Toronto Star Sports
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Lady Nats await verdict on star player
Special to The Star
By Lois Kalchman
March 22, 1997

URL: http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/sports/970322SPB2_WORLDS.html


Lady Nats await verdict on star player

Injury could shelve veteran St. Louis for world tourney

By Lois Kalchman - Special to The Star

BARRIE - Team Canada looked confident yesterday at practice for the
upcoming world women's hockey championships in Kitchener.

But there is a nagging question: Can former captain France St. Louis
play in the event, set for March 31 to April 6?

St. Louis, 38, fractured her wrist in the final of the national
championship at Vancouver less than two weeks ago and a decision on
her status will likely be made today.

She would be missed. She was the most valuable player in the national
tournament and is the only woman to have been on Team Canada for the
first world tournament in 1987 and three subsequent gold medal
showings in 1990, '92 and '94.

``I am ready to go,'' a determined St. Louis said as she fingered the
cast on her right wrist. ``If I can play for a gold medal in (the)
worlds and at the Olympics, I would have achieved my goal. I will hang
up my skates except to play recreationally.''

She looked slightly hesitant when she shot her first puck yesterday
but her movement picked up later.

``She is a very strong leader within our team and if she can play at
80 per cent of what she is capable, she will be in the lineup,'' coach
Shannon Miller said. ``If she cannot, we will replace her but ask her
to stay around to be with the team.''

Team manager Glynis Peters described St. Louis as the ``Jean Beliveau
of women's hockey. She symbolizes the past, the present and for young
girls of the future she is an ideal role model. When I saw her go down
on that ice in Vancouver, my heart stopped.''

St. Louis remembers the accident vividly.

``I was trying to reach Hayley Wickenheiser, who had the puck,'' she
said, constantly working a foam ball to strengthen her wrist. ``I
heard the crack - my wrist was gone. I have played before with a
broken ankle. In the 1990 worlds, I spent two days in the hospital
after being hit in the throat and came back for the semifinals and
final. Three or four days ago I couldn't tie my laces and now I can.
It needs time. I can play.''

NOTES: Miller calls veteran Judy Diduck, sister of Phoenix Coyote
Gerald Diduck, ``the release valve'' on the team.

``She has a lot of emotion both on and off the ice,'' Miller said.
``On the ice it is the high intensity and emotion. Off the ice, it is
a relaxed emotion that helps.''

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