Support these Fil-Canadian sisters and the rest of the PH women’s ice hockey team
Hanna (left) and Larissa (right) Pagdato of the PH women’s ice hockey team | Photos from mountiepride.ca/uwinnipeg.ca
Even in sports, fairy tales do come true. Just ask the hockey-loving sisters Hanna and Larissa Pagdato from Winnipeg, Canada who once dreamed of representing the Philippines. Now, the two are lacing up their skates to join the Philippine women’s national ice hockey team.
Hanna was only eight years old when she was captivated by the gold medal win of the Canadian women’s hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
As she witnessed that moment, she knew right then and there that her passion was set ablaze.
“I feel like it’s a chance for me to connect to my roots,” said the 20-year-old goalie from Mount Allison University in an interview with 680 CJOB’s The Start. “This was a dream of mine ever since I was little… I always imagined myself representing a national team, and for me to represent the Philippines is something special, especially for my parents and the Filipino community here.”
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Her sister Larissa, a former junior hockey player and coach of True North Foundation’s U13 girls’ team, will join Hanna in the hockey journey. She recounts the moment when they received the offer to join Team Philippines for the Union Tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Sept. 5 to 9.
“They reached out and the next day we were on a phone call with them, discussing what exactly the tournament is, what the team is, and our place on the team, basically,” she said in an interview with Global News.
The two have been playing ice hockey since 2011 and most likely were influenced by their father Larry Pagdato’s own love affair with the sport in the early ’80s.
Fast forward to today, the pair are heading to the UAE proudly donning the jerseys of the Philippine women’s ice hockey team next month. Though this journey isn’t one without its own set of challenges.
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While hockey is a well-loved sport in Canada, that isn’t always the case everywhere—especially not here in the Philippines where there is a lack of funding to begin with. But despite this, Team Philippines’ passion still manages to come through, even finishing second place in July in their first-ever tournament after the pandemic.
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On top of the support that Canadian businesses like Rink Hockey and Triple C Pizzeria are extending to the Pagdato sisters, the team has also set up a fundraising campaign called ICE: I Care Enough to support their Union Tournament campaign.
“After a prolonged hiatus caused by the pandemic, our team is thrilled to have the opportunity to compete in this tournament. It serves as crucial preparation for us as we represent our country in the IIHF Asia and Oceania Championship in May 2024,” the press release states.
“We believe that participating in this tournament will not only give our team the experience they deserve but also empower their journey towards success. We are determined to showcase to the world just how talented our team truly is.”
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Whether you’re a hockey fan, a newbie to the game or simply a Filipino who wants to support these talented athletes, your help goes a long way.
