THIS WEEK'S TRIBUNE  THIS WEEK'S TRIBUNE On the ice, on the field or helping others, Blayways plays with a passion
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On the ice, on the field or helping others, Blayways plays with a passion |
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Written by Jack Borenstein
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008 |
TORONTO – It’s one thing to be passionate about the sport you participate in. It’s another to think of others less fortunate and wanting to make their lives a bit better through the sport you play.
Taylor Blayways’s hockey contribution goes beyond the stat sheet – and the ice surface.
The five-foot, seven-inch 14-year-old Blayways was born and is being raised in Toronto. Her interest in hockey started at age six while watching her cousins play.
“I loved everything about the sport, and wanted to be on the ice as soon as possible.”
Her first hockey experience was with the Avenue Road Boys hockey team in 2000.
“There were a couple of girls, including myself, on that team,” she said. “We didn’t know any different in terms of skill set at that age. It was just a bunch of kids having a good time, competing against each other on the ice.”
She has played right wing for most of her career, saying her strengths included being “a smart player, having a good shot, screening in front of the net and tipping in rebounds.”
Her favourite player to watch is Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“It’s always a lot of fun to watch him play, and he’s very inspiring,” she said. “Crosby is one of the youngest players in the NHL who is hard working and always seems to have the puck on his stick.”
Blayways played with Avenue Road Boys until 2006, when she joined the North York Storm of the Lower Lakes Hockey Association (LLHA), a 30-team, all-female hockey league. They play their games at the Sports Village ice facility in Vaughan.
She noted a lot of differences between boys and girls hockey.
“Girls are just as physical and intense as the boys, though we’re not allowed to hit in games. Guys always want the pick on their stick. Girls tend to have everyone on the ice involved in the action, so that everyone passes and gets to handle the puck during a shift.”
Her first tournament took place in February 2007 with the Storm in Ottawa.
“Tourneys are a lot different than regular season games and are very helpful for players to get to know their teammates better for the regular season.”
Blayways is playing this season with the Vaughan Flames of Bantam ‘A’ LLHA, under head coach Rick Gargano, who saw some potential in Blayways’s first tryout, but she did not show up to the second tryout due to a Jewish holiday.
“I called her father, to ascertain if Taylor was still interested in playing for me. Her father appreciated the call and brought her to the third tryout. She impressed me enough and earned a spot on the team.”
Blayways is optimistic about on-ice and team success, compared to previous seasons.
“I’ve moved up a level this season and the hockey is more skilled and with better intensity.”
She added that Gargano was the best coach she’s had to date.
“While attending camp this past summer my cardio and endurance levels dropped greatly,” Blayways remarked. “Coach Gargano got me into on- and off-ice training, and has helped with my foot speed and running. I also do spinning and bike work for 30 minutes once a week, to further tone up and condition my body.”
With a few games under their belts, Gargano said that she was a hard working player.
“Taylor is always doing what is best for the team, and has great ice vision,” he said. “She is very popular with her teammates and very coachable.”
Blayways will compete in November with the Flames in a highly competitive Rochester (NY) tournament.
“The tourney will be a very good experience and may help us bond as a team. We will work hard, and hopefully, do well.”
When Blayways had her Bat Mitzvah in May 2007, she tied her passion for hockey with helping those in need. Along with her mother, she chose to begin a collection of used skates for children aged 12-14 attending Lord Public School in Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood. “My mom and I went for one month, asking people for skates. We asked parents and kids from my hockey team and my friends at Forest Hill Collegiate. We ended up with between 20 and 25 pairs of skates, which formed the centrepiece at my bat-mitzvah reception.”
Blayways added she chose Lord Dufferin, an inner city school that seemed to need the most help.
“I knew the school wanted to start up a hockey team that would play at Moss Park Arena and that some kids who were interested in playing did not have skates. I remembered seeing the wide-eyed smiles from kids while walking into the school carrying the box of skates to present to the principal.”
Gargano noted Blayways’s dedication to hockey.
“Taylor came to practice and skated without any problem,” he said. “Her father told me after practice that she had injured herself a couple of days earlier at school and thought she had a broken foot. She removed her sock after the practice and was severely bruised. It showed how much she loves hockey, by playing through a potentially serious injury.”
Blayways has added another sport to her repertoire, playing for Forest Hill Collegiate Institute’s girls field hockey team. “I’m a Mid Right Forward and have found some similarities with ice hockey, given I play the same position in both.”
T.J. Thexton, her field hockey coach, said Blayways has been a nice fit on the team in the early going this season.
“You can tell she has ice hockey experience by the way she positions and moves on the field,” she said. “Being a tall girl helps get her into position to create, and obtain, scoring opportunities. Taylor has potential to become an impact field hockey player, if she continues with the sport through high school.”
Blayways would like to continue in ice hockey after high school at the college or university level. Gargano said it was hard to predict her hockey potential.
“For now Taylor has the potential to be one of our top players.”
Jack Borenstein can be emailed at
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 23 October 2008 )
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