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Nepean Junior Wildcats (Ontario, Canada) U22 coach Kevin Mason made Heidi Knoll captain in her second season with the team. While Mason said that she was among the Wildcats’ top scorers, Knoll’s locker-room presence drove the decision.

Mason said Knoll made herself available for her teammates which led them to look up to her. She communicated well with the coaching staff, allowing for a seamless transition to team captain.

“There’s only so many players that you would ever put at captain,” Mason said.

Now, in her sophomore year at Syracuse, Knoll has displayed abilities that she honed while playing in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). Through seven games in 2023, Knoll leads the Orange with three goals. But her coaches and trainers in Canada are not surprised by her success. Mason said that Knoll plays hockey at a “different level,” utilizing her quickness and strength to set herself apart.

Mason coached Knoll for just two years, but Alex Vaduva, a performance coach at athletic training facility Fitquest, has seen Knoll’s growth since eighth grade. Vaduva said Knoll spends her summers back home in Ontario where the two work on off-ice training four days a week. Vaduva has worked with Knoll for six years now as her strength and conditioning coach in the offseason.

“I just remember she was eager to train and eager to get better and that was kind of my first recollection (of Knoll),” Vaduva said. “And she’s always learning and kind of champing at the bit to learn and develop herself.”

In his time working with her, Vaduva has seen Knoll jump from minor hockey to the PWHL and then to Syracuse. Through Knoll’s progression, Vaduva said her mental fortitude has pushed her forward. She easily overcomes adversity and can reset herself well to get where she needs to be, Vaduva said.

During the summers, Knoll also skates with an NCAA women’s group hosted by Amped Hockey, a local training facility, 2-to-3 days a week. Charlie Armstrong, one of her trainers with Amped Hockey, said that Knoll is itching to get back on the ice as soon as the offseason hits.

“She always shoots one of us a message right away and says, ‘Hey, I’m back. What do you guys have for summer programming? I’m ready to go,’” Armstrong said.

Armstrong said that he noticed Knoll’s raw potential when he started working with her four years ago. Knoll’s powerful release and her high-level skating ability stood out to Armstrong. He said Knoll’s talent made it exciting for him to work with her.

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But Knoll’s coachability has been just as apparent to Armstrong. She has constantly looked to improve through Armstrong’s teachings, trying to learn as much as she can. Knoll doesn’t hold back during their conversations, Armstrong said.

“She doesn’t just ask questions,” Armstrong said. “We say she always asks the right questions…You can tell that she wants to achieve even a greater level of success.”

This drive has led Knoll to national team camp selections. She has participated in both Team Canada and Team Ontario camps and was a member of the 2021 Canadian U18 Invitational Camp.

Armstrong said Knoll’s U18 selection helped him realize her potential. He said that being picked for a Team Canada camp puts her among one of the top players in the country at her age level.

“To get invited to not just an Ontario selection, but an actual Canada camp, I should say, is kind of a big deal,” Armstrong said.

Published on October 19, 2023 at 12:17 am