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Action Girl of the Year for 2010, Michelle Lemoignan
Saturday March 27, 2010 |
The first time we meet Michelle was about 8 years ago when she was still in high school playing drums in the band out of Toronto, Canada, Tuuli. Tuuli’s lead singer, Jennifer MacIsaac introduced us to her. Soon after that, Michelle started contributing to our site as our fashion correspondent, while she was designing her own clothing line called, Angel Venom. I remember thinking that, she rocks on the drums and she’s totally into fashion, how cool is that??? It wasn’t until a few years later that we found out that she’s a star hockey player too.
Now at 25, Michelle is currently the captain of the Fury, her co-ed hockey team.
This cool girl is a drummer, a model, a fashion designer, a businesswomen and a hockey play??? Michelle is truly a very cool, cool girl.
We are based here in Orange County, California, and know nothing regarding hockey, so we asked our hockey aficionado, Laura Encarnado to help us with the questions. Thanks, Laura!
Cool Girls: With being on 2 teams, I can imagine your schedule is pretty hectic. What's the routine like?
Michelle: My routine can get really hectic playing on two teams. The toughest thing is when I have games scheduled for both teams on the same night. Sometimes I have to keep all my gear on but my skates just to make it to the next game on time! And some months are crazier then others. Like last February,
I had 18 games in 28 days! But to tell you the truth, if I could play on a third team, I probably would!
-Is there any major difference between playing with all girls or a coed team?
There are a couple differences between playing women’s hockey and coed hockey. In our women’s hockey we have a coach on the bench with us at all times. And if you aren't playing your position properly, or taking too long of shifts, you'll hear about it as soon as you hit the bench. There's a lot of structure to it. In co-ed hockey, everyone is expected to hold their own on the ice. The play is a bit quicker, and you play against some people who are twice your size, which means keeping your head up at all times is very important.
-What kind of duty does a team captain have?
A captain has a few duties. I think the most important duty to me is bringing a group of 12-16 players together and making them feel like a team, on and off the ice. You have to keep everyone’s morale high, even when the team isn't having its best game. When there are problems with calls, or a team member has a question, the captain is in charge of voicing the concerns to the ref's or timekeeper. And of course, we aren't being paid to play; we do it for the fun of it. So, I think it's also important to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves!
-How do you prepare for your games? Do you have a pre-game ritual or any superstitions?
No superstitions! But I always eat a good meal before I play (usually pasta) to give me lots of energy. Other then that, I usually slip a really good rock CD into my player on the drive to the game. 9 times out of 10 it's Rise Against!
-What players do you look up too and what have they taught you?
The first player I ever admired was Manon Rheaume. I was about 9 or 10 years old when she was making a name for herself. Rheaume is a goalie from Canada and is the only woman to ever play in a NHL game. She played for the Tampa Bay Lighting in an exhibition game and I thought that was the coolest thing.
-Ever have any serious injuries?
Most injuries occur when players are skating with their heads down so keeping your head up is very important. Both my women and co-ed leagues are non-contact, but that doesn't stop contact from happening. I think the worst I had was a hip-to-hip collision at full speed with a guy who had about 100lbs on me. My hip was black and blue for two weeks after that!
I've seen a girl get carried off the ice on a stretcher. Things like concussions, knee injuries, and broken ankles happen too. But like any other sport, there's always a risk of being injured. It just comes with the game.
-We know you've worked as a model, and your friends have referred to you as a girlie girl. How did you become such a devoted hockey player, and at the same time keep your femininity?
I've loved hockey since the day I was born. It's always been something very natural to me. I grew up in a hockey family where my dad coached, and my brother played fairly competitively. So it's something that I've taken along with me as I was doing everything else in my life like modeling and fashion design. Hockey is my "escape" from the everyday. I can go, work up a big sweat and come off the ice as a mess, and no one cares!
-What's next for you?
My hope is to continue playing hockey for as long as possible! Aside from hockey, I am in the process of opening a cupcake shop called Flirt in Edmonton. It's a really exciting project for me. I am an entrepreneur at heart. Doing this business feels as natural to me as showing up to play hockey!
-Where's your shop located and when do you plan on opening? And do you have a website?
Our shop is currently in renovation mode and is located in the heart of Edmonton, in the Old Strathcona area. My goal is to open Flirt's door for February 2009! And of course, one of our cupcakes will be named in honour of my hockey team, Fury! www.flirtcupcakes.com
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us, also, best of luck with, Flirt! We know it will be a huge success!
And congratulations on being our first ever, Action Girl of the Year! Every year from now on, we’ll be featuring a new girl that excels in sports and in life.
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