Emily Jerry has packed up her skates, goalie equipment, school supplies and everything else required to play hockey, and has joined the Thunder Bay Queen’s U15 AA hockey team. Emily, who turns 14 later this month, will be attending Hammarskjold High School along with her busy hockey schedule.
She shared with me, ”I will have three one-hour practices a week, with 15 minutes of dry land following each practice, and I am exhausted after the practices.”
Emily said that her move is going well. “The kids seem friendly. My billet family is great.”
Emily tried out for The Queen’s in April. She was very excited to receive a call at the end of her tryout week, to inform her she had been accepted to play.
Emily had tried out in Warroad Minnesota and had also made that team, but due to visas and other issues it didn’t work out.
Emily is no stranger to the ice. Emily started playing hockey at age five. She played one year IP(Tim Bits) and one year as a Novice player.
Emily started playing goalie full time the second year of Novice.
She played Emo Express Girls hockey for five years and Emo Express Boys(mixed) hockey last year, because there was no girls team in Emo. Emily has played summer hockey with the Northwest Mighty Moose Girls hockey and True North Blue girls hockey.
Emily has filled in for Old Timers hockey, women’s league, men’s league in Emo when they have been short goalies. Emily has played lots of 3 on 3 in Emo, Fort Frances, Baudette and International Falls and has gone to two Goalie Camps with Iron Range Goalie Academy.
This past summer Emily received a half scholarship to go to the Gigi Marvin Rink Rat 19 Hockey School in Warroad.
Emily’s favourite part of hockey is the competitiveness, the camaraderie with teammates, and playing music in the dressing room before games.
Rarely has Emily said no to playing, if someone needed a goalie.
Emily’s favourite memories are winning a 16-round shootout in Dryden, meeting and playing with Olympic gold medallist Gigi Marvin.
Emily is looking forward to meeting new friends, travelling to new places, and having a full-time hockey coach. When I asked Emily when she became interested in playing hockey she shared, “I was in dance classes that would take place upstairs at the arena in Emo. I didn’t pay attention very much as I was always looking out the windows at the hockey going on downstairs on the ice. I didn’t learn much at dance class.”
When asked what she thought about hockey in the Rainy River District Emily shared, that although she only played in Emo, she loves the small town atmosphere; people are always more than willing to help. Emo hockey lacks nothing in teaching, sportsmanship and everything else that comes with top notch hockey programs.
Emily shared, “Both Jamie Booth and Terry Martin are the best hockey coaches anyone could ever hope for.”
“Amazing”, is word she chose to describe Booth and Martin.
Emily shared that one of the best things that came out of hockey for her was meeting her best friend Sienna Tom. Sienna is an amazing defence hockey player.
I chatted with Sienna and she was more than willing to tell me that her friendship with Emily is also the best thing that has come out of their time playing with the Emo Minor Hockey Association.
The friends have played hockey together for four years and Sienna’s favourite memories are playing together in their spring/summer teams and getting to experience a higher level of competitive hockey with her.
When I asked Sienna if she ever played a game against Emily she told me that the only time they have played against each other was their 3on3.
“It’s really difficult for me because she knows where I shoot, so it forces me to to change my shot,” she said.
When I asked Sienna her hopes for Emily she wholeheartedly replied, ”My hopes for Emily this year as she plays Queen’s Hockey is that she impresses many people and has lots of fun in Thunder Bay. After high school, I hope she will play for a good college or university and get noticed for her great effort, dedication and sportsmanship.”
Emily is very grateful for the support of her parents Dale and Tara Jerry, grandparents Alex and Laurie Anderson, Allan and Aleata Jerry and the many well wishers that are so proud of this Devlin girl.
I’v known Emily for many years and I will always remember going for walks past her home, even as a young girl she always took the time to say hi. A truly kind, talented young lady.
Emily was honoured with a going away gathering at her home on September 3, before she left for Thunder Bay. Many of her classmates and hockey friends attended. It was a great send off for a hockey player, and friend who so many are rooting for and proud of.
Emily and her team have played one hockey game which they lost 2-1 against the U13 Kings. The Queens U15 AA schedule can be found on www.thunderbayqueens.com.
Emily’s parents are very happy and excited for Emily to be playing hockey for the Queen’s. They do plan on making a lot of trips to Thunder Bay to support their daughter.
When asking Terry Martin about his coaching years with Emily I could hear in his voice the admiration he has for Emily. Martin shared, “her desire to be on the ice and improve her skills on any shots was always forefront on the ice. She was a coachable player goalie. Her desire to learn is one of her many goalie strengths. After a game she would always ask, ‘what could I have done better to avoid that miss? Was I out of position?’”
Emily was always looking to improve whether it was a high stake or just-for-fun game. Emily has been a strong component for Emo Hockey, and a backbone to a lot of her team. Martin shared, ”Emily has always built up other players.”
There are times she’s hard on herself, as the goalie sometimes takes the brunt of the game. Her attitude and willingness to learn has no end. Emily is the same on the ice, on the street or wherever you see her. Martin wishes her all the best and knows she has no limits in her upcoming life and whatever paths she chooses.
Jamie Booth was eager to share with me, “Emily has been a goalie since she started playing. Her positioning and rebound control are both exceptional and she has a never give up attitude. Emily is also very athletic which is a key to being a good goalie.”
