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Emily Bakker (D)

Cambridge Turbos

Biography

Since starting ringette in Mitchell, Ontario at age 4, Emily Bakker has tasted success in many arenas. She was chosen Captain of the 2011 Ontario team that won Gold at the Canada Winter Games. In her rookie year last season with the Turbos, she picked up a Silver medal at Nationals. Her U19 teams have won Gold and Silver at the 2009 and 2010 provincials respectively and a Silver medal at the 2009 Nationals.

Her favourite ringette memory so far, she says, is when her Stratford Belle AA team won Provincials and went on to the Nationals.”We were competing in the semi-finals against Quebec and we were down 3-0 and 4-1. We came back to tie the game, and I scored the overtime game winning goal. I just remember how much pride I felt when we knew we earned the right to compete for the gold medal.”

Emily says her her favourite ringette accomplishment is when she made the Junior Eastern Canadian Ringette Team. “The sweetest part of this accomplishment was the bet I made with my dad. He bet that if I made the team that he’d get a tattoo that I personally designed. Well now my father has a modified Canadian Ringette symbol on the back of his calf with my number on the inside. He swears he will never bet me again, mainly because he didn’t know how much tattoos hurt.”

When asked what is the best piece of advice she has been given – either in sport or personal life, Emily replies: “This is the beginning of a new day, God has given me this to use. When tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever leaving in its place that which I have traded. I want it to be gain not loss, good not evil, success not failure. I shall not regret the price I have paid for it. I will try just for today, because you never fail until you stop trying. Choices not chance determines destiny.”

Emily is currently studying Biology and Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo and plans to pursue a profession in the health field.