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20 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 Local teen youngest ever to play for national inline hockey team YOUNG BLOOD: By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Nicole Collier will play for the Canadian national women's inline hockey team at next week's world championships in Colombia. The 14-year-old T.A. Blakelock student is the youngestever player to make the national squad, which also features three-year veteran Lindsay Grigg. PHOTO SUBMITTED She's the youngest player to ever make the national women's inline hockey team, but that feat hasn't gone to Nicole Collier's head. "I have no idea (how I made this team)," said the 14-year-old T.A. Blakelock student, who felt the older players trying out for the squad had an advantage in both experience and finesse. "I just went for it and tried my best, and apparently I fit in." Collier apparently did more than that at the national team tryouts, held last month in Mississauga. She caught the attention of Canadian coach Donna Forbes, who sees a bright future for the young defenceman. "Nicole was a pleasant surprise at tryouts. She plays with confidence and patience, (and) I was shocked to find out she was only 14 years old," Forbes said. "She definitely has the potential of being on this team for a lot of years." Collier's more immediate concern, however, will be trying to help Canada win gold at the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) World Inline Hockey Championships next week in Colombia. She'll be joined on the Canadian squad by fellow Oakville resident Lindsay Grigg, an Oakville Ice product who is coming off her first NCAA season at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The defenceman will be making her third appearance at the world championships. "Lindsay's a very talented player that has great puck control and vision," Forbes said. "She sets up the play and knows when to jump up and add an offensive threat." Canada is looking to end a gold-medal drought at the world championships, settling for four silvers and a bronze at the past five tournaments. In last year's final, the United States scored with less than a second left in regulation to beat Canada 3-2. Collier wasn't around for that heartbreaking ending, but said it's apparent her teammates haven't forgotten. "They're not mad anymore," she said. "Well, they're still kind of mad, but they're just more focused on winning now." The FIRS world championships will begin Sunday and conclude next weekend. Sign up for OSC's Summer Soccer Fun Camp today! Available weeks: July 9-13, July 16-20, July 23-27, July 30-Aug 3, Aug 13-17 & 20-24 Cost: Full Day Camp $300 per week $275 second week $250 for third week and every week after Ages: 7 (born in 2005) & up Half Day Camps, Pre/Post Care and Goalkeeper Camps are also available OSC Summer Soccer Fun Camp is proudly sponsored by Register online at www.oakvillesoccer.ca/camps