“She Totally Blew Us Away” – 14-Year-Old Canadian Sensation Is Transforming the World of Para Ice-Hockey

What were you doing when you were 14 years old? Probably not all that much. You likely had a group of friends from junior high that you were still very close to. You probably took a few trips to the mall or the movies and kept a low profile at these places. What can be guaranteed for almost every single person is that they weren’t playing their favorite sport with the best players.

However, that somehow seems to be a reality for 14-year-old Para ice hockey sensation Hailey King. King is set to play with the best female ice hockey players in the world. Not only this, she will be making her international debut before her first day of high school.

Hailey King’s Story So Far

King, who is one of only six players under 20, will take on the Women’s World Challenge, which runs through till September 3. She will first play the United States, Great Britain, and Team World, which includes players from 12 different countries. Countries like France, Germany, Latvia, and more will be represented at the games for the first time.

Read More: 90-Year-Old Japanese Skier Remains Unchallenged as Oldest Man to Summit Mount Everest

King started Para ice hockey less than four years ago at an adaptive sports camp at the University of Calgary. While she has many sports to choose from, King took to ice hockey instantly. She has since been described as someone with a “gamer” mindset, with confidence, skill, and the desire to contribute immediately. “She totally blew us away,” Canadian coach Tara Chisholm said after seeing the prodigy debut.

Last season, she played on Calgary’s senior co-ed club team before being invited to the national women’s team’s selection camp in Montreal. Upon seeing her skill, the team’s coaches were impressed by how she carried herself as well as her knack for instantly applying new knowledge in games and practice. With para ice hockey being a two-handed game, King also works on being ambidextrous. She practices stickhandling with both hands, giving her an edge over her competition. The prodigy reportedly even tries to write and use a fork with her left hand to refine this skill.

What’s next for King?

King has her eye set on the world championship as well as the Paralympics. However, she’s currently focused on achieving the goal in sight – winning Gold Wisconsin. Last year, the team spent much of their time raising money to fund their participation in the competition. However, this time, they go in with a much better chance, having acquired big sponsors like Canadian Tire and Bauer.

While King didn’t face such struggles last year, she knows the hard work that has gone into being in her team in the sport. “This year they got to just be athletes,” Chisholm said, highlighting the weight of the financial burden last time around. All said and done, this competition seems to be a good opportunity for King to show her worth, especially considering how Canada lost to the US last year. As of now, the competition has begun with Canada suffering a 3-0 bitter defeat to the US. Still, King has time to get payback for her nation.

Watch This Story: Transform Any Locale into Your Ultimate Cycling Destination