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Sami Jo Small

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Sami Jo Small
Born Samantha Small
(1976-03-25) March 25, 1976 (age 48)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for
National team  Canada
Playing career 1997–2018
Website www.samijosmall.ca
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Women's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Salt Lake City Tournament
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1999 Finland Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2000 Canada Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2001 United States Tournament
Gold medal – first place 2004 Canada Tournament
Small with the Toronto Furies in 2012

Sami Jo Small (born March 25, 1976) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender. As a member of the Canadian national team, she was an Olympic gold medallist and four-time World Championship medallist. One of the founders of the now defunct Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL), she served in the role of vice-chair during the league's inaugural season and went on to play ten seasons in the league. She was the team president of the Toronto Six before the Premier Hockey Federation ceased operations in 2023.[1]

Playing career

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Small competed for Team Manitoba at the 1991 Canada Winter Games.[2]

Stanford University

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Small is a graduate of Collège Jeanne-Sauvé and attended Stanford University on a track and field scholarship for the discus throw, hammer throw, and javelin throw events. While at Stanford, she also played on the Cardinal men's club hockey team.[3] At the 1997 Pacific-10 Track and Field championships, held May 24–25, 1997, Small finished in fifth place in the hammer throw with a distance of 161.5 ft (49.2 m) and placed seventh in discus throw with a distance of 158.8 ft (48.4 m).[4][5]

CWHL

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Small was a goaltender for the Mississauga Chiefs of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. After the CWHL contracted in 2010, she was claimed by the Toronto Furies. With Toronto, Small participated in the championship game of the 2011 Clarkson Cup. Despite losing to the Montreal Stars by a 5-0 tally, Small accumulated 46 saves in the championship.[6] On February 9, 2014, in a victory against the defending Clarkson Cup champion Boston Blades, Small achieved her the 60th victory of her CWHL career, the first CWHL goaltender to reach the 60-win plateau.[7] In that same season, Small would win the 2014 Clarkson Cup, making her the third women's ice hockey goaltender to have won Winter Games gold, IIHF gold and the Clarkson.

International play

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Small is an Olympic champion, and four-time world champion goalie for the Canadian national women's ice hockey team.[8] Acting as a third goaltender on the Canadian women's hockey team at Turin and Nagano, she served as a backup to Kim St. Pierre at the Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics – Women's tournament, which saw Canada win its first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's ice hockey.

Management

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On June 11, 2018, Small was named general manager of the Toronto Furies.[9] One of her first moves in the position was signing Courtney Kessel (née Birchard) as their new head coach and appointing long-time coach Ken Dufton as an advisor to the organization.[10]

Among the free agents signed by Small leading into her first season as GM included goaltender Elaine Chuli and forward Shiann Darkangelo to contracts in August 2018.[11] With the second overall pick at the 2018 CWHL Draft, her first draft as general manager, Small selected forward Sarah Nurse. Four spots later, she would claim goaltender Shea Tiley, who led the Clarkson Golden Knights women's ice hockey program to a pair of NCAA Frozen Four championships.

In September 2022, Small joined the PHF as team president of the Toronto Six.[12]

Other

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Small published her autobiography, titled "The Role I Played: Canada’s Greatest Olympic Hockey Team," with ECW Press in September 2020.[13][14]

Hosting a podcast in conjunction with Sports Illustrated and The Hockey News, Sami Jo's Podcast: Building a Stronger Team, began in February 2021. Speaking to talks to elite players and coaches, deciphering the elements of a successful team, another focus involves discussion on the numerous facets of making one a better player and teammate.[15]

In 2022, Small appeared on an episode of Canadian comedy show Letterkenny as herself.[16]

Podcast Episode guide

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Personal life

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Small graduated from Stanford University in 1999, with a degree in mechanical engineering sub-specializing in product design.

She is involved with several advocacy organizations and has been an Athlete Ambassador with Right To Play since 2006.[17]

Small is married to Billy Bridges, a fifteen-year veteran forward on the Canadian men's national ice sledge hockey team and three time Winter Paralympic Games medalist.[18][19] They have a daughter named Kensi.[20]

Awards and honours

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Small in net for the Furies in a match against Les Canadiennes de Montréal, January 2011

References

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  1. ^ "Champion Toronto Six prepare for ring ceremony with future uncertain". Toronto Star. July 15, 2023. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  2. ^ Ferguson, Bob (2005). Who's Who in Canadian Sport, Volume 5. Markham, Ontario: Fitzhenry and Whiteside. p. 409. ISBN 1550418556.
  3. ^ "Sami Jo Small Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. April 18, 2020. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ "Women's Track - 1997 Women's Best Times & Marks". Stanford University Athletics. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  6. ^ http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2011/03/28/17779016.html Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Syrén, Johan. "CWHL & Canadian Women's Hockey: The History of Famous Awards, League and Championship". CWHL.ca. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  8. ^ "Speakers: Sami Jo Small". National Speakers Bureau. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  9. ^ Spencer, Donna (June 11, 2018). "Sami Jo Small named GM of CWHL's Toronto Furies". The Toronto Star. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "Kessel New Head Coach, Dufton New Advisor". Toronto Furies (Press release). July 31, 2018. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Toronto Adds Free Agent Goaltender Elaine Chuli". Toronto Furies (Press release). August 1, 2018. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  12. ^ Rutherford, Kristina. "'Momentum's really growing': Sami Jo Small joins Toronto Six as team president". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "Books – The Role I Played: Canada's Greatest Olympic Hockey Team". ECW Press. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  14. ^ Jay, Michelle (October 2, 2020). "Q&A with Sami Jo Small on 'The Role I Played'". The Ice Garden. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  15. ^ "Sami Jo's Podcast - The Hockey News on Sports Illustrated". si.com/hockey. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  16. ^ Prasad, Sumith (December 26, 2022). "Letterkenny Season 11 Recap and Ending, Explained". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  17. ^ a b http://righttoplay.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=2971&mid=9&Lang=en-CA&pid=247614 Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/small-stands-tall-with-her-protege/article1668569/[permanent dead link][dead link]
  19. ^ Graves, Wendy (March 6, 2014). "Billy Bridges, Sami Jo Small: A match made in hockey heaven". The Guardian. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  20. ^ "About Me". BillyBridges.com. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "BSHOF Inductee: Sami Jo Small". City of Brampton. Archived from the original on May 31, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  22. ^ "Brampton Sports Hall of Fame – Inductee Biographies by Year: 2002" (PDF). City of Brampton. June 12, 2002. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  23. ^ a b Podnieks, Andrew (2009). Hockey Facts And Stats 2009-2010. Toronto: HarperCollins. p. 542. ISBN 9781554686216.
  24. ^ "Norberry-Glenlee Community Centre (NGCC)". www.norberry-glenlee.ca. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  25. ^ Fuller, Simon (January 16, 2017). "Sami Jo Small Hockey Facility open at NGCC". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
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