The Canadian Dream
Almost every Canadian’s wish is to one-day play for their country. Growing up outdoors on our frozen ponds and local rinks, dawning that red and white maple leaf playing for gold is what most of us can only dream about. Once Katelyn Gosling laced up her skates and took that very first step on the ice, she knew she had to accomplish that goal.
Encouraged by both her parents to pursue her hockey dreams, she began skating at the age of three and playing hockey once she turned four. “My brothers and dad played. At that time, I wanted to be doing everything they did, so I wanted to play hockey too,” said Gosling. “My parents have been the most supportive since day one.”
When she was younger, Gosling started by playing boys hockey. Playing with the London Junior Knights until grade eight, then making the switch to the girls hockey equivalent; the London Devilettes. From there, she worked tirelessly to try and achieve her goals of advancing her hockey career.
Playing defence always came naturally for Gosling once her coach placed her in the position. “When I was younger I was one of the few people that could skate backwards, so the coach put us back there and I just stayed,” said Gosling.
It definitely stuck and defence became her calling.
After graduating high school, she attended the University of Western Ontario for five years to major in sociology and to play on their women’s varsity hockey team. To begin and end her Western Mustangs career, Gosling was named to the CIS First Team All-Canadians. She also co-captained the Mustangs to the gold medal at the 2015 CIS Women’s Ice Hockey National Championships.
But victory didn’t come without its difficulties as well. In the third year of her university career, Gosling suffered a broken ankle and was out for several months going through the process to rehabilitate and re-strengthen her ankle. Despite her struggles, she persevered to get on Team Canada’s radar.
While the Canadian National Team welcomed Gosling as a late bloomer at the age of 21, she has shown her potential through her drive and work ethic presented on and off the ice every day. Beginning in 2015, Gosling was invited to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team Conditioning camp. She was then selected to represent Canada at the 2016 Nations Cup in Germany.
The Nations Cup includes national teams from Canada, Finland, Germany, Russia, Sweden, and Switzerland to compete in a four-day tournament. The players are chosen based off of their performances with their club teams, as well as how they performed in the Development Team selection camp. Gosling helped Team Canada to capture gold and silver in 2016 and 2017.
The next step after graduation was to play for a Canadian Women’s Hockey League team.
Selected in the second round by the Calgary Inferno during the 2016 CWHL Draft, Gosling checked off another point from her bucket list. Making her debut with the club on October 9, 2016 against the Brampton Thunder, Gosling would earn her first CWHL point with an assist and would score in her second game against the Boston Blades.
Success can mean many things to many different people. Gosling has accomplished huge goals in her career so far, winning big with her both her CIS and CWHL teams, as well as internationally. “I would say success or just anything that you set your mind out to accomplish, so it doesn’t always have to be big or like that championship game, but all the minor goals you set out each year,” said Gosling.
She’s now looking towards the future to advance her career even more than ever before.
“I just want to continue to play and train and see how far I can go on the international scale.”
