URL:http://www.torstar.com/sportswire/amhockey/HKY-Women-Worlds-Redd.html

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Late breaking SportsWire Story last updated on 
Wed Apr 2 22:40:23 EST 1997 
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Lesley Reddon in goal against Russia 

- Lesley Reddon knows that one day she'll have to give up
competitive hockey.

But for now the 26-year-old Canadian goaltender is happy focusing
on the women's world hockey championship and the 1998 Olympics in
Nagano, Japan.

``I've been playing the game since I was six years old and I've
always found it fun and challenging and exciting,'' Reddon said
before backstopping Canada to an easy 9-1 win over Russia Tuesday
night.

``The world championships and the Olympics are what you could call
the NHL of women's hockey so the opportunity to participate in a
tournament like this and play the game at its highest level is one
of the ultimate experiences one could have.''

A year ago, Reddon earned a master's degree in sports
administration from the University of New Brunswick at Fredericton.
During the winter leading to her graduation, she worked as an intern
in the offices of the AHL's Fredericton Canadiens in marketing and
promotions. She aims to some day land a front-office job with a pro
hockey team.

She moved to Calgary last September to train in the national
women's program.

``That was the best place for me to be at this point,'' she said.
``I had to keep pursuing the hockey dream.

``I know I'll have to hit the real world some day in terms of a
career but with the chance that's there with the Olympics I didn't
want to wonder, `What if?' So, I made a full commitment to playing
hockey and taking the dream as far as it can go.''

Reddon was a forward before switching to goaltending.

``When I hit peewee, I got the chance to go in goal and I liked the
challenge,'' she said of her minor hockey days in the Ontario cities
of Mississauga, her home town, and Brampton.

Before enrolling at UNB in 1993, she was at the University of
Toronto for four years, getting a business degree and tending goal
for four Ontario-champion Lady Blues teams.

Reddon played in her first world tournament in 1994, getting into
two games, when Canada won gold. The five-foot-eight goalie is
destined to play a more significant role this time.

During the 1994-95 university hockey season, Reddon played a game
for the UNB men's varsity team, becoming the first woman to play in
a CIAU hockey game. She spent the 1995-96 season on the men's
varsity roster.

KITCHENER, Ont. (CP)

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