Healy a hit at Atlantics

Julie Healy couldn't help but get a little emotional when talking about Team Canada's run to gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Healy, the director of female hockey with Hockey Canada, was the guest speaker at the 2010 Atlantic Midget Female Hockey Championships last weekend in Gander, and spoke to a jam-packed room at the Albatross Hotel Saturday night at the tournament's award's banquet.

When talking about the women's run to Olympic hockey gold, she got emotional about the fact that the team represented all of Canada - including those in the room.

"What I remember most (about the Vancouver Olympics), and this just chokes me up, is that it was Canada's journey. It wasn't just us, it was all of you guys, and everybody else across this country," she said. "Every time we put the jersey on, every time we stepped on the ice...we honestly felt that we had the nation behind us. It was absolutely incredible."

If there was a theme to Healy's speech, it was the importance of having pride in the team you represent - no matter what the outcome. The IcePak coaching staff asked Healy to speak to the team, where she told them to enjoy every shift of the Atlantic tournament.

"You have to live in the moment. Although things didn't go the way they wanted them to go, today's another day. They needed to stay in the game (against P.E.I.), so they can't dwell on the past. They have to learn from their mistakes and just play," said Healy. "I thought after two periods that they were going to pull it off, but it just didn't happen. In saying that, I thought they played great hockey today."

Healy was really impressed with a number of different facets of the opening two games on Saturday. In the Nova Scotia/New Brunswick, Healy was impressed with how N.B. came out to dominate the opening two periods. Then, when it looked like N.S. was finished, they turned on the jets and gave N.B. a run for its money.

In the IcePak game against P.E.I., where the winner earned a trip to the bronze-medal game, Healy said she loved the resiliency of the host squad.

"P.E.I. scored the first goal of the game, but the IcePak came right back and scored two goals - I like that," said Healy. "The IcePak played every shift liked it mattered, and that really impressed me."

The IcePak only lose five players next year, and head coach Sandy Crawford said he's looking forward to another Atlantic run next year. When that happens, Healy said that it's important the girls come together as a team, because when it's all said and done, it's the team that plays well together who usually ends up on top.

"Player by player, when you look at our team and then look at the American team, we're pretty evenly matched. It really came down to who played better as a team on that particular day," said Healy of the gold medal game in Vancouver. "That was the result of us having played so many games together, and us being in so many different situations as a team. Steve Yzerman actually talked to our team on the day of the gold medal game, and his message was, 'You guys are ready. You did everything you can to prepare for this moment. Believe that you're ready, believe in one another, trust that you have one another's back, and you'll be fine.' That's what makes team sports so great. You can't do it all by yourself, and you have to work with the rest of the players on the ice, all the time."

Healy said she's often asked one question whenever she does such speeches, and that's what does it take to get to the next level? Since the top 26 female hockey players work on skill development when they arrive at camp, Healy said AAA calibre players should be doing the same.

"Skating, shooting, passing and puck handling," she said. "These are things you can do on your own. Especially at this age, continue to work on skill development, and that will help you go further in your career."

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