For a young hockey player, getting to meet a professional is something that excites them and for 9 year old Sophie Hildebrand, getting to participate in Scotabank Girls HockeyFest was a dream come true.

During the camp, Hildebrand participated in hockey drills with a lot of other fellow female hockey players and also got the oppotrunity to skate with a Canadian legend. "It was pretty cool", said Hildebrand, "getting to skate with Cassie Campbell-Pascall was cool too." 

Although Hildebrand admitted to not knowing Campbell-Pascall before the event, she fondly looks up to her now and has since studied her and when asked if Campell-Pascall was an inspiration to the young hockey player, a big smile came across her face with an emphatic "yes" followed. 

As female hockey continues to grow across Canada and into the United States, Hildebrand feels that after a camp like Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest, she can compete at an even higher level and she's also very aware of where hockey can take her in her life and her mother Melanie is aware of it as well. "She will have opportunity as she gets older and goes on with it. There are a lot more chances for her to go further, it's very exciting."

It's not just what is done on the ice through drills and instruction, it's the feeling that is taken away from such an event that will last with Sophie, according to her mother. "It's inspring for her. I think she will be very willing to help out as she get's older."

For Sophie, she continues to watch the game she loves, cheering on her favourite team the Boston Bruins and her favourite player Zedeno Chara. When asked what her favourite part of the game is, without hesitation, "Scoring. I play mostly defence so it's hard to score."