Lauren Henman said that it’s a huge honour for her to have been chosen as October’s Coors Light Athlete of the Month.
“I owe all of my success so far this season to my team and coaches,” she said. “I’m just really happy we’re doing so well this year.”
In October, Henman averaged one point per game with four goals and one assist in five regular season games. She is leading the team in scoring and is second in the conference with seven points.
The Tommies are currently ranked seventh in the nation, which Henman said is the highest STU’s women’s hockey team has ever been.
As player, Henman said she tries her hardest every day during practice to ensure that she knows all of the team’s systems and to make sure she’s doing all of the little things right.
“I knew coming into this year, I really need to work on not only focusing on offense, but upping my defensive game (as well),” she said. “In doing so, I think that it has allowed me to be more of an asset to the team.”
Henman started playing hockey 15 years ago when her family moved from their hometown of Miramichi, New Brunswick to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
“My parents signed me up to play novice hockey for the Dartmouth Whalers,” said Henman. “For my two-years playing at the novice level, I was the only girl on the team. It wasn’t ideal but it didn’t lessen my love for the sport.”
Henman, who is currently in her second year at St. Thomas said that it was her uncle Jamie Wood who got her into the sport. Having played his whole life, even playing at the college level, Wood went on to coach at large schools in the United States.
“As soon as I started walking, he had me on skates,” she said. “Before I moved to Nova Scotia, he would take me skating on the Miramichi River almost every day in the winter, and taught me basic hockey skills.”
After graduating high school, Henman had originally planned to attend the University of New Hampshire. She said that it was a conversation with St. Thomas women’s hockey coach Peter Murphy that changed her mind.
“After talking to coach Murphy and learning about STU and its great hockey program and outstanding athletics facilities, I knew St. Thomas was the right choice for me,” she said.
“My mom and my grandfather also attended STU, so they influenced my decision quite a bit.”
Henman hopes for the team to continue being successful for the rest of the season.
“My hopes and goals for the rest of the season is for the team to continue to be successful and win as many games as possible,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to take home the AUS banner and make it to Calgary (for) a chance (to win) the national title.”
