Harmony Chicoose is from Pasqua First Nation and she plays NCAA hockey for Johnson & Wales University as the women's team captain.
This past offseason, Chicoose had the opportunity to speak at a summer camp that her brother helped run. Chicoose spoke with kids about her journey in hockey. Talking with those kids was a big moment for Chicoose because it made her realize she was a mentor.
"I wouldn't change it for the world. I was given so many different opportunities that if I had stayed home, I don't think I would have gotten," Chicoose told SportsCage host Barney Shynkaruk. "I think it was in that moment that clicked that I have a younger audience looking up to me."
Chicoose had a unique recruitment to Johnson & Wales University.
“I was recruited during that wonky time of COVID where we couldn't go do campus tours or anything like that. I was being sent pictures from the coach who used to be here and tried to do as much as we can virtually,” Chicoose said.
“Honestly, the pictures and the two campuses is what really drew me in. Being from Saskatchewan, it's flat and not near any volume of water. It would be pretty cool to play hockey, that's always been my dream ever since I was little. Right on the ocean was honestly perfect for me.”
This is Chicoose's fourth year at Johnson & Wales University, where she is majoring in exercise and sports science.
"Right along that athletic trail to be an athletic trainer, hopefully in the future, and work with athletes in that capacity."
The two role models that Chicoose looks up to are hockey players Brigette Lacquette and Kris Letang.
"When I was younger, specifically one indigenous role model I had was Brigette Lacquette," Chicoose said. "As a defenceman, I always wanted to be like her. She had an amazing shot -- I wanted to have a shot like her."
Lacquette played for Team Canada in the 2018 Olympics and won a silver medal. She is currently a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks.
According to Chicoose, she picked Letang as a role model because of how adaptable he is.
"For him, he was more my role model because I was growing up so defensive-minded," Chicoose said. "Watching him play, it was nice to see that you can be so versatile as a player."
Letang is still in the NHL playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins and has won three Stanley Cups and multiple individual awards.
Since Chicoose is from Canada, she has a different experience travelling to hockey games when she was younger compared to her teammates that were born in the USA.
"It was funny talking to teammates. The farthest I would travel is an hour to play a team," Chicoose said. "You know I played in the CSSHL before this, and we would travel three days to go play in a showcase."
