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Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2013.55.34 B |
Object Name |
Video Recording |
Title |
Angela James Interview |
Interview Summary / Résumé d'entrevue |
Angela James, Order of Sport recipient, inducted in 2009, born in Toronto, Ontario, talks about her ice hockey career. Angela describes growing up in Toronto's Flemingdon Park neighbourhood and how she looked up to ice hockey players in the NHL and Cathy Stockman, a local female ice hockey player. Angela started playing ice hockey on outdoor rinks in her youth, which meant that she did not have to pay fees for ice time. Angela describes her journey to the national team, facing the challenges of being a young player from a single-parent household. Angela talks about the unsanctioned Women's World Championships in 1987 and the lead-up to the first official IIHF Women's World Championship in 1990. Angela describes her experience in that first official tournament, emphasizing the excitement despite challenges like the organizational decision to have stereotypical pink uniforms. Angela notes the evolving status of women's ice hockey from the early years to 2009, acknowledging the dominance of Team Canada and Team USA. She discusses her career highlights, the challenges of making a living while playing, and the Team Canada location in Calgary. Post-retirement, Angela remains active in ice hockey, playing shinny, officiating, and coaching. Regarding the National Women's Hockey League, she highlights the strength of the intermediate junior level and the importance of sponsorship, especially since the players do not receive a wage. Angela expresses gratitude for her induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame and defines success as giving one's best effort at any level. Describing herself as aggressive and passionate on-ice, she emphasizes the role of sports in keeping kids off the streets and fostering a sense of belonging. Angela credits her success to supportive administrators, coaches, and good friends. Angela James, récipiendaire de l'Ordre du sport, a été intronisée en 2009 et est née à Toronto, en Ontario. Elle parle de sa carrière de hockey sur glace. Angela décrit son enfance dans le quartier Flemingdon Park de Toronto et explique qu'elle admirait les joueurs de hockey sur glace de la LNH et Cathy Stockman, une joueuse locale de hockey sur glace féminin. Angela a commencé à jouer au hockey sur glace sur des patinoires extérieures pendant sa jeunesse, ce qui voulait dire qu'elle ne devait pas payer pour profiter du temps de glace. Angela décrit son parcours l'ayant menée jusqu'à jouer pour l'équipe nationale, elle parle des défis rencontrés comme jeune joueuse issue d'une famille monoparentale. Angela parle du Championnat du monde de hockey sur glace féminin non sanctionné par la Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace (IIHF) en 1987, et de la préparation au premier Championnat du monde officiel de l'IIHF en 1990. Angela décrit son expérience lors de ce premier tournoi officiel, en soulignant l'excitation malgré les difficultés rencontrées, comme celle de devoir jouer dans des uniformes roses, une décision prise par l'organisation d'Équipe Canada et qui perpétuait les stéréotypes de genre. Angela commente l'évolution du statut du hockey sur glace féminin pendant la période des premières années jusqu'à 2009, reconnaissant la domination de l'équipe du Canada et de l'équipe des États-Unis. Elle discute des moments forts de sa carrière, des défis de gagner sa vie tout en jouant, et de l'emplacement d'Équipe Canada à Calgary. Ayant maintenant pris sa retraite, Angela continue de s'impliquer dans le hockey sur glace, notamment en jouant au shinny (hockey improvisé), en arbitrant et en étant entraîneure. En ce qui concerne la Ligue nationale de hockey féminin, elle met en avant la force du niveau junior intermédiaire et l'importance du parrainage, surtout parce que les joueuses ne reçoivent pas de salaire. Angela exprime sa gratitude pour son intronisation au Temple de la renommée de la Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace et définit le succès comme donner le meilleur de soi-même à n'importe quel niveau. Se décrivant comme agressive et passionnée sur la glace, elle met l'accent sur le rôle du sport pour éloigner les enfants de la rue et favoriser un sentiment d'appartenance. Angela attribue son succès aux administrateurs, aux entraîneurs et aux bons amis qui l'ont soutenue. |
Scope & Content |
Angela James interview, 2 November 2009. Digitized MP4 from Sony 40 Advanced ME DVCAM. Viewing time 00:33:29 01:02Childhood: grew up in the Toronto neighbourhood of Flemingdon Park, idols were Darryl Sittler, Guy Lafleur, Mark Messier and Cathy Stockman, a female ice hockey player who played at a local rink 01:48When did you start to play hockey? As a youth skated on outdoor rinks, played ball hockey in the neighbourhood with the boys, playing in net [goalie] 02:24How or why did you continue? It was what you did in the neighbourhood, get in sports or get in trouble, played ball hockey - classic neighbourhood game, played on the street and would moved the nets out of the way of cars when needed, they played from morning to night 03:04On playing in an organization: started playing in a boy's league, then went into a girl's league with Annunciation, which became the Toronto Aeros, and playing with various girl's leagues around the province 04:28Where did you want to play: "back then you were just a kid and really wanted to play, it didn't really matter where you played, it was a matter of who would take me and how I would get there;" talks about taking the bus with her hockey gear and having to fend for herself as her single mother was raising five children 05:20Unofficial Worlds in 1987: at that time the national programme had been established, the first Nationals had been held in 1982 so the girls had been playing at the National level for five years and they wanted more; what is the next level - "first world tournament was a great intro as the rest of the country and the rest of the world was picking up that women's ice hockey was alive and strong" 06:25The tournament was initiated by Fran Rider from the OWHA, and their organizing committee initiated the first unsanctioned world tournament with the assistance of Hazel McCallion. They brought in six to eight countries, "it was pretty much the best thing any of us had seen... it was a very exciting time" 07:09On the tryouts for the team: if your team won the Nationals they would represent Canada at the world tournament and there would be a host team as well, Angela played for the host team [Team Ontario] even though she won the nationals because of a coaching decision. Team Canada was able to pickup players from across Canada for the roster and Team Ontario was the Hamilton Golden Hawks. Canada and Ontario met in the final game 08:37Between 1987 and 1990 when the IIHF made an official tournament: The people in the background, like Fran, who really pushed the IIHF, once they were on board it was their show and they had their own protocols 09:041990 tournament: originally Angela did not make the 1990 team; had only named 12 players so was eventually called back and was on the team; "Some of the things that stood out in my mind was the sponsorships that came on board..." talks about the pink uniform, white pants, marketing blacked out their sticks, pink flamingo on the zamboni, "Pink Power" theme - "We did not care. We got to play hockey, TSN was there and the fans were going crazy... it was a special time" 10:57On developing her skills as a young girl: playing on an outdoor arena so don't have to pay for ice time, skate anywhere could get ice, talks about the difficulty in getting ice for her son, who she coaches 12:40On women's hockey being an established game: did not look that far ahead to the Olympics but happy to be part of it, there was no predetermined path, took whatever was put in front of them, starting having the Worlds every four years, then every second year, then every year; when they started talking about the Olympics they had 5 World Championships and other competed in other tournaments by then and Olympic Winter Games was a natural progression 14:43Have things changed from 1990 to 2009 and what about the world domination of Team Canada and Team USA in women's hockey? "...In any sport for the most part you have your dominant countries that seem to stay on top.... unless there is a huge population change in some of those countries... you are pretty much going to see the same results." 15:39On respect for the women's game: Anyone that's involved in the sport there is great respect for it... it's the ones who don't know the sport that you get the negative tones... anybody that's involved in women's hocky, girl's hockey, they demand just as much from the girls as they do the boys... it's not so much 'I play girl's hocky,' it's 'I play hockey'" 16:40Highlights of her career: fortunate to win, each one of the wins there were good things, some funny things, some special times, bonding with friends, "some times that you cherish and never forget" 17:45How did you make a living? "We worked full time, I worked full time job, I would officiate at nighttime, in between practices and games and tournaments, I worked for Seneca College in Toronto for the past 23 years, I was very fortunate because they supported me... I was able to get time off. Some other people were not as fortunate.... it was not like they were paying us to play... you had to make some huge sacrifices..." 19:30Centralized team in Calgary: most girls now are fairly young and the expectation is that [they move to Calgary] prolonging their careers, staying in school and getting degrees, hopefully Hockey Canada recognizes that they need to make accommodations for women who have children 20:52On being involved in hockey post-retirement: do not get involved in the politics, do not have a knack for it, just like to play shinny, officiate, coach. 23:15On having a National Women's Hockey League: The real strength of girl's hockey is the intermediate junior level right now... I think that is where the emphasis is right now because those are your up and coming players are... the NWHL has a lot of good players, but it takes sponsorship [to be successful] 25:24On her induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame: Big surprise, a lot of nice things have happened, a number of Hall of Fames, rink named after her; women's game getting formal respect, this induction shows that 27:10Describe yourself: more on aggressive side, quick, liked to score, like to shoot, ability to make plays, passion for game 28:22Talks about promoting the game 30:01Role models: names the administrators of Seneca College who gave her time to play and pointed her in the right direction in terms of education, that there is other things outside of hockey; she names her coaches; good friends 31:56On kids playing sports: "Keep them off the streets. Keep them out of trouble. Give them a sense of belongingness with their friends. Ability to learn how to communicate and talk to people. Have fun. Be part of something." 32:33Define success: "If you go out and just try your best and know you have done everything possible, no matter what level you reached, to me at least, that is success." |
Date |
2009/11/02 |
People |
James, Angela |
Search Terms |
Women in sport Interview Angela James Ice hockey World Championships Team Canada |