Future Fund Ambassador: Laura Stacey

Laura Stacey is a two-time Olympian and a member of the Canadian women’s national ice hockey team. She comes from a lineage of accomplished hockey players who inspired her participation in the sport from the age of four.

Understanding the importance of sport at a young age, Laura advocates for kids to get active. Read on to see how.

Q: How did hockey impact your childhood and, as a result, your adulthood?

A: Hockey has had a huge impact on my life both in childhood and adulthood as it has shaped who I am and who I have become. As a child it allowed me to dream and begin chasing those dreams. It provided me with teammates who became family, allowed me to stay active and healthy, and taught me life lessons that I have carried with me to this day. Hockey showed me the true value of hard work, discipline, passion, competition, teamwork, and resilience. It has challenged me, forced me outside of my comfort zone, and constantly allowed me to grow as both an athlete and a human being. I truly would not be the person I am today if hockey was not in my life and I owe a lot of my lifelong friendships to this amazing sport!

Q: Involvement in sport is known to have a positive influence on children’s self-esteem and overall mental health. Can you share how sport influenced your well-being in your youth?

A: Sport influenced my well-being and mental health when I was a kid because I was constantly surrounded by teammates who lifted me up, supported me, challenged me, and wanted me to succeed. Growing up with 23 best friends (on my team) every year was very lucky to have as we navigated life together. Showing up at the rink was always a happy place for me and no matter what else happened that day for 1.5-2hrs I knew I was going to have a smile on my face and simply just enjoy!

Q: You created and run an annual road hockey tournament, LS7 Sticks in for Charity. What inspired you to do this, and what direct impacts have you seen from this initiative?

A: After the 2018 Winter Olympics when I came back home with a silver medal, I was a little lost and did not know what was next or where to go from there. In May of 2018, all of my family was at my parent's house in Etobicoke and a few of us went outside on the street to play a little road hockey and shoot some pucks. All of a sudden it turned into a big road hockey game with a lot of neighbours coming out to join. It was an awesome afternoon and reminded me of my childhood when we would play road hockey outside for hours until our parents called us in for dinner. My sister’s husband looked at me and said, “Laura, you should start a charity road hockey tournament.” I was completely in as soon as he said it and in less than two months we put together the first LS7 Sticks In For Charity Road Hockey Tournament.

We did not have crazy expectations since it was such a quick turnaround but we knew that our goal was to get kids outside, off their phones and tablets, and enjoy a day of sport (road hockey) in the community. It ended up turning into something even bigger than we ever could have imagined and we started raising proceeds that allowed us to give back to local schools and charities, giving kids the gift of sport. It is something I am extremely proud of and hope to continue to do for a very long time. Seeing the smiles on kids' faces when they get the opportunity to play a sport is something truly special.

Q: You work closely with KidSport, a charity making sport accessible for kids by removing financial barriers. What has been your most rewarding moment working with them?

A: The most rewarding moment is seeing the smile on a child's face who has the opportunity to play sports for the first time or hearing stories about the impact that sport can have on an individual's life. I have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by all different sports in my life and my parents allowed me to play them all when I was younger. So, if I have the chance to give even one kid the same opportunity that I had when I was younger, then I think that is a success.

Q: What exciting things are on the horizon for you and your hockey career?

A: Women’s hockey has a lot of exciting things on the horizon, as the Professional Women’s Hockey League has been launched and will officially be starting in January. I signed with Team Montreal and training camps have just started. So, it is an extremely exciting time with the first year of this inaugural league beginning.

Q: If you could give your 14-year-old self three pieces of advice, what would they be?

A: 1. Never give up. People are always going to doubt you. People are always going to tell you, you can’t. People are always going to say you are too big, too small, too slow, not good enough. But if you set your mind on something and your heart is burning with passion you never know what you can achieve. My favourite quote is “Good timber does not grow with ease, the stronger the wind, the stronger the tree.”
2. Dream big. No dream is ever too big!
3. Have fun. Everything is so much easier and more enjoyable when we are having fun. You know you are passionate about something when you can’t stop SMILING deep down.

Follow along with Laura on social at @laurastacey7 and online through her website.

Images by: Arianne Bergeron Photography

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