Yellowhead Chiefs veteran Dara Thompson excited about joining Cougars in Alberta

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This article was published 03/02/2024 (855 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

How many hockey players can remember their first goal in organized hockey?

Now playing in the U18 AAA Manitoba Female Hockey League in her fourth season, Dara Thompson of the Yellowhead Chiefs can vividly recall that moment.

“I scored my first goal my third year of squirts in Moosomin, Saskatchewan,” she recalled. “I skated down the ice on a breakaway and shot it five-hole.

“I remember getting a big boost of confidence because it proved if I worked hard enough, I was eventually going to get rewarded (with a goal).”

Avoiding being a Leap Year baby by a day, Thompson was born in Brandon on Feb. 28, 2006, but grew up on a small cattle farm outside of Virden. She did her elementary school in Oak Lake before graduating to Virden for junior high, and now is a few months away from graduating from Grade 12 at Virden Collegiate Institute.

As soon as Thompson was able to walk, she started skating at a local rink in Lenore. By age four, she was lacing on skates to play Timbits hockey in Virden, where she continued playing in the community until she left for the Yellowhead program out of Shoal Lake for bantam AAA.

“When I started hockey at four years old, it was mostly because my older brother was also playing squirts,” she said. “My family was at the rink anyways, and once I started playing, I really liked it. My brother and I would play mini-sticks in the basement and train on and off the ice together.”

Thompson had success on the various teams she played for, earning a provincial silver medal in atom, and later a provincial bronze medal in peewee.

“In my second year of novice until I started AAA bantam, I double rostered, so I played Virden minor hockey with mostly boys and female hockey out of Elkhorn, where we won two back-to-back gold medals at peewee female provincials,” she recalled.

Unlike some of her peers who play other sports in the summer like softball, Thompson is fully focused on hockey, and attends spring and summer camps to prepare for the fall season to start.

With the Chiefs this season, she’s enjoying success on the ice that has her second in team scoring with a team-high 13 goals and eight assists in 24 games. She’s five points behind teammate Hannah Reagh, who has 12 goals and 14 assists.

This fall, the two teammates will face each in U Sports after Thompson committed to the Calgary-based Mount Royal Cougars, while Reagh will be skating with the Calgary Dinos.

Deciding where she wanted to combine her post-secondary education and continue playing hockey was no easy choice for Thompson when it came to being recruited.

“I think the start of the recruiting process is difficult for everyone because it can be so overwhelming. I know I was definitely feeling that way, but as time went on and I started looking at schools and narrowing it down, my decision became clearer,” she explained.

“I went on a few recruiting trips, two out east and the one to Alberta. After I went to visit Mount Royal University in August, I knew that was where I wanted to go because it seemed to check all my priorities, for both academics and athletics.

“The MRU Cougars are the reigning national champions, and they’ve put a lot of resources into building a solid female hockey program.”

Cougars coach Scott Rivett provided Thompson and her mom with a tour of the campus and hockey facilities, which helped seal the deal to leave Manitoba for Alberta this fall.

“(Scott) gave us time to tour the city, but also made sure I was able to see all that the school and hockey program had to offer. As I was walking around campus and the rink, everyone was so friendly,” she said.

“The athletic and academic facilities are incredible, and I just could see myself there. I also liked that MRU plays in the U Sports Canada West division. I have family in B.C., so they will be able to watch games when the team travels there, plus my parents will easily be able to come watch when MRU plays U of M and U of R in Winnipeg and Regina.”

Besides playing and training with the Cougars, Thompson also decided on her schooling. She was accepted in Mount Royals’ Bachelor of Science, faculty of biology program.

“My plan is to work with animals when I graduate from university, whether that be a veterinarian or a specialized profession,” she said. “Growing up I have always loved animals and we’ve always had dogs. My two Labrador retrievers, Britney and Asha, have a very special place in my heart. I am planning on going to graduate school after earning my degree.”

What are the Cougars getting when it come to Thompson’s hockey skills, which are on display with the Chiefs?

“I’ve been described as a two-way forward. Coaches have always taught me back-checking and defending my own zone is just as important as scoring,” she said. “I work really hard at my dryland training to maintain and increase my on-ice speed.”

Learning she was being recruited by the Royals, Thompson asked the Mount Royals coach why he was interested in recruiting her from the Chiefs.

“When I asked coach Rivett why he recruited me, he told me he liked my two-way game and my speed on the ice. I had a Zoom meeting with him before we decided a trip to Calgary was the next step. I felt pretty confident in my decision (to sign).”

What’s it going to be like playing against former teammates, like Reagh with the Calgary Dinos, or others she faces in the U18 AAA MFHL?

“I’m really happy for all of my teammates that will be moving on. It’s always great to see fellow AAA female players have the opportunity to continue playing hockey while pursuing an education,” she said.

“Hopefully, there will be many former teammates and opponents I will be playing against/with at the university level. We have a really great group of graduating players this season in Yellowhead, and I hope they all get to keep playing at the next level if that’s what they decide they want to do.”

Thompson has come a long way since her COVID-shortened rookie season when she made the Chiefs as an under-age player.

“I feel I have developed a lot as a player. The opportunity to play with much more experienced players in my rookie season really helped my game,” she recalled. “The older girls were such good role models and it was really exciting to see those graduating players go off and play at the university level.”

Her hockey skills were put on display when she was selected to play for Team Manitoba last November in Dawson Creek, B.C., along with her teammate Reagh. Work ethic is her greatest strength as a play, she concedes when asked.

“I train every day, getting up early and working out before school. It was a many-month process trying out for Team Manitoba, and I didn’t take any time off between the end of my AAA season and tryouts. I was dedicated to keeping in shape and taking advantage of any ice-time available.”

If there is weakness in her game, Thompson does not hesitate to work on it during practices. She’s all ears when offered hockey advice.

“I am always open to getting feedback from my coaches on how to improve my game,” she said. “One thing I really am working on is my shot accuracy.”

Scoring goals or setting up teammates has been a consistent trait for Thompson since she put on her U18 AAA Chiefs jersey. In her rookie season she had a goal and two points in five games before the season ended due to the pandemic. During her sophomore season, in 35 games she had 11 goals and 26 points. A season later, in 36 games, she scored 22 goals and added 19 assists.

While she could have played another U15 AAA season with the Yellowhead Chiefs, Thompson worked hard to impress coach Derek Tibbatts during her U18 AAA tryouts.

“I was really happy when coach Tibbatts selected me as an underage player that first year I played U18 AAA. I remember working so hard and training all summer for that tryout because I really wanted to make that team,” she said.

With the post-season just around the corner, it will be a short break for Thompson once this season ends. Summer will be busy with on-ice camps where training for the 2024-25 season will commence. There will also be off-ice strength training as she wants to improve her speed, agility and quickness knowing she will be facing older and stronger competitors from other U Sports schools in the west.

While she will be a Cougars rookie this fall, for now, she’s helping her current teammates as the senior on the squad. She remembers the seniors who came before her, and what they taught her.

“I try to be a good role model by working hard every practice and leading by example,” she said. “I remember to encourage them the way the older girls treated me when I was a rookie.”

With this season nearly done — just four games remain — there have been a few highlights for Thompson, including a trip to Dawson Creek, B.C. to play for Team Manitoba at the U18 women’s nationals. But it’s her final season in the MFHA which has her excited about the upcoming playoffs.

The Chiefs are in a battle with the Westman Wildcats, currently deadlocked for second in the eight-team league with that team — both at 16-7-1, just six points back of first-place Winnipeg Ice (18-3-3).

“We’ve worked really hard as a team, and dug deep in some very close games, to rally together and make this happen,” she said. “I am also really proud I get to play with such a dedicated group of players. We travel to our rural rink in Shoal Lake from pretty far and wide, and we all know that we can count on each other through wins and losses.”

The Wildcats and Chiefs have two games against each other, both being played in Hartney. Game one was Friday night, and the second goes today at 7:30 p.m. These games could determine who finishes second overall when it comes to playoff seedings.

Prior to these games, Thompson will, as she does before every game this season, shoot a couple of buckets of pucks at her Shooter Tutor at home.

Then it’s a light meal for afternoon games — eggs, toast and fruit — or chicken and rice when she’s playing night games.

“I try to eat healthy foods, especially on game days,” she said.

Another highlight for Thompson playing for the Chiefs — the team acknowledged her reaching the 100-point mark recently, posting the milestone on the team’s social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

And don’t expect to see a “Michigan” goal when Thompson is set up behind an opponent’s net.

“While it would be fun to score a ‘Michigan’ someday, my regular practices don’t really involve that move,” she said chuckling, “However, I really admire the players who are skilled enough to score that way.”

For the numerous bus rides the team does during the course of the season, Thompson uses that time to work on her homework. Or she’s take a nap when she’s not socializing with her teammates.

While her favourite NHL team is the Chicago Blackhawks, and she favoured player Jonathon Toews, Thompson now has the PWHL to watch after that league started play with the advent of January 2024. She has met a lot of Canada’s premier female hockey players since she started playing.

“When I was younger, I got to attend the ScotiaBank girls hockey jamborees and had the chance to meet many illustrious players like Sami Jo Small and Cassie Campbell,” she recalled. “Meaghan Mikkelson is also a favourite female hockey player. I remember watching her in the Olympics and I got to meet her and see her gold medal when she came to Brandon.”

CHIEFS NOTES: Kirby Gray and goalie Natalie Rampton have been selected to play for Team Manitoba at the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships this May in Grande Prairie, Alta.

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