By Taya Currie is making hockey history. At just 16 years old, she became the first ever female goalie (and player!) in the Ontario Hockey League draft pick this past Saturday. A huge deal in the hockey community.
Currie is a goaltender from Parkhill, Ontario. She was selected in the 14th round by the Sarnia Sting. Currie has been playing for 7 years, last playing for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs Triple-A boys’ under 16 team. She had the choice to stick with the girls program when they were at the age to split, however, she opted to stay with the boys.
The goalie told the Observer that she did not really think twice about it. She said “I’m used to playing with boys. It’s just like a regular thing to me. I’m just continuing my path in hockey.” It seems to be second nature for her.
This young hockey player has some impressive skills. She is not worried about playing with boys. Currie was interviewed by OHL TV. When asked how she wanted to be treated, she said, “Treat me like a normal player. Don’t think of it as a girl, that I stand out. I want to be a normal teammate to all the boys. I want to be a family with them.”
Other Women In Hockey
This is a huge step for young women, especially in a sport that is predominately male. Manon Rhéaume, the only woman to play in the NHL, made history when played for the Tampa Bay Lightning in an exhibition game against the St. Louis Blues in 1992. Rhéaume congratulated Currie on Twitter on her draft pick.
In addition to Rheaume congratulating Taya, Shannon Szbados, another female hockey goalie tweeted her congratulations to Currie. Szbados most recently dressed for a game with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League in 2003-04, being the first female goaltender to do so. She is also a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist.
The female goalie told OHL TV that she “can be a role model for so many young girls to follow their dreams.” This is a huge step for young girls who are in similar situations or who are also playing on all male teams. By getting drafted, she is already showing how much of a role model she can be to young girls everywhere.
As a young woman who wants to pursue a career in the sports industry, this is very exciting to see. This is definitely a step in the right direction. This opens up so many opportunities and doors for young women looking to break into the sports or the industry in general.
Currie’s Skills
There is no doubt that Currie is a great goalie. She is fast and has great skill. In fact, Sarnia general manager Dylan Seca told The Observer that Currie was drafted solely based on how she plays the game. He did not want to draft her because she is a girl. He wanted her based on how she plays the game, and her being a female player just makes it more exciting. Taya has athleticism and she has the skill that goalies need. She is extremely talented in the net and has no trouble keeping up with the boys. She told CTV News that she “wants to be the goalie everyone hates to play against but loves to have on the team.” I think that she will have a pretty good job at doing so. It is exciting to see that her skills are going to take her far.
Taya Currie is definitely a name that all hockey fans should look out for. She is already making a name for herself in the OHL, and I believe that her story is just getting started. Currie has the talent and skills that will get her far in her hockey career, and it will be exciting to see where she goes next. I wish her the best of luck in the future.
Other hockey articles:
https://jerseycolumn.com/sam-morin-comeback-story-take-2/
https://jerseycolumn.com/will-the-nhl-ever-fix-their-officiating-problem/
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