Kelly Gribbons of Port Elgin will represent Team Canada at the 28th Universiade Games in Almaty, Kazakhstan later this month. Photo submitted

Hub Staff

Two local athletes will represent Canada at the 28th Universiade Games in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Hockey player and Port Elgin native Kelly Gribbons will join friend and previously announced Nordic Skier Kyla Vanderzwet and 88 other Canadians who will make the journey and represent Canada and compete alongside 55 other countries.

See: Port Elgin skiier to represent Canada in world games

“It makes me proud of our small community that there are two locals competing out of a total of only 88 student athletes that Canada is sending to the winter games,” said Gribbons January 15.

Gribbons is currently in her fourth year at the University of Guelph where she is studying Engineering Systems and Computing. She is also a Forward for the Guelph Women’s Gryphons Hockey team. Gribbons played for the Saugeen Shores Storm until 2007, from there she made the decision to join the Saugeen Maitland Lightning, for whom she played Center until attending University.

Gribbons said it will be an honour to represent Canada at the University Games and was thrilled to learn that after attending a selection camp in Calgary in August, that two other University of Guelph teammates had also made the Canadian Women’s Hockey team.

“My goals are to represent Canada with honour, contribute to the success of the team and help to bring home the gold medal in women's hockey for Canada,” said Gribbons. “Although it will be challenging to miss three weeks of engineering classes and labs, my professors and fellow students have been supportive and accommodating.”

The Canadian team travels to the Games January 23, plays their first game January 28 against China and is scheduled for round robin play January 30 against Great Britain. February 1 will see Canada face the home team of Kazakhstan. All told, there are eight women teams involved in the Games including Japan, Russia and the United States.

“I would definitely consider attending the University Games to be one of the highlights of my hockey career,” said Gribbon who hopes to continue to play hockey at the highest level she can, following her graduation.

When Gribbons has downtime at the Games she hopes to catch a few of Team Canada teammate Kyla Vanderzwet’s races. “I have known Kyla most of my life, as she has been a good friend of my older sister for many years.” Gribbons also worked during high school and trained at Fitness Corner in Port Elgin, which is owned and operated by Kyla’s family.

Photo submitted