A Quesnel hockey player was part of a historic first over the weekend.
Destiny Bautista was the only Quesnel athlete on the ice when her Northern Capitals took on the Greater Vancouver Comets in the B.C. Hockey Female Midget AAA League’s first-ever outdoor game.
The game was held on the outdoor ice at the Ernie Sam Memorial Arena in Fort St. James Sunday, Jan. 19 as a part of the league’s Winter Classic weekend.
The Comets would defeat the Capitals 4-0 in the game, but even in defeat, 16-year-old Destiny Bautista, who has been playing hockey since she was eight, was able to appreciate being a part of something bigger than one particular game.
“I was really happy to be a part of the event,” she said. “I really hope they continue to do it, and I’m hoping that it will help inspire young girls who see it to want to play.”
Although Bautista has not decided what school or program she wants to pursue for her post-secondary education, she is hopeful that her skills on the ice will parlay into a scholarship when the time comes.
One thing is certain — for Bautista, her teammates and her opponents, Sunday’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will remain a cherished memory for years to come.
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