Who is Raphaelle Tousignant? Meet the first woman to make the men's para hockey team

Raphaelle Tousignant, the first woman to make the men
Raphaelle Tousignant, the first woman to make the men's para hockey team

Raphaelle Tousignant, a 21-year-old para ice hockey player from Terrebonne, Quebec, has made history by becoming the first woman to be named to Canada's men's para ice hockey team. Tousignant was part of Canada's Development Team that competed against the United States in preparation for the 2023 World Para Hockey Championship. She will now represent Canada at the Worlds, fulfilling a dream she has had since she was 12 years old.

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In a social media statement, Tousignant expressed her gratitude and excitement at the opportunity to wear the maple leaf again, but this time with the men's team. She also emphasized the importance of believing in oneself and working hard to achieve one's dreams. Tousignant's ultimate goal is to compete in the Paralympic Games, which would make her only the fourth woman in history to do so.

Currently, there is no separate women's para ice hockey team in Canada. Women who wish to compete in sanctioned events must make the men's team. Hockey Canada funds the men's team, while the women's team relies on fundraising and donors to compete.

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However, there is hope that this will change in the future. The second-ever Women's World Challenge will take place this summer in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is hoped that this event will lead to an official World Para Ice Hockey Challenge for women in 2025.

Raphaelle Tousignant's injury and being back on ice

At the age of nine, Raphaelle Tousignant was diagnosed with bone cancer after sustaining a hip injury while playing ringette, a popular Canadian winter sport. After three months of grueling chemotherapy, her leg was amputated, a life-changing experience that would have made most people give up on their dreams of playing sports.

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However, Raphaelle Tousignant was not like most people. Six months after her amputation, she was back on the ice playing para ice hockey on a sledge, thanks to her father who introduced her to the sport. She described the feeling of being back on the ice as "incredible".

“The feeling of being back on ice was incredible and I was grateful for the opportunity to move.”
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Now 21 years old, Raphaelle Tousignant has become one of the key players in the Canada women's team. She has also won gold at the nationals with the men's provincial team. Tousignant had said:

"Playing with the men's team made me grow as a player, In two weeks, I probably learned more than in my entire career."

Her willingness to take on new challenges and push herself out of her comfort zone is truly inspiring.

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Edited by Gaelin Leif
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