to the other side of Ottawa, Eryka said there was a team bonding weekend. The team was split into three groups and given various challenges.
“By the end of the weekend, we knew everyone,” she said.
Eryka stresses while she’s there for the game of hockey, there’s also the social aspect of hockey. Throughout the years, she has met people from throughout the area, not just those who live near her.
Playing at the Lady Sens level can be expensive, so the team is working together to raise funds for the Lady Sens’ Intermediate AA, Midget AA and Bantam AA teams through an online auction.
Funds raised by the auction will help offset the costs of ice time, league registrations, tournaments, uniforms, team wear, strength and conditioning programs, etc.
To check out the auction items, google Lady Sens and click on the links. Bidding closes on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. Eryka was successful in getting local businesses to donate towards the auction.
A Grade 9 student at Opeongo High School, Eryka relies on her parents, Megan and Justin, to take her to Ottawa for practices and games at least four times a week.
Eryka is also helping the novice house league on-ice once a week, and plays rugby at high school. In the summer she enjoys playing soccer.
As for her favourite hockey players, they are currently two Ottawa Senator players, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Dion Phaneuf (formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs).
