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April 5, 1997 

Canadian veteran's eyes wide open

St-Louis taking time to enjoy world tourney

By Alan Adams - Toronto Star Sports Reporter

KITCHENER - There is probably nobody else enjoying the world women's
hockey championship more than France St-Louis.

It seems that every time you see her - on the ice, hanging around with
her teammates or alone for a moment - St-Louis is all smiles as she
takes in the sights and sounds of her fourth trip to the world stage.

``This is probably my last world championship and I am enjoying it,''
St-Louis said yesterday after Canada's practice in preparation for
today's semifinal against Finland. ``I'm taking it all in.''

The other semifinal pits the United States against China. The
championship game will be played tomorrow night.

The Canadian women are on a tight schedule at the tournament. The
event is their Stanley Cup and it is all business and St-Louis is
being careful not to blink so she won't miss a thing.

She has fond memories of her previous tournaments, but the 38-year-old
forward is looking at this one through different eyes.

``It goes so fast and every day it is go, go, go,'' she said. ``We
have a schedule, we have a practice, we go eat . . . you end up going
home and saying that was great, but I don't feel like I really enjoyed
it. I didn't take the time to appreciate what is going on.''

Yesterday, most of her teammates were in the street clothes while
St-Louis and Angela James shot pucks and horsed around on the ice at
the Auditorium.

St-Louis is always one of the last players to vacate the dressing room
after a practice or a game. She likes to sit and watch how the younger
players adapt to the spotlight.

``I am really happy to be here and to share everything with them. I am
having fun . . . sometimes you get so serious, but sometimes it is
good to have a big smile on your face and be with the gang. I am just
taking the time to realize this is it.''

St-Louis is one of five Canadians who have set the standard of
excellence for women's hockey in Canada. St-Louis, James, Geraldine
Heaney, Stacy Wilson and Judy Diduck all played for Canada's
gold-medal team at the first world women's tournament in 1990 and all
five have since added gold in 1992 and '94.

When St-Louis finally bids the game farewell, she'll leave a legacy
that will be hard to match.

Along with her international contributions, St-Louis was a member of
10 national championship teams from 1985 through 1996, winning the
gold medal six times for Quebec. Three times she was chosen the MVP of
the Canadian tournament.

She's also an accomplished lacrosse player and from 1985 to 1989 was a
member of Canada's national team. The resident of St-Hubert, Que., was
Quebec's athlete of the year in 1986 and was chosen as Quebec's
athlete of the decade for 1980 to 1990.

She taught physical education for 12 years and was the sports director
of a school in Montreal for the last four.

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