'Once in a lifetime': 7 N.L. girls help lead Canada to world ball hockey championship
Seven young athletes from Newfoundland and Labrador helped lead Team Canada to victory at the 2026 U16 Women's World Ball Hockey Championships in England. This win marks a historic milestone as it was the first time the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation hosted a U16 world tournament.
Why it matters
The achievement highlights the growth of youth ball hockey and the success of Canadian athletes on the international stage.
Aleah Philpott, Avery Strong, Anna Seymour, Adrienne Shannahan, Aubree Bartlett, Jorja Smith and Paityn Williams were all part of Canada's victory at the 2026 U16 Women's World Ball Hockey Championships in Sheffield, England on July 5.
"Me and Paityn were just in the corner, and we were just counting down the seconds. And when we threw our sticks up, it was just such an amazing feeling," Strong, a 16-year-old from Conception Bay South, told CBC News Wednesday.
"It was just an unreal experience. Once in a lifetime," added 14-year-old Smith of Chapel Arm.
Canada lost to Slovakia earlier in the tournament, but Seymour said the Canadians were able to pull out a win when it mattered.
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