A friendship forged on and off the ice has taken two hockey players from the West Shore all the way to New York, with a stop at Shawnigan Lake along the way.
Megan Bouveur and Zosia Adamek met at a young age while playing in the Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association. The two moved on to play for Shawnigan Lake SchoolB次元官网网址檚 U-18 female hockey team before earning scholarships a year apart to Long Island University.
Bouveur, 18, is in her second year playing centre for the LIU Sharks, a Division 1 team based in New York City.
B次元官网网址淭he team is doing well and practising hard,B次元官网网址� noted Bouveur, who grew up in Highlands. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had some adversity with COVID, but hope to get some games in starting in January.B次元官网网址�
She is in the Bachelor of Health Science program and will decide what direction that takes further down the road. Although Bouveur admits moving to the other side of the continent has been a challenge, she believes the semester she spent playing hockey in Campbell River at 14, and the two years at Shawnigan Lake, were instrumental in preparing her for being away from home, friends and family.
B次元官网网址淵ou learn independence,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淣ew YorkB次元官网网址檚 a special place. WeB次元官网网址檙e a 45-minute train ride from Times Square, which is pretty cool. IB次元官网网址檓 much more comfortable this year. You still have to continuously earn your spot, but itB次元官网网址檚 nice that the coaches know how you play when you have one year under your belt.B次元官网网址� She called being chosen as one of the captains this season B次元官网网址渜uite an honour.B次元官网网址�
The pandemic has scuttled plans to come home for Christmas, so Bouveur will remain in New York until the school year is completed.
B次元官网网址淭he first Christmas away from my family is going to be a challenge, but IB次元官网网址檓 trying to stay positive,B次元官网网址� she noted. B次元官网网址淚 talk to my parents every day. IB次元官网网址檓 so grateful to my parents and all my coaches for giving me the opportunity to play on Long Island.B次元官网网址�
Bouveur is looking forward to Adamek joining the team next year. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 a great teammate,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 love meeting people from far away here, but itB次元官网网址檒l be special to play with a good friend from where we grew up.B次元官网网址�
Adamek is B次元官网网址渟uper excitedB次元官网网址� about the chance to play with Bouveur again.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been looking forward to going there for so long,B次元官网网址� said the 18-year-old Langford resident. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 always been a dream of mine to play for a major American university, and having Megan there is a total plus.B次元官网网址�
Adamek notched the first four-goal game for Shawnigan Lake last season and was named to the leagueB次元官网网址檚 all-scholastic team. She had planned to head to Long Island this season but decided to remain on Vancouver Island because of COVID-19, opting instead to play another year with Shawnigan Lake.
B次元官网网址淚 really appreciate Long Island University being so understanding and letting me start next year,B次元官网网址� said Adamek, who plans on taking veterinary courses. B次元官网网址淏ecoming a vet is something IB次元官网网址檝e thought about for a long time. IB次元官网网址檝e had a love for animals ever since I was young.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 so grateful to my parents for giving me this opportunity,B次元官网网址� she said, adding the decision to attend Shawnigan Lake School played a major role in her development. B次元官网网址淐arly Haggard is an amazing coach and was very helpful taking me through scholarship applications.B次元官网网址�
ZosiaB次元官网网址檚 father, Mike Adamek, is proud of what his daughter and Bouveuer have accomplished. B次元官网网址淚 watched them growing up together in JDF hockey,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢y dad Rudy started the Juan de Fuca association back in 1971, so itB次元官网网址檚 really special for our family. He picked ZosiaB次元官网网址檚 name before he passed away as a tribute to our Polish heritage. The fact he named her and she grew up playing in the rink he helped build is really cool.B次元官网网址�
