Geraldine Heaney

Geraldine Heaney (Born: October 1, 1967 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is an Irish-Canadian ice hockey head coach and retired defenceman. She is head coach for the University of Waterloo women's hockey team. She is generally regarded as among the best female ice hockey players, being compared to Bobby Orr.

* Jersey number: 91
* Shoots: Right
* Height: 173 cm (5'8")
* Weight: 63 kg (140 lb)

Career

Heaney began playing for the Toronto Aeros at the age of 12, winning six provincial championships. She played for the Canadian national women's hockey team winning seven (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001) gold medals at the IIHF World Women Championships, the only woman to have won gold in all seven events. She was named All-Star of the 1992 and 1999 teams. At the 1994 and 1992 Championships, she earned the Directorate Award for Best Defenceman. She also won a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in [ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics, she also won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City,and won gold again at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Heaney also won a bronze medal with Team Ontario and named Top Defenceman at the 2001 Esso Women's National Hockey Championship. She won a gold medal with Ontario at the 2000 Esso Women's National Hockey Championship and named Most Valuable Defenseman at 1999 Esso Nationals. She also participated in every Women's National Championship from 1987 to 2001—the only player to do so—and was also named OWHA Senior AA Most Valuable Defenceman in 1987-1988, 1991-1992, and 1992-1993. She also played for the World Roller Hockey Championship winning a gold medal in 1992 and a silver medal in 1994.

Personal

Heaney is the daughter of Mike and Kathleen. She has two brothers, Damien and Mike, and two sisters, Catherine and Colleen. She was raised in Weston, Ontario.

External links

* [http://www.hockeycanada.ca/e/teams/womens/olympics/2002/rosters/can/heaney.html Hockey Canada National Teams bio - Geraldine Heaney]
* [http://www.irishhamilton.ca/hockey.htm Irish Hamilton - Information about Irish Hamiltonians including Heaney]
* [http://www.hhof.com/html/wmspla03.shtml Hockey Hall of Fame - Profiles of notable women in hockey]
* [http://www.tsn.ca/cis/news_story.asp?id=121411 TSN.ca - Heaney to coach Waterloo article]
* [http://ego.uwaterloo.ca/~uwdir/LookUp?query=GERALDINE%20HEANEY University of Waterloo lookup data of Geraldine Heaney]
* [http://www.womenwarriors.ca/en/athletes/profile.asp?id=79 Women Warriors - Profile of Geraldine Heaney]