'Never let it hold me back,' Miller says of impairment Continued from page 24 25 · Friday, November 30, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com NATIONAL CHAMP: to hear a coach's instructions during a drill, instead watching a few of her teammates before doing it herself. "I'm not the type of person to feel sorry for myself," she said. "I've never let it hold me back. I've dealt with it and it doesn't affect me. I'm proud of who I am." "She's never seen it as a disability or a hinderance," says Sherri Miller. "She's just so incredibly driven and hockey is what drives her." Earlier this month, Miller used that drive to help Ontario Blue win an unexpected gold medal at the National Women's Under-18 Championship in Dawson Creek, B.C. The province's second entry in the tournament, Ontario Blue upset Ontario Red, the first entry, 7-1 in the semifinals. "We knew we were the underdogs," Miller said. "Our slogan was everything to prove, nothing to lose. Red had strong players but we executed our game plan better." Less than 24 hours after their emotional win, Ontario Blue faced Manitoba -- the only team to beat them -- in the gold medal game and scored three unanswered goals in a 4-2 victory. The tournament has only served as further inspiration for Miller. "I hope to play for the Olympic team one day," she said. "(The tournament) made me realize there are a lot of talented hockey players out there, but I can play and compete with them." iller's hard work has not only paid off on the ice, but in the classroom as well. With an 87 per cent average, the Grade 11 student at Oakville Trafalgar is already drawing the attention of U.S. schools. While hockey poses few problems, school is a little tougher. "School-wise, I do have to work a little harder," she said. "I really have to pay attention in class." Miller said none of it would have been possible without the work she and her mother did many years ago. "It really does pay off," she said. "Many people shut the door in my mom's face and said, `She's never going to speak.' You look at where I am now, we did it together." Brittany Smrke goes down to defend the net during the recent national women's under-18 hockey championships in British Columbia. Smrke backstopped Ontario Blue to the tournament title, stopping 27 of 29 shots in the final against Manitoba. ANDY DEVLIN / HOCKEY CANADA M Local trio on bronze-winning Ontario Red Continued from page 24 save percentage. "We were underdogs the whole tournament, so coming out on top was amazing. Only two goalies in Canada get to play in that gold medal game, and to be the one to come out on top, it was unbelievable." The Grade 12 Abbey Park student is weighing her options for next year, with offers from schools on both sides of the border. For now, though, she'll return to the Stoney Creek Sabres, who currently sit seventh in the 20-team Provincial Women's Hockey League. The Sabres are by no means favourites to win the league this season, but if they need a little inspiration come playoff time, they can always look to the end of the ice. NOTES: Three Oakville players -- Kristyn Capizzano, Sydney McKibbon and Camille Leonard -- were members of the Ontario Red team that beat British Columbia 3-2 in overtime in the bronze medal game... Capizzano's goal in the bronze-medal game sparked an Ontario Red rally from a 2-0 deficit. A member of Ontario Red's gold-medal winning team last year, Capizzano had two goals in the tournament... Leonard, who posted shutouts in her first two starts at nationals, stopped 25 shots in the bronzemedal game. She finished the tournament with a 3-0 record, a 0.65 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage... McKibbon, who committed to the University of Wisconsin since returning from nationals, had two goals in the team's five games and set up Ontario Red's tying goal in the bronze medal game.