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Sometimes the best presents don't come in a box. Tim Hortons, 2010 Your local Tim Hortons invites you to a Free Holiday Skate. Its our way of saying thank you and happy holidays. See in-store or visit www.timhortons.com for ice times and locations. www.aplushomes.ca Adam Campbell Broker of Record 905-844-4444 B R O K E R A G ER E A L T Y C O R P . INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED www.gea rmus i c . n e t 324 Kerr St. 905-339-3515 OAKV LL SOAKVILLE MU C STOMUSIC STORESportsOakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 201034 Browne set to help Canada defend world championship ON GUARD FOR THEE: Hailey Browne of Oakville was named to the Canadian team for the World Womens Under-18 Hockey Championships in Sweden. Canada, the defending champs, plays its first game on New Years Day against Switzerland. The tour- nament concludes Jan. 8. By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Hailey Browne was a little stressed. She was told the phone call would be coming in the morning, but as the hours passed into the early evening she couldnt help but wonder was a long wait good news, was it bad news? I was a nervous wreck the whole day, she said. Finally, her cell phone rang around 6 p.m. and she was about to find out if she would pull on a Canadian jersey to represent for the first time. And then her cell phone cut out, leaving her ago- nize over her fate a few minutes longer. Browne was somewhat of a darkhorse to make the national womens under-18 team. In prepara- tion for this winters world championships, Hockey Canada had assembled a team to play a three-game exhibition series against the United States in the summer. Not only was Browne not on the team, she wasnt even invited to the tryout camp. Her cell phone rang again, and this time she heard the words she had been waiting for pack your bags for Sweden. It was so overwhelming, the 17-year-old Appleby College student said a day after being named to the team. I havent seen the jerseys yet but they sent us something for the Team Canada track suits, and just seeing that is so exciting. Browne and the Canadian squad will open the tournament New Years Day in Stockholm against Switzerland, followed by games Jan. 2 against Finland and Jan. 4 against Germany. The medal games will be played Jan. 8. Browne literally worked her way on to team. She was one of only two players who did not play for Canada in the summer series to make the team and the only one who had never been to a Hockey Canada training camp before. Our scouts were watching for players who might help make a difference, said Canadian coach Sarah Hodges. Shes a pretty hard worker and a hard-nosed player. We were looking for players with that consistent work ethic. Hodges said the coaching staff was also impressed by her speed and ability to play a defen- sive style of game. Browne said she expects to fill the role of a grinding, forechecking forward for Canada They called me a killer at the camp, she said although she demonstrated she can contribute offensively as well by assisting on one of her teams four goals in the intersquad scrimmages at the selection camp. She also has 12 goals and 23 points in 21 games for Mississauga of the Provincial Womens Hockey League so the offen- sive side of the game is not exactly foreign to her. Canada is the defending champion, having beat the U.S. in overtime in last years final in Chicago, however the Americans won all three of the games in August. And though Browne was nervous waiting to find out if she made the team, the Canadian coach said they want players to relax when they hit the ice in Sweden. Were just stressing that at the end of the day, its just hockey games, Hodges said of the advice to players. Enjoy the moment and put your best effort forward. MICHELLE SIU / OAKVILLE BEAVER Oakville trio looking to secure national rugby team berth in California They led their high school, Abbey Park, to a Halton junior title and helped the Oakville Crusaders capture the under-15 provincial championship. Now three Oakville rugby players are hop- ing to bring glory to their country. Sawyer Herron, Djustice Sears-Duru and Chris Woodhead will suit up for Canada today (Wednesday) in the first of two games against the USA All-Americans at the University of Santa Barbara in California. The two games will be used to evaluate players for Canadas entry in the Wellington Festival, to be held in the U.K. in April. Using a second team, Canada will host a series of games in British Columbia in February before settling on its final roster. Just making it this far has not been easy for the Oakville trio. Canadian coach Jim Delaney used regional identification camps to select from a larger pool of potential ath- letes. The process increased competition amongst the players, and even a returning veteran such as Sawyer felt the pressure. I knew many of the players at the (east- ern selection) camp, as I had played with them on other teams. We kept hearing about the players that would be at the western camp, Sawyer said. That was nerve racking, as we had played against some of those ath- letes in the summer at the national champi- onship in Calgary, and knew they were good. Until you get the call, it is a very anxious time. The waiting period makes you realize how much you want something. "It made me train harder and focus more on developing my skills, he added. Another Oakville Crusader, Mississaugas Scott Gauer, will also be playing for Canada this week in California.