Women’s Hockey
Getting to know your U SPORTS coaches: Howie Draper, Alberta Pandas
Throughout the 2017-18 season, U SPORTS sits down with one key athlete, coach, and staff member of each U SPORTS athletic program in our new interview series “Getting to know…”
Name: Valerie Lamenta
School: University of Guelph
Sport: Women’s Hockey
Position: Goalie
Year of eligibility: 4
Program: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Montreal, Que.
1. What attracted you to the University of Guelph?
I had heard about and had seen some of the exploits of the women’s hockey team in the past and was very interested in what Guelph had to offer. As soon as I came on my first campus visit, I knew immediately that Guelph was where I wanted to go. The engineering program was amazing, my future fellow Gryphons were very welcoming and friendly and the campus was stunning. I knew I would call this city and university home for the next few years.
2. What’s your favourite memory, and your greatest athletic achievement as a U SPORTS student-athlete?
My favourite athletic memories are definitely our two back-to-back OUA Championship titles (in 2016 and 2017). There is something truly special in being able to celebrate these moments with all of my teammates while in front of our friends and family. It makes all of the countless hours spent at the rink, in the bus and in the gym worthwhile.
3. Where are you hoping your path will take you after university?
I would love to keep playing hockey after university. I definitely don’t see myself being done with the sport once I graduate. I am still very passionate about what I do and believe hockey can offer me some great opportunities to grow both as a person and an athlete.
4. Who’s had the greatest influence on your athletic career?
I would have to say that my family has had the greatest influence on my athletic career. They were always present to cheer me on, but they were also the first ones to comfort me when things were going wrong. I am also very fortunate to have a great role model in my older sister. I always believed she was the best at everything she took on, but what amazed me the most was how humble she remained through it all.
5. Who is someone in the sports world, past or present, with whom you’d love to have dinner with? Why?
I would love to have dinner with my first goalie partner when I started at Guelph, Stephanie Nehring. She was an incredible mentor to me and pushed me to become the best goalie I could be. She has since then graduated and is off in Budapest accomplishing some great things of her own. Technology allows us to stay in touch, but a nice dinner is much overdue.
6. What is your pre-game ritual? Do you have any superstitions/idiosyncrasies around preparing yourself for a game?
I am someone who loves having a routine and sticking to it as closely as possible. My pre-game ritual is about letting some of my game day jitters out in order to be completely focused come puck drop.
7. What’s your go-to song to get pumped up for practice or a game?
I don’t have a specific song that I must listen to before every game. I generally prefer high energy songs which spark a fire in me and get me excited to step onto the ice.
8. What’s your favourite social media account to follow?
I love following goalie-specific accounts. They often showcase new and top of the line gear. I sometimes draw inspiration from those accounts to design my own equipment.
9. If you could try another sport, what would it be and why?
I would love to try tennis, because I am always amazed at the speed and athleticism of tennis players. It is a sport I love to watch and one that I wish I was much better at. I am not sure how well I would do in an individual sport, but it would definitely be an interesting mental challenge.
10. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you as an athlete?
Being a goalie can sometimes be a daunting task, seeing as you cannot hide after letting in a bad goal or coughing up the puck. I have certainly had my fair share of misfortunes. One of them came in a televised national championship final. Thankfully we won the game and I can now laugh when thinking back to that embarrassing moment.
