Crushing it on and off the track
Ella Krushelnicki is an athlete for all seasons.
The 16-year-old, Grade 10 student at Blessed Trinity has a future on the ice as a defenceman with the Stoney Creek Sabres, but also dabbles in track and field and soccer.
Krushelnicki took time off from the ice Wednesday to compete in a Niagara Catholic Athletic Association track meet at the Niagara Olympic Club where she ran in the 200 and relay.
“Track is a lot of fun at school. Most of my friends do it so we do it together,” she said.
Krushelnicki has modest goals for the track season, which begins in earnest next week with the Zone 3 meet Tuesday and the Zone 4 meet Thursday at NOC.
“This year for the 200 again I’d like to go to SOSSA (Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association) and South Regionals and hopefully not come last,” she said. “It would be good to place, that would be cool.”
Krushelnicki, who began her career on the track in elementary school where she participated in the 100, 200 and long jump, now concentrates on the 200.
“I like the 200 because in the 100 if you don’t have a good start the race is kind of done for you. In the 200, I’m not the best starter, so it’s a good run. I like the whole thing.
“I struggle with my starts the most. If I work on that I’ll have a better lead into the race.”
A berth at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships would be great, but Krushelnicki is also a realist.
“I think that’s a little too much right now. It would be pretty cool going to OFSAA, but I don’t think that will happen.”
On the ice, Krushelnicki recently participated at a national tournament in Sudbury where the Sabres, representing Ontario, placed third.
“It was really good. We have Grade 10 and 11 players and other teams don’t have a junior team so midget is their highest. Some girls played on Canada U18 team so it was pretty awesome,” she said.
Krushelnicki feels the experience will only help her down the road.
“I think it increases my game speed and being able to make quick decisions on the ice,” she said.
Her goal is to play at the next level.
“I’d like to get a scholarship. I haven’t really decided if I want to go to the States or stay in Canada. Some of the girls on my team are already committed so that would be awesome,” she said.
BT track coach Brad Hubbard has no doubt Krushelnicki has all the tools to achieve her dream.
“She’s very responsible with her academics. She is absent quite often with track and hockey but she’s very diligent in understanding her priorities,” he said. “I think she has legitimate aspirations of playing post-secondary hockey. She has both the athletic talent and academic discipline to do both.”
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