WATERLOO 鈥�听Leah Herrfort will join Canada鈥檚 women鈥檚 hockey team for a second time at the FISU Winter World University Games later this month for a chance to win another gold medal.听
The winter edition of the university games, hosted by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), are held every two years for student athletes aged 18 to 25.听
Between Jan. 13 to 23, this year鈥檚 FISU event will feature 11 sports in six municipalities in Italy鈥檚 Piemonte Region. 听
Herrfort, 23, is a post-graduate student at the University of Waterloo, who has always had a full schedule when it comes to sports.听
She found her passion for hockey at a young age in her hometown of Palmerston and hasn鈥檛 stopped since.听
鈥淚 started figure skating at the age of four, but I obviously didn鈥檛 like figure skating very much so I switched to hockey,鈥� Herrfort told the Advertiser.听
The forward has been playing with the Waterloo Warriors university hockey team, hoping to land a professional opportunity.
All FISU athletes must be registered as proceeding towards a degree or diploma at a university or similar institute to be eligible for the games, so Herrfort decided to stay for another year with her team.
She was at work when the good news arrived.
鈥淢y boyfriend was ecstatic and my family was really happy for me,鈥� she said.听
The Warriors also shared a burst of excitement for Herrfort at a recent game.
鈥淚 was actually surprised by how loud they were; it was a nice feeling to know that they were happy for me because I鈥檓 going to have to miss four (regular season) games,鈥� she explained.听
Second time around
At the 2023 FISU games, Herrfort and her Canadian teammates took home the gold medal with a 5-0 win over Japan in Lake Placid, NY.听
With a 鈥渟trong team of players鈥� behind her, Herrfort is feeling 鈥減retty confident鈥� in her abilities and the team鈥檚 prospects听this time around.听
鈥淎t this point in my career I鈥檓 a little bit better at handling those emotions,鈥� she said.
鈥淚鈥檓 not walking into this thinking we have it in the bag by any means 鈥� there鈥檚 going to be some tough competition.鈥�听
She added, 鈥淚 remember two years ago the feeling of putting on the Team Canada jersey because the jersey is exactly the same as everybody else that鈥檚 been on the team.鈥�
She snapped a picture of herself, sharing the proud moment with her family members.
Herrfort is looking forward to experiencing that feeling for a second time.听
The FISU tournament offers young athletes the chance to be scouted, which is at the forefront of Herrfort鈥檚 mind as she enters her last season with the Waterloo Warriors.听
She has a few decisions to make this year regarding her next steps in the world of hockey.听
鈥淚鈥檓 considering going overseas to play,鈥� she explained. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 all up in the air.鈥�听
Her end goal is to land a position in the Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League, but 鈥渋t鈥檚 a tough league to make,鈥� she said.听
Leah Herrfort playing for Team Canada at the 2023 FISU Games in Lake Placid, NY. Advertiser file photo
Growing up in sports
Although her schedule is constantly filled with sports, school and work, Herrfort wouldn鈥檛 want it any other way.
鈥淚 think I鈥檇 go crazy if I wasn鈥檛 busy,鈥� she said.
Along with hockey, she also plays for the Palmerston Marlins softball team.
鈥淭he nice thing about softball is that it鈥檚 pretty much all summer and we don鈥檛 really do much in the winter,鈥� giving Herrfort the chance to focus on hockey during the colder months.听
Her struggle began when she took on competitive softball, creating additional practices, even in the winter.听
鈥淭hat year was really tough,鈥� she said.
鈥淲hen I played in Palmerston, it was much easier because I was living there so I could pop downtown for a practice at the high school and then obviously make it to my hockey.鈥�听
But making it to practices never seemed like a chore for Herrfort, as 鈥渕y sports gave me all my friends; I always want to go to practice.鈥�听
Marlins head coach Ken Iles has watched Herrfort grow since she was 11 years old playing ball with his daughter.
鈥淪he knows when it鈥檚 game time; she has that ability to flip that switch and she鈥檚 ready to play,鈥� Iles told the Advertiser.
He stepped into the coaching role three years ago, but has been with the Marlins organization since 2013.听
鈥淪he鈥檚 a born leader 鈥� she鈥檚 not the captain of our team, but she still has that leadership ability in her,鈥� he said.
Iles added Herrfort has also grown to be a great person and said he would 鈥渓ove to have 13 players like her.鈥�
Herrfort is set to hit the ice with her teammates on Jan. 11 against Chinese Taipei in Torino, Italy.听
For more information visit the FISU website at.听
