After years or battling on the ice, Anastasia Boge fought even harder to have a team from her community join the Manitoba Women's High School Hockey League, and while she won't be able to play, her hard work did pay off.
This year, Boge helped get the co-op hockey team representing Ste. Anne and Ile des Chenes into the MWHSHL and she says her love of the game goes way back. "I've always skated because we had an outdoor rink in our yard," she details fondly. "My dad always wanted to play with us, he wanted us to be hockey players. I started with the Lorette Comets when I was just five years old."
Growing up through the Comets programs, Boge says she loved every minute. "It was so great," she says with a smile, "I made so many friends that are still great friends of mine and we had a chance to play with even this year. It's been a great experience."
Truly loving the game of hockey comes naturally to Boge, so says her family are also big into the sport. "Hockey is a huge thing for my family. We love watching and it's been great getting to learn the game. I'm a competitive person, I'd say, so it's been great growing up and leaving everything out there in the game trying to win."
As a student-athlete, Boge admits it was always easier to focus on hockey over studies. "So, I think I kept up with school pretty well, but I would be honest, hockey was a thing I enjoyed more than school. I'd still find time to do my homework but it really was all about hockey."
Boge is just 17-years-old but she details that she's been watching women's hockey trending upward, which she says is massive. "I really started paying attention in ninth grade. I noticed that DSFM or Gab-Roy didn't have a team, I was really intrigued on getting something started because I could see women's hockey really growing."
Despite being just in the ninth grade, Boge says she was never afraid to bring up the issue, even when she faced hurdles. "When I first brought up the issue, they said there wasn't enough girls. I brought it up every year and finally in 11th grade, I noticed there were a lot more girls wanting to paly hockey. I talked to them and they all wanted to make this team happen. I got the girls rallied up, we found ice times, we found coaches and all of that. Unfortunately, the timing didn't work out that year but this year, I'm so glad it's happening this year though for everyone that's coming into high school and that can now play on the team."
Building a legacy as a community leader is something Boge is very, very proud of. "It means a lot to me because this hockey team is really important to me. I'm super glad that these girls get to play on a team in high school and get to experience this."
Friendships that last a lifetime is something Boge has taken away from sport and she couldn't be more exited to give other young women athletes a chance to build those relationships at a very important time in their lives. "It means so much. I know that a lot of girls in our school are pretty close and they play hockey. I'm so excited they get to play next year and grow their friendships, they can learn more about hockey together and compete together. Playing hockey with someone can really connect you as people."
For this upcoming season, there will be six home games in Ile des Chenes and six in Ste. Anne, but for game one, Boge says she would love to drop the ceremonial face off. "I would love, love to do that," she says a laugh.
The future is very bright for Boge, who plans to keep up the hard work in the classroom but also admits staying in the game would be very important for her. "I'm going to school at Providence University, doing a business degree. I'm hoping to maybe assistant coach, I'd love have a part to do with it because I've been working on it for so long. I would like to experience it with everyone."
Working with Kevin Lansard would also be a highlight for Boge. "I'd love to work with him. Love, love love."
The new season cannot come soon enough and no matter what happens, where she is or what she's doing, the legacy of Anastasia Boge will be on display every time that team touches the ice.