Alena Fiala Skating In Sophomore NCAA Season

Alena Fiala was willing to go anywhere to play college hockey. Her dream of becoming a college athlete took her from Chatham-Kent, to Banff, and finally, to Hancock, located on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where the Blenheim, Ontario product plays for the NCAA’s Finlandia University Lions women’s hockey team.

“My first season was great. We had 11 freshmen last year so we were a pretty young team but we stood our own ground. I fit in right away and actually started in our very first game,” says Alena Fiala about her freshman season in 2013-2014.

“It was what I’ve worked my butt off my entire life to be a college athlete. I was living the dream. It was what I expected , competitive and tough.”

Now in her sophomore season, studying criminal justice, Fiala, a former Chatham Outlaws Midget ‘AA’, and UCC Lancers hockey player, is working hard to take her game to the next level.

“My goals for the season this year are to adapt more into a goal scoring role,” says Fiala. “I love to score but I used to be more of a playmaker and I loved to control the puck . But one of our weaknesses is putting the puck in the net so we need more players to step up and fire the puck.”

Last season, Fiala was fourth in Finlandia Lions scoring, collecting 2 goals and 3 assists in 21 games. This season, through 7 games, Fiala, who attended the Banff Hockey Academy for a season following her time at UCC in Chatham, has 1 goal and 2 assists.

While her Finlandia team continues to struggle, Fiala’s coaches have big expectations for the second year player.

“My coaches expect a lot out of me which is a good thing,” says Fiala. “They always expect me to play to my best potential and always put in 110% . They expect not only me, but our whole team to always be at their best. Yes, everyone’s going to make mistakes but it’s the little things like what you do after losing a battle to get the puck back. We must always be on our best behaviours and be leaders and representatives for the school.”

Fiala and the Finlandia Lions, who place in the NCAA Division III’s NCHA, continue their 2014-2015 season December 5 and 6 against Lake Forest College.