Doubling her luck
Rebecca Collings earns spot on Team Canada East ringette team

BY?STEVE SHARRATT
The Guardian

MONTAGUE — Rebecca Collings is hoping lucky No. 7 will pay off for her in Europe.

Her lucky number — not to mention talent and skill — have nabbed her a spot on Team Canada East and a shot at the 2009 World Junior Ringette championship in Prague, Czech Republic.

ut just to make sure luck is with her, the 16-year-old is doubling her odds and going with No. 77.

“It’s just fantastic to be part of it all and I think it’s my greatest moment so far in this great sport,” said the teen going into Grade 12 at Montague regional this fall.

Collings is the only P.E.I. member of Team Canada East and will play against two teams from Finland as well as Team Canada West.

But luck has been with her all along after she attended tryouts in Ottawa this past spring and made the cut as a forward. Even more remarkably, she made the cut for the Ringette Junior team which consists of 19-year-old players.

“I think I’m the youngest and it’s great just to be part of it.”

Collings, along with five other girls, are assigned to the taxi squad which means the “back up” line in case one of the first line players goes down to injury. But that’s nothing to sniff about.

“It’s a big stepping stone for me and a way to learn and experience and who knows what might happen.”

Last minute of play, a forward gets injured and the coach yells for Collings to get in the game?

“I’ll be ready,” says the anxious teenager who has played ringette, as well as hockey, in the Montague minor sports system since she was four years old.

Collings meets up with her fellow players in Toronto on July 28 and they fly overseas together.

“We’re a little worried that she’s only 16, but we’re delighted she’s part of this event,” said Rebecca’s grandmother Sandra Annear. “She’s worked so hard and we’re very proud of her. She puts her heart and soul into everything.”

Collings has been checking the map and admits she’s excited about getting in some sight seeing as the team travels through Austria and Germany to reach the Republic.

She’s currently trying out for the under-19 Canada Games national team for the event in 2011 in Halifax.

“Ringette is the fastest sport on ice,” she says. “It’s a team sport, not a do it yourself sport, and that’s what I like about it.”