Page 33 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 63

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #63 February 2018 33

Clarkson University, Including Two Former Colts Players,

Win the Friendship Four Tournament in Northern Ireland

By Molly Kett and America. Sport has the ability to
unite communities and provide a conduit
larkson University’s Assistant to revitalize the deep and broad cultural
CCoach Phil Roy had nothing but ties between America and Northern
great things to say about the team’s Ireland”
experience in Northern Ireland. Between The tournament took place during
the sightseeing, the connections made American Thanksgiving and was
and the hockey played, the team came comprised of teams from NCAA’s
home with an experience they’ll Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey, who
remember for a lifetime. travelled to Belfast, Northern Ireland to
Winning the tournament helps, too. compete for the Belpot Trophy.
This was the third Friendship Four “It’s a phenomenal tournament,
Tournament held in Northern Ireland. we got to play against teams out of
This tournament celebrates the Boston conference for us as a Division 1 team
and Belfast sister city agreement. and the sightseeing and everything they
According to the tournament’s website, organized…we saw some castles, we
this tournament works to “foster stronger saw the Causeway which was right on
cultural, economic, and academic the shore of the ocean, we went to the
partnerships between Northern Ireland museum where they actually built the

Brought to you by Rookez-Edge
Rookie of the Month

Kate Villeneuve Clarkson University, including former Colt players Grant Cooper
& Marley Quince, celebrate their Friendship Four Tournament win.
Grade: 10 Age: 16 Photo Submitted
School: St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School Titanic,” says Coach Roy. “We had with the time change and your departure
Hometown: Cornwall American thanksgiving there, which and then once you get down there, we
Kate Villeneuve is no stranger to the ice. This may be her they created just for us, so it was pretty did a lot of sight seeing, so as a coach
rookie season with the St. Joe’s Panthers girls’ hockey team, cool.” you’ve got to combine the enjoyment
but she’s a seasoned veteran when it comes to her favourite Roy says the tournament helps young and sightseeing and making sure you
sport. Kate, who just recently celebrated her 16th birthday, is a players recognize the great level of take it all in, but you also have a job to
forward with the Ottawa Lady ’67s. hockey being played by the Belfast do and that’s to win the game.”
According to Panthers co-coach Keith Dickson, Kate is one of
the top forwards on the team. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, Giants in the EIHL (Elite Ice Hockey If you ever get a chance to visit
as she will be moving to Toronto at the end of this summer League) and potentially decide to play Northern Ireland and catch a Giants’
to play for the midget AA Etobicoke junior Dolphins. She’s for them one day. game, Coach Roy strongly recommends
“I had a chance to play in that league it.
excited about the move; a decision which was made by the whole family.Kate is an honour roll years ago before I started coaching and On this winning team are two
student with an 89% average, which is fortunate because this young player is attracting attention
from NCAA and CIS schools. Her academic interests include chemistry, especially the idea of actually Belfast was in the league when important players from right here in

doing research in the field. I played. It’s a nice rink…they love their Cornwall, Grant Cooper and Marley
“I like playing [hockey] with new people,” she says of her experience with the Panthers. “I get to hockey,” shares Coach Roy. Quince.
spend time with and see people at school. It’s a lot of fun.” Coach Roy says that from the bench, “Grant has been doing really well as a
there were a few moments that stood out. freshman. Right away he came in, high-
“A couple days before the first game, energy guy, blocking shots, playing the
we did a school tour and we saw a lot game in the right way. Unfortunately he
of elementary school kids… at the 7 injured himself and he’ll be out for the
HOCKEY CLEARANCE o’clock game they had these school kids remainder of the season, but as far as his

at the rink and it was so loud. I don’t first half, it was a really good freshman
SALE ON NOW remember playing a game that was this year,” says Coach Roy. “Marley’s a
loud,” recalls Coach Roy. “So that was similar type of player, plays a hard,
400 Second St. W. Cornwall one of the moments I remember on the heavy game up and down the sheet; he’s
613-938-0001 • www.rookez-edge.com bench. The other moment is winning been really good for us as well. They’re
against Providence and being able to get two important players for our success
on the ice and celebrate. It’s a long trip this year.”