Former captain 'really excited' to have opportunity
By Corey LeBlanc
A familiar face to StFX X-Women hockey fans and supporters will be behind the bench next season.
Former team captain Kara Power is now a member of the program's coaching staff.
"I am really excited to have this opportunity to join the program – one that means so much to me – in a coaching capacity," the New Glasgow native says.
Describing the move as a "little while coming," she says it didn't take long for her X-Women coaches to plant the seed – when it came to moving to the coaching ranks. Power laughs as she remembers then head coach David Synishin, along with assistants Ben Berthiaume (now head coach) and Willie Joe Sofan, asking her if she was "ready to start coaching" on the flight home from the U Sports' tournament in her final season as a player.
Now an educator, Power says she preferred to wait until there were no longer any former teammates on the X-Women roster.
"I didn't want to take the chance of creating a difficult situation [for them]," she explains of potential issues that could arise when a friend and teammate moves to the coaching side.
Since hanging up her skates – at least at the varsity level – Power has stayed close to her beloved X-Women, including by contributing her talents to the program's annual summer camp.
And, as a teacher at New Glasgow Academy, she has coached a variety of sport teams.
"I have always thought about coaching because I love the game [hockey] so much," Power says.
Berthiaume says everyone with the program has welcomed Power with open arms.
"Our staff and student-athletes are looking forward to getting to know and work with Kara in the upcoming season," he adds.
Noting her background as a former X-Woman and team captain, Berthiaume says Power will be a "great asset to our program."
"Kara has a lot of knowledge of the game and – as a recent player – will be a huge support for all our student-athletes," he adds.
Noting she brings a "female element" to the X-Women coaching staff, Power says being "close in age" to the student-athletes – and having "gone through the program" – are some of the assets she thinks she will bring to the X-Women locker room.
"I know what the expectations and demands are," she adds of donning the White and Blue.
Power says her X-Women coaching colleagues know she brings "knowledge of hockey" to the table.
"They have trust in me," she adds.
And, of course – particularly for Berthiaume and Sofan – Power started to establish that connection when she first skated for the X-Women in the 2013-14 season.
After starting her university hockey career with the Minnesota State Mavericks, she transferred to StFX and joined the X-Women, which launched a sensational four-year stint in White and Blue.
A team leader from the get-go – on the ice and in the locker room – Power wore an 'A' in her first three seasons before carrying the captain's 'C' in her final one. She was a key contributor to the program's 2014-15 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship squad.
Off the ice, the two-time Academic All-Canadian excelled in the classroom. A StFX Leader of Distinction recipient, Power completed Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics and Bachelor of Education degrees.
"I am looking forward to this next chapter," she says of this new role with the X-Women, noting she has maintained a close connection with the program since finishing her playing career.
Power has already started in her coaching role, including meeting her student-athletes – either in-person or via Zoom. She notes things will ramp up as training camp draws closer for next season, with a group of X-Women players that she adds have a "lively edge."
"I think they are pretty excited to have me on board," she says.
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Kara Power in action during the 2016-17 season, her final one as a student-athlete with the X-Women program. She will join the team behind the bench for the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach.