Fisher is originally from Kingston , Ont ., but he arrived in Winnipeg five years ago to work in programming with Canlan Ice Sports on Ellice Ave . While there , he got to know Jon Rempel , the head coach of the University of Manitoba Bisons women ’ s program . Two years into his stint in Winnipeg , Rempel called Fisher and asked him to join the Bisons as an assistant coach .
With all the scouting he did for the Bisons , he came to know regional Boston Shamrocks scout Daren Jorgenson and Shamrocks team owner Bob Rotondo . When the Shamrocks head coaching position became available , Fisher jumped at the chance to move to Boston and take over an already thriving program in the heart of Hockey East and the ECAC .
This season he will not only have the responsibility of taking over a major elite prep program in Boston , but Fisher will also bring along 10 Manitoba players , including eight talented young players from various First Nations .
The First Nation players include Taylor Tom from Whitefish Nay First Nation in Ontario and the Manitoba National Aboriginal Hockey Championship gold medal team from 2017 . Julie Albert from
Norway House First Nation . Trechelle Bunn , another member of Team Manitoba who originally hails from Birdtail Sioux First Nation in Warroad , Minn . Saige McKay , Shayna Moore and Carrigan Umpherville from Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Cross Lake . And twin sisters Keyanna and Keyara Lea from Berens River First Nation .
As well , two non-Treaty players will make the move to Boston – Ashlee Hodge from Stony Mountain and Mya Jorgenson from Winnipeg . It will be a wonderful opportunity for all the young women .
When they ’ re in Boston , they will be tutored at the rink and they will live in a house with a couple whose daughter once played for the Shamrocks .
“ There aren ’ t a lot of opportunities for us in Manitoba ,” Umpherville , 16 , a Grade 11 student , recently told CBC News . “ So we ’ re taking this opportunity because it will help us get looked at from different colleges all over the United States and Canada .”
And they will indeed get a good look . As Jorgenson points out , “ There are five NCAA Division 1 women ’ s hockey programs within a one-hour drive of the Boston Shamrocks home arena which is located in Wilmington , Mass ., part of the Northern Boston Metro area .”
In fact , the Shamrocks play and work out in the old Boston Bruins training facility , which is just 20 minutes from NCAA Division 1 Merrimack College . However , the team will play and practice in the wheelhouse of Harvard University , Boston University , Boston College , Northeastern University and for the 2018-19 season , Holy Cross University .
In total , there are 17 NCAA Division 1 women ’ s hockey programs within a threehour drive of the rink in Wilmington , which represents one half of all the NCAA Division 1 women ’ s hockey programs .
“ The schedule we play is also important for the aboriginal players ,” said Jorgenson . “ The Shamrock Season is done in March and the Manitoba players will return home until the end of July when they regroup for the Beantown Classic Tournament . So if you ’ re playing for Dale Bear ’ s MASRC Provincial Aboriginal Team , there will be no scheduling conflicts .
Shamrocks Coach Sean Fisher ( Purple Shirt ) coaching at the U of M
136 | GAME ON | SEPTEMBER 2017