Chantal St-Laurent

“I started playing ringette 22 years ago with the Charlesbourg Ringette Association. I immediately loved the sport and I believe this love will last forever. My competitiveness and my will to progress led me from U19 B level (yes indeed!) to the AA Open category and I joined the Quebec Cyclones when I was 15. The years I spent with this team shaped my life. I grew tremendously, both personally and as an athlete, with people who I considered my second family. Without a doubt, my best memories are the moments that I spent with the Cyclones, both on and off the ice. The 12 seasons I played at this level allowed me to progress rapidly and persevere in order to compete with the top players in Canada and I was lucky enough to compete at five Canadian Ringette Championships. Ringette is an integral part of my life and has factored into many of my key decisions, including the decision to move three years ago. I am now starting my fourth season with the Gatineau Fusion and my fourteenth season at the highest elite level in Canada. Thanks to my perseverance and my will over the the years, I reached my objective of making the National Team and took part in the 2016 World Ringette Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Competing against the best athletes in the world and representing your country is one of the best feelings a ringette athlete can experience. Year after year I learned from the best players and in turn I gave a lot of my time to pass this knowledge onto the younger generation. I have facilitated several open houses, was an instructor at several summer camps, held clinics and training sessions for young local teams, and the list goes on! The advice I would give to young ringette players is to believe in yourself, never quit, and have fun playing with your teammates.” – Chantal St-Laurent (Charlesbourg, Quebec)