A goalie from Ste. Anne has come home from Japan with a gold medal around her neck and an extra little bounce in her step.

Raygan Kirk returned home this week after a big gold medal win over Team USA in overtime at the U18 Women’s World Hockey Championship where she was also named tournament MVP.

Kirk says Canada had not won gold at that tournament since 2014 and adds it is an honour to have been a part of one of so many memorable Team Canada moments. 

Photo credit: Raygan Kirk

"It feels pretty great," shares the grade 12 student at College Lorette Collegiate. "We’re just kind of the rookies of the whole Olympic team and the senior women’s team but just getting the chance to wear that jersey and then getting the medal and winning with that great group of girls, is just a really memorable moment that I’ll for sure never forget."

Kirk says it gives a sense of national pride being able to wear the Team Canada jersey and she thanks all her friends, family and teammates who supported her along the way.

"That was definitely amazing," adds Kirk as she reflects on the final game against the U.S., "the goal in overtime, I don’t think I really realized ‘oh my gosh we won’ and then the pile up in the corner and hearing the anthem played at the very end. It was just a surreal moment." 


Bill Bram, Kirk's coach for the Manitoba Female AAA Midget Hockey League's Eastman Selects, says Raygan (Ray) has a bright future ahead of her. 

Photo credit: Raygan Kirk"I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Ray as far as in the national program," he indicates, "she’s put herself on the map and put Ste. Anne back on the map. She’s worked hard to get there and we’re all very proud of her."

In the last year, Bram saw his daughter Bailey compete for gold at the Olympic Games and now got to see one of his players, whom Bram has coached for three years, come home from a world championship with a gold medal. "That’s what you live for, for me anyway."

 

"Our team, the whole community of Ste. Anne, we’re all behind her and we’ve been behind her right from the start and we’re happy to have her back," Bram adds. 

From left to right: Team Manager Curtis Enns, Assistant Coach Donnell Desrosiers, Raygan, Assistant Coach Bailey Bram, Assistant Coach Todd Mason, and Head Coach Bill Bram

Kirk's next shot at gold is already next month with Team Manitoba at the Canada Winter Games in Lethbridge, Alberta. As for next year, Kirk is committed to playing NCAA Division I hockey at Robert Morris University near Pittsburgh where she will continue to work at the game and pursue her Olympic dream.

In terms of the trip itself, Kirk says it is always difficult to adjust to a new environment when trying to stay within your normal game day routine. However, she adds she slept a majority of the plane ride there and the food was good and fresh so she says it turned out to be a really good experience. 

To add to that, Kirk couldn't help but share that her younger brother Owen, who was also in Japan along with their parents Brad and Nancy, was quite popular amongst the local people.

"My brother was there too. He had lots of Japanese fans calling him Justin Bieber and getting photos with him but it was great to have him there for the support."

Kirk notes once Team Japan was out of the tournament, a lot of their fans would come to their games and cheer for Team Canada. She points out one particular local gentleman who would bring along a huge drum to the games and cheer on Canada which she adds made for a fun and definitely different atmosphere to play in.  

All in all, Kirk says this was an experience she will cherish forever. "It was great to put Canada back on top."

Raygan, who dressed but did not play Wednesday's game in order to recover from travel, had the honour of dropping the game puck. On the left is Selects captain Camille Enns and on the right is Winnipeg Ice captain Sydni Bird.