Eighteen-year-old Daria O'Neill is already making her mark in an entirely new arena-as a hockey player at an American university.
O'Neill-a former Carlyle resident- is halfway through her first year of studying and stickhandling at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont, and was recently named Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week by the Hockey East Conference.
“This is a great way for Daria to start off the second half of the year and it's a relection of how much she's improved so far this season,” says Catamount's head coach, Jim Plumer.
O'Neill says juggling full-time studies in Public Communications and a slot on defence with the Catamounts uses skills she picked up early in her academic and hockey careers.
“I'm kind of used to the structure,” she says. “But it's tough to balance sometimes. It takes a lot of time management.”
“But since I was in grade five, I've juggled hockey and school. When we lived in Edmonton, I attended two schools that were sports academies from grades five to nine. And when I went to The Edge (School for Athletes) in Calgary, I was used to doing both. But it does take a lot of focus.”
As a member of the Catamounts, O'Neill travels regularly throughout the American east coast to compete against other teams in the Hockey East Women's Conference, including squads from Boston College, Northeastern University (Boston), Boston University, the University of Maine, the University of Connecticut, Merrimack College (Massachusetts), the University of New Hampshire and Providence College (Rhode Island).
“Before Christmas, we played at home a lot more,” says O'Neill. “But right now, we're travelling most weekends. Our longest trip is a six-hour drive to Maine and we go to Boston a lot. We travel by bus.”
“When we play at home here in Burlington, it's such a hockey town,” she adds. “The University of Vermont's men's hockey program is very successful and the school has really built up a hockey culture.”
“It's carried through to our women's team and we usually get a pretty steady audience. It's quite exciting playing in front of a big crowd.”
“Two years ago, the University of Vermont's women's hockey team broke our (Hockey East) attendance record at the 'Pack the Gut' Challenge with a few thousand fans in attendance. It takes place at Gutterson Fieldhouse here on campus and the idea is to break the attendance record and at the same time, benefit a cause or charity.”
“This year, we hope to do it again,” she says. “The school does a really good job promoting our teams and hockey.”
O'Neill says her teammates come from Canada, the U.S. and parts of Europe.
“Hockey's a pretty universal game and our team has people from Canada, the United States and the Czech Republic and Helsinki, Finland.”
“Some of our European players have puckhandling abilities that are more fluid; while our style in Canada is more rough and tough.”
“But we all learn from each other.”
Not only did O'Neill adapt to a new team, a new school, and a new country when she received her full scholarship to the University of Vermont, she also had to change the number on her jersey.
“I wore #10 when I was younger for Brenden Morrow (O'Neill's cousin and NHL star). But eventually, I had to change that number, because #10 was also a very popular number with a lot of other players.”
“I switched to #17 for my last two years of high school and when I had to change it again, I decided to switch it up to something completely new. I chose #77 partly because of Ray Bourque, who was a pretty elite defenceman.”
“But I have to say, growing up, that Brenden was a huge role model for me,” says O'Neill. “For me, coming from a small town and seeing him coming from the same small town and then seeing him in the NHL and competing for Canada at the Olympics...Well, his resume is just endless and he's a real inspiration.”
O'Neill also credits her family for her success. “My parents are a huge support system to me and they're also role models in their own way.”
“They moved from Edmonton to Cochrane (Alberta), so I could attend The Edge (School for Athletes) near Calgary.”
“It's always exciting when they come to watch me play. My family will be here for 'Pack the Gut' this year and it'll be the first time my mom will see me play here. I'm super-excited to have them in the stands.”
O'Neill says her future plans include goals centred around her sport.
“Right now, I'd like to have as much of an impact on this program as I can. It's a great opportunity and I want to make the most of it.”
Another opportunity O'Neill has earned was the chance to attend Team Canada's conditioning camp at Hamilton, Ontario's McMaster University during high school.
“Of course, you never know what will happen, but I'd like to possibly compete in the Olympics someday. To be able to wear the maple leaf would be a huge honour.”
And when asked about life after hockey, she says she hopes the sport will remain a part of her post-hockey professional life.
“As a communications major, I can't think of a better place to use my degree,” says O'Neill. “It's where my network is. And I'm really excited about and enjoying my classes this year.”
O'Neill says her advice to girls and women who play hockey at any level is: “Definitely stick with it. Some of the best friends and relationships I have come from playing hockey.”
“Even if it doesn't turn into a career, you'll make friends who are irreplaceable.”
“It's a great sport and you'll learn so much-on and off the ice.”
