Trading sticks for oars: Island hockey star scouted by Rowing Canada
'It's different to kind of take on a new sport that's a little more individual,' says Shannon MacAulay
Shannon MacAulay has been playing hockey for most of her life. At one point, she thought she might go to the Olympics with the sport. But after being released from Hockey Canada, she's turning her attention to the water and considering getting into competitive rowing.
The 23-year-old Mount Herbert, P.E.I., native had spent several years playing hockey off-Island and had just returned from Brampton, Ont., where she was most recently a forward with the Brampton Thunder of the Canadian Women's Hockey League.
She hadn't been back home on P.E.I. for more than a few weeks when her friends and family members started drawing her attention to an event meant to identity potential future Olympians.
MacAulay said she took all the prodding by relatives and friends as "a sign" she should attend the Charlottetown edition of the RBC Training Ground, which was held in April at the University of Prince Edward Island.
RBC Training Ground is a program with a goal of showcasing some of Canada's best athletes and determining if they have what it takes to make it to the top of an Olympic podium — often in sports they've never played before.
During the program, athletes undergo a series of rigorous physical challenges while top sports officials from numerous national teams watch on. Those officials then determine if any of the participants should undergo further sports testing.
Strong performer
MacAulay's strong showing at the P.E.I. event earned her an invitation to attend the regional final in Halifax in June, where she was the top female performer in the endurance exercise (assault arm leg bike) and one of the speed challenges (six second bike sprint).
At the regionals, representatives from Rowing Canada and Cycling Canada took notice of MacAulay's keen athletic ability. MacAulay said she's since been in contact with Rowing Canada about the opportunity to do some further testing in the sport.
"Honestly, I'm honoured," she said. "I know I would love something like that. I love the water."
From the ice to the water
Rowing is an entirely new venture for MacAulay.
Despite being a versatile athlete with experience in multiple sports, including soccer and volleyball, hockey has been her lifeblood.
She's been shooting pucks since she was five-years-old.
"It's been pretty much the biggest component of my life since then," she said.
When she was 14, MacAulay decided to pursue the sport full-time and left home to attend a women's hockey school in Alberta. She then went on to attend Clarkson University in New York State, where she spent four years representing the school in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
MacAulay also spent six years with Hockey Canada and played for Team Canada at the 2016 Nations Cup as a member of the National Women's Development Team. Then recently, Hockey Canada decided to release her.
"In the past year when they … had to focus on the centralization and the Olympic year coming up for hockey, they decided to do some releases and I was unfortunately one of them," she said.
"I still love the sport obviously." she said, but she's ready to try something new.
'Always a good leader'
Following her successes at the RBC Training Ground regional event, she got in touch with Rowing P.E.I. who took her out on the water and gave her a lesson on the technicalities of rowing.
"Being on the water, it's almost just relaxing and just opens your eyes to a whole different perspective of different sports," she said.
No one from Rowing Canada has actually seen her row yet. MacAulay said her first step is to determine if rowing is something she wants to pursue competitively. From there, Rowing Canada will evaluate her to see if she's actually capable of performing the sport. She said the organization is willing support her with funding and training.
MacAulay noted that in all her years as an athlete, most of them have been spent playing team sports.
"I was always a good leader," she said. "It's different to kind of take on a new sport that's a little more individual."
Chasing the Olympic dream
MacAulay said she was close to attending the Olympics with Hockey Canada, but that it didn't work out. She said this new opportunity from Rowing Canada could give her a second chance.
"It's always been something I've dreamed of," she said. "If someone was to give me the opportunity to go with it and try to push for that in the next three years, then I would 100 per cent be committed."
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