Gryphon Erin Houle to compete in the 2015 Indoor Field Hockey World Cup
Every time fourth-year Landscape Architecture-student and field hockey-star Erin Houle goes somewhere to play, her dad texts her four words: “Play hard. Play fair.”
Clearly, she does.
Erin is a prime example of what a strong work ethic can do. A 2013 All-Canadian and 2014 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star, Erin is heading to Germany at the end of the month to play in the 2015 Indoor Field Hockey World Cup in Leipzig. The tournament will run through Feb. 4 to Feb. 8, and will pit 12 nations against each other in both men’s and women’s divisions.
Team Canada, a group of 12 girls with a few reserves, is entering the tournament unranked. They are facing a tough crowd of mostly European teams, including the powerhouse German team, who they play in their second match-up of the tournament.
“In Canada, field hockey isn’t as big a deal as it is in Europe,” Erin said. “People think, ‘it’s just girls running around in skirts.’ It’s not recognized the way that ice hockey is.”
As a team, their goal is to finish in the Top Eight, and to prove that they’re in it for more than just the experience.
Erin plays midfield.
“I’m a bit of a control freak,” she explained. “I like being in the middle of everything.”
When asked if the self-label could be included in the article, Erin laughed.
“Oh, everyone knows.”
That control and focus has enabled her to get to where she is today.
For Erin, sports have been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. The second-youngest of four girls, all of whom were rigorously involved in sports growing up, Erin has lived and breathed athletics her entire life.
“My oldest sister, Devon, was a competitive swimmer,” Erin explained. “She got up at five a.m. to train, trained after school … All the time. We admired her so much.”
That persistence and drive was passed onto the rest of the girls too, who hit their stride in the sport of field hockey. After Erin’s sister, Victoria, made her high school team in grade nine, their mother put Erin, and their youngest sister Adrienne, into a league so they could give field hockey a try. Each of them excelled at it. As university students, Victoria played for Dalhousie University, while Erin plays for Guelph, and Adrienne plays for Providence College in the United States.
The Houle sisters are a name to be recognized in field hockey circles, but that’s what Erin says she loves most about the sport.
“Everybody knows everybody. It’s such a community – I can go to a tournament and be able to talk to anyone. Parents, coaches, other players,” Erin said of the sporting world. “By this point, I’ve played with at least one girl on every [university] team.”
But field hockey has its pitfalls too. Erin had her hand shattered in three places in a game against Waterloo this fall, which led to her missing out on the OUA and CIS championships. It has healed well though, and for that she gives credit to the team here at Guelph.
“Shout out to Gunner, Judy, and Nat – they saved my hand.”
Erin still can’t straighten her index finger completely, but she can play – and that’s what matters.
A more day-to-day struggle is time management.
“That’s a big one,” Erin said, nodding. “I learned it so young, though. I’ve always been doing everything. One sport a semester, club sports outside of school, a job.”
But it isn’t as easy as Erin makes it sound. University requires her to juggle a full course load and field hockey, not to mention preparation for Team Canada.
“Practices [for Team Canada] are almost every day and they are in Toronto – thankfully I only have classes two days a week.”
It’s worth it, though.
“I love it,” she said. “I could never just be a student. I have to be a student athlete.”
As for what is next for Erin, playing professionally is an option; it would be a dream job that would enable her to travel the world doing what she loves and playing with a group of girls that have become close friends. However, the other option is getting a job in her field of Landscape Architecture – another appealing prospect.
For now though, Erin is going to Germany for the World Cup. She is going to “play hard and fair” just like her Dad reminds her to, and is going to do Canada proud.