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Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Windspeaker.com
Brooklyn Anderson’s decision to transfer to the University of Calgary is already paying major dividends for her school’s hockey team.
Anderson, who is Métis, had spent the past three seasons playing with the British Columbia-based Trinity Western University women’s hockey squad.
But she decided to switch schools and is now a member of the Calgary Dinos.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed some immediate success with the Dinos. She’s the team’s top goal scorer and point-getter, have netted 10 points, including eight goals, in her first 12 games with the Calgary squad.
Anderson is from the Saskatchewan town of Shellbrook.
Following the Dinos’ 4-1 home loss against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Nov. 15, Anderson explained her decision to transfer from Trinity Western University to Calgary.
“Obviously I enjoyed my time out there,” she said. “But I was just looking for a fresh start and a little bit closer to home being here in Calgary. I thought that would be nice for me and my family. I’ve enjoyed my time here so far.”
Anderson’s best season statistically at Trinity Western was her sophomore season when she scored 10 goals in 22 regular season outings.
She’s on pace to surpass this production soon. And Anderson said she is not really surprised she is enjoying success with the Dinos.
“I like to stay humble about it,” she said of her scoring. “The team has been helping me out a lot. I’ve been told to shoot the puck a little bit more and that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s been working out for me. I can’t complain about that.”
Dinos’ head coach Josh Gosling is thrilled to have Anderson in his lineup now.
“She’s a very skilled hockey player,” he said. “She’s got a great mind to her. She’s got a great work ethic to her. So, hopefully she can continue to build off of that. And when she plays detailed, she does a lot of good things.”
Gosling said Anderson initiated her transfer to Calgary.
“She was looking for a change of scenery,” he said. “She got the opportunity to come over. She’s been excellent for us. And I think some fresh ideas has been a good change for her.”
Anderson had previously played with two other members of the Dinos’ roster. While playing minor hockey in Prince Albert, Sask., her teammates included current Calgary players Sophia Zuck and Kate Wagner.
“There is a little bit of a relationship there,” Gosling said of Anderson and her former minor hockey teammates. “But at the end of the day, when we played them in the past, she liked the way that we played. She kind of felt that she would be a good fit into our system. And she’s been a great fit.”
Both the Dinos and Trinity Western Spartans compete in the Canada West conference for the national USports women’s hockey circuit.
Besides leading her Calgary club with her offensive skills, Gosling said Anderson has also been “awesome” off the ice as well.
“She’s a quiet one,” he added. “But she’s got a work ethic to her. She’s got a demeanor to her. Players gravitate to her. So, she’s an awesome kid.”
Since university athletes in Canada have five years of eligibility, Anderson can play this season as well as next year for the Dinos.
Gosling said spectators can expect to see Anderson on the ice a fair bit. Besides a regular shift, she is also on the team’s powerplay and she scored her club’s lone goal in the loss to UBC while her team was shorthanded.
“She’s going to get a ton of opportunity here,” Gosling said. “And I think if she can continue to take that and if she can continue to grow, whether it’s putting pucks in the net, whether it’s blocking shots, whether it’s playing on the defensive details.
“Every day she comes to the rink she wants to learn. She’s asking questions. And I think that she will continue to grow.”
Anderson’s transfer has meant her Saskatchewan-based family doesn’t have to travel as far to see her home games.
It now takes family members up to eight hours of driving to attend the Dinos’ home matches. The drive was double that – about 16 hours - when she was with the Spartans.
“I think this is actually the first home weekend they haven’t been to,” Anderson said. “So, I’ve been lucky that way.”
Anderson is also rather pleased with how the first few months of her life in Calgary is going.
“The culture is super good out here,” she said. “I’m loving the coaching staff. Schooling has been good. Housing has been good. Everything about it I’m loving so far.”