University of Minnesota Athletics
Junior La Toya Clarke Captures Gold With Team Canada
3/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Canada defeated Germany's senior team in an exhibition game on February 5th, 7-2. While the Canadian team was rife with talent, such a commanding victory is not always common with teams whose players are not yet able to flawlessly read their linemates' next moves in a split second, let alone barely know each other. "We didn't have much time to get going, considering we only had three practices before the exhibition game, and we were jet lagged," Clarke said. "But we had played together briefly this summer, and I knew some girls from Division I hockey, so it wasn't that we were complete strangers. Plus the coaches and team really emphasized being with each other all the time, and that really enhanced our playing together."
Clarke's team went on to win against Finland's Under-22 team, 4-1 on Feb. 6th and trounced Switzerland seniors 8-0 the following day. In the final game, Canada again met with Germany. This time the final score was 6-1, confirming that the first game had been no fluke.
Clarke noted that the experience in Germany was both challenging and fulfilling. After making the Canadian Under-22 team this summer, the team that defeated the United States twice (5-1, 3-1) and skated to a tie once (3-3) in August, Clarke said her confidence in her playing ability was greatly boosted. The level of competition, she said, pushes her to work harder and helps her to realize that she is good enough to play with the best.
"It was great to meet players of such high caliber and to play with them," Clarke said. "Getting to represent Canada on the Under-22 team is a good chance for me to see international competition, and its nice to be able to ease my way into it. The people are great out there, and I made a lot of friends."
This tournament came at a good time for Clarke, who had been working to build back her confidence after she an injury hindered her playing time in the Brown/Harvard series and against St. Lawrence. Although Clarke did not rack up any points in Germany, she said goals aren't necessarily what she thinks makes a good player. Although she led the team in points her freshman year with 53 and has been nothing to scoff this season or last, Clarke is more concerned with being a well-rounded player.
"I'm never really satisfied with what I do," Clarke said. "Statistically, I had a good year my freshman year. But defensively, I could have been a better two-sided center. Last year, I had less points, but I was stronger defensively. I am just as proud of keeping pucks out of our net as I am to put pucks in theirs."
And while Clarke's role on the team has fluctuated a bit this season due to the injury, her dedication to the never-ending improvement process is what defines Clarke's main function on the Gophers squad.
"My role is ever-changing because of having been hurt, other injuries on the team, and the line changes we've seen, but I think the team looks to me for my work ethic," Clarke said. "I try to be a strong two-way player, performing well defensively and putting the puck in offensively. I try to work hard and hopefully people will see that and the attitude will snowball."
Teammate Kelly Stephens' opinion on Clarke's playing style is similar.
"She's a natural leader, very driven, composed and knows what she wants," Stephens said. "She's focused but fun, too. But her role is as a playmaker. She sets people up very well and knows where to be on the ice."
But who knows-maybe Clarke's solid play might not all be attributable to her dogged practice habits. Self-described as "pretty superstitious," Clarke has a peculiar-but obviously successful-way of preparing for her games.
"All my equipment has to go on in a certain order," Clarke said. "I've got to start all over if I screw up the order, even if it's a little thing. It can take forever."
Prior to the game, Clarke opts to spend time by herself to reflect. She steps up to the ice and thinks about her goals for the game and what she wants to achieve both for herself and the team.
Post-game, however, don't be surprised to find Clarke hightailing it to the nearest Chipotle. Clarke is legendary on the team for her affection for the oversized burritos.
"I'm in love with the place," Clarke said. "I'm going to open one. I just can't believe there aren't more all over the U.S. and Canada. I'm going to own one on the University of Toronto Campus."
According to Clarke, she and a few girls on the Canadian Under-22 team from University of Wisconsin had a debate over which fast-food Mexican restaurant was better, Q-Doba, found in Madison, or Chipotle. This doesn't surprise Stephens.
"You buy her Chipotle, and she'll love you forever," Stephens said. "She's absolutely nuts about it."
Clarke is serious about owning own of the restaurants-her major is agriculture and food business management. Besides that plan, however, Clarke is set on returning to her native Ontario after graduation and hopefully playing for the Canadian senior team.
"There are three or four teams around Toronto that I could play for," Clarke said. "I would get to travel around a bit, and I know I'll never give up the game. I'm going to work hard to make the senior national team. I've had a taste of it, and now I want more."
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kimberly Jackson (Kimberly welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu) Not only has junior forward La Toya Clarke proven to Minnesota that Canadians are a force to be reckoned with, but now Germany, Switzerland and Finland are firm believers. From February 2nd to February 9th, Clarke traded in her Gopher stick-temporarily-for one to represent her home country in the 2003 European Air Canada Cup. Her Under-22 team won all four games in the round-robin tournament, capturing the gold.
Canada defeated Germany's senior team in an exhibition game on February 5th, 7-2. While the Canadian team was rife with talent, such a commanding victory is not always common with teams whose players are not yet able to flawlessly read their linemates' next moves in a split second, let alone barely know each other. "We didn't have much time to get going, considering we only had three practices before the exhibition game, and we were jet lagged," Clarke said. "But we had played together briefly this summer, and I knew some girls from Division I hockey, so it wasn't that we were complete strangers. Plus the coaches and team really emphasized being with each other all the time, and that really enhanced our playing together."
Clarke's team went on to win against Finland's Under-22 team, 4-1 on Feb. 6th and trounced Switzerland seniors 8-0 the following day. In the final game, Canada again met with Germany. This time the final score was 6-1, confirming that the first game had been no fluke.
Clarke noted that the experience in Germany was both challenging and fulfilling. After making the Canadian Under-22 team this summer, the team that defeated the United States twice (5-1, 3-1) and skated to a tie once (3-3) in August, Clarke said her confidence in her playing ability was greatly boosted. The level of competition, she said, pushes her to work harder and helps her to realize that she is good enough to play with the best.
"It was great to meet players of such high caliber and to play with them," Clarke said. "Getting to represent Canada on the Under-22 team is a good chance for me to see international competition, and its nice to be able to ease my way into it. The people are great out there, and I made a lot of friends."
This tournament came at a good time for Clarke, who had been working to build back her confidence after she an injury hindered her playing time in the Brown/Harvard series and against St. Lawrence. Although Clarke did not rack up any points in Germany, she said goals aren't necessarily what she thinks makes a good player. Although she led the team in points her freshman year with 53 and has been nothing to scoff this season or last, Clarke is more concerned with being a well-rounded player.
"I'm never really satisfied with what I do," Clarke said. "Statistically, I had a good year my freshman year. But defensively, I could have been a better two-sided center. Last year, I had less points, but I was stronger defensively. I am just as proud of keeping pucks out of our net as I am to put pucks in theirs."
And while Clarke's role on the team has fluctuated a bit this season due to the injury, her dedication to the never-ending improvement process is what defines Clarke's main function on the Gophers squad.
"My role is ever-changing because of having been hurt, other injuries on the team, and the line changes we've seen, but I think the team looks to me for my work ethic," Clarke said. "I try to be a strong two-way player, performing well defensively and putting the puck in offensively. I try to work hard and hopefully people will see that and the attitude will snowball."
Teammate Kelly Stephens' opinion on Clarke's playing style is similar.
"She's a natural leader, very driven, composed and knows what she wants," Stephens said. "She's focused but fun, too. But her role is as a playmaker. She sets people up very well and knows where to be on the ice."
But who knows-maybe Clarke's solid play might not all be attributable to her dogged practice habits. Self-described as "pretty superstitious," Clarke has a peculiar-but obviously successful-way of preparing for her games.
"All my equipment has to go on in a certain order," Clarke said. "I've got to start all over if I screw up the order, even if it's a little thing. It can take forever."
Prior to the game, Clarke opts to spend time by herself to reflect. She steps up to the ice and thinks about her goals for the game and what she wants to achieve both for herself and the team.
Post-game, however, don't be surprised to find Clarke hightailing it to the nearest Chipotle. Clarke is legendary on the team for her affection for the oversized burritos.
"I'm in love with the place," Clarke said. "I'm going to open one. I just can't believe there aren't more all over the U.S. and Canada. I'm going to own one on the University of Toronto Campus."
According to Clarke, she and a few girls on the Canadian Under-22 team from University of Wisconsin had a debate over which fast-food Mexican restaurant was better, Q-Doba, found in Madison, or Chipotle. This doesn't surprise Stephens.
"You buy her Chipotle, and she'll love you forever," Stephens said. "She's absolutely nuts about it."
Clarke is serious about owning own of the restaurants-her major is agriculture and food business management. Besides that plan, however, Clarke is set on returning to her native Ontario after graduation and hopefully playing for the Canadian senior team.
"There are three or four teams around Toronto that I could play for," Clarke said. "I would get to travel around a bit, and I know I'll never give up the game. I'm going to work hard to make the senior national team. I've had a taste of it, and now I want more."
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kimberly Jackson (Kimberly welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu)
