Oakville's Vince puts up over a point-per-game at Canada Winter Games

Karly Vince is grateful to have been a part of Team Manitoba for the 2023 Canada Winter Games.

The Oakville product helped Manitoba earn a sixth-place finish in ringette. The team went 2-4 in Prince Edward Island, and while Vince hoped they would win a few more games, she says it was still an incredible experience.

"It was super fun but it was a little stressful at the same time," Vince explains. "It didn't really go our way. We had some ups and downs. At the same time, our whole team had a lot of fun together. It was, overall, a really good experience."

She says it was an extremely eventful week and was unlike anything Vince had ever been involved in.

"It was very tiring. A lot of the athletes were tired toward the end of the week, but at the beginning, everybody was very bubbly and excited to be there," Vince continues. "Seeing all of the new sports they added, like wheelchair basketball, that was very interesting to see how that was played. It was just fun meeting new people."

Vince notes interacting with people from different provinces was one of the biggest highlights of the week. She adds every province received a few specific pins to trade with others. Vince explains this as a great way to interact with all kinds of people.

"Sport Manitoba gave us about 20 pins. We had three different types, one was a scarf, one was an outline of the province, and the other was a bison. So, you would go up to a person from another province and just be like, 'Hey, these are the pins I have. What are you willing to give me?' New Brunswick had a lobster, there were so many I don't even remember them all. Yukon and the Territories' pins are ones you want to get because there weren't as many people to get them from. You also want to get the ones that are multi-pins. Some pins are sets of three that make a province or something like that (when you put them all together)."

Vince's collection of pins.

The 18-year-old says she also traded provincial clothing at the end of the week and was very happy to bring home a Northwest Territories backpack. 

Vince's backpack.

While it wasn't the week they wanted to have on the ice, Vince still played very well individually. She scored three goals and added four assists, which tied her for fourth on Team Manitoba in points.

"It was hard for me because I was sick (right before the Canada Winter Games), so I definitely didn't play up to par with how I usually do," says Vince. "But, I felt like I played the best that I could, and I gave it my all out there. So, I came back with no regrets."

Vince adds she's not done in the sport of ringette.

"I'm planning on trying out for the National Ringette League's Manitoba Herd next year. I'm just hoping I can make that team next season."

The former MVP of the Portage Collegiate Saints hockey team encourages anyone with an opportunity to take part in a Canada Winter or Summer Games to give it a shot.

"I'd say, to anyone out there, if you have a chance to try out for a team to go to the Canada Winter Games, take the chance. Even if you know you might not have a great possibility of making the team, you definitely want to experience the games."