Brigette Lacquette facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brigette Lacquette
Lacquette in 2019
Born	(1992-11-10) November 10, 1992 (age 32) Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight	181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
PWHPA team Former teams	Calgary Calgary Inferno Manitoba Bisons Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
National team	Canada
Playing career	2011–present
Medal record Olympic Games Silver 2018 Pyeongchang Team World Championships Silver 2015 Sweden Silver 2016 Canada Bronze 2019 Finland

Brigette Lacquette, born on November 10, 1992, is a Canadian ice hockey player. She plays defence for the Calgary team in the PWHPA. Brigette is also a key player for the Canadian national team. She played in the 2015 IIHF Women's World Championship. In late 2015, Brigette joined the Calgary Inferno team in the CWHL.

In 2018, Brigette made history. She became the first First Nations woman to play for the Canadian women's Olympic hockey team. To celebrate this amazing achievement, her Olympic hockey stick was put on display. It is part of a special exhibit at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Brigette also appeared on the cover of Elle Canada magazine in June 2021. She was featured alongside fellow hockey players Sarah Nurse and Hanna Bunton.

In December 2021, Brigette started a new role. She was hired by the Chicago Blackhawks as a scout. Her job is to find talented players in the Western Hockey League. In 2019, she received the Inspire Award in the sports category. This award celebrates her positive impact.

Brigette Lacquette's Early Life

Brigette Lacquette grew up in Mallard, Manitoba. This is a small Métis community. Her father is from the O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation. Her mother is from the Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan. Brigette has a sister named Tara and a brother named Taren. Both of her siblings also play hockey.

Brigette started skating when she was just four years old. Her father and cousins introduced her to hockey. There were no hockey rinks in Mallard. So, Brigette's father built one right in their family yard. By age five, her father began taking her to the closest indoor rink. This rink was in the community of Winnipegosis.

Brigette has shared stories about facing challenges in hockey. When she was twelve, she played in a tournament in Winnipeg. She heard hurtful comments from opponents and even some teammates. Her father always supported her to keep playing. He is very proud of her strength. He said she "kicked that door over and knocked it down." This means she overcame barriers in her life. Brigette looked up to Jordin Tootoo as a role model. He is also an Indigenous hockey athlete.

Brigette Lacquette's Hockey Career

Playing for Canada's Under-18 Team

Brigette joined the National Women’s U18 Team in 2008. This team won silver in 2009. They then won gold at the 2010 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. She was a top scorer in the 2010 series. She scored many points alongside her teammate Jessica Campbell.

In 2009, she won a Tom Longboat Award. This award recognizes the best female Indigenous amateur athlete in Canada.

Playing in College

Brigette played college hockey for two universities. She played for the University of Manitoba Bisons. She also played at the NCAA level for the University of Minnesota Duluth. Shannon Miller was a former coach at Minnesota Duluth. She called Brigette "the most naturally talented player" she had ever coached. Brigette was the first Ojibway/Anishnabe player in UMD hockey history.

Playing for Canada's National Team

Brigette Lacquette was the first First Nations hockey player. She was chosen to be on Canada’s National Women’s Team.

Her first game with the team was in 2013. This was at the Four Nations Cup tournament. It took place in Lake Placid, United States.

She played in her first IIHF Women’s World Championship in 2015. There, she won the first of two silver medals with Canada. In 2015, Canada finished second to the United States in Sweden.

Playing in the Canadian Women's Hockey League

After college, Brigette joined the Calgary team in the CWHL. They picked her 24th overall in the 2015 Draft. She played for the Calgary Inferno in the 2016 Clarkson Cup finals. Brigette helped her team win the championship. The Inferno won with a strong 8–3 score. In 2019, Brigette was chosen by fans to be a captain. This was for the 4th Canadian Women's Hockey League All-Star Game.

Playing in the Olympics

Brigette made her Olympic debut in 2018. She played defence at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Canada won the silver medal at these games.

She was the first First Nations woman to join the Canadian women's Olympic hockey team.

Brigette Lacquette's Impact and Advocacy

Brigette is a partner athlete with Classroom Champions. This group helps connect athletes with young people. Through their "Circle" program, Brigette mentors Indigenous youth. She has worked with children from the Piitoayis (Eagle Lodge) Family School. This school is in Inglewood, Calgary.

Many people see Brigette as a role model for First Nations youth. "I'm super excited to be that role model for those kids," she said. "Growing up I really didn't have that female role model to look up to." She received the Inspire Award in the sports category in 2019. This award celebrates her positive influence.

Awards and Honors

• Top Defenceman at the 2010 IIHF World Women's Under-18 Championships. She helped Canada win its first gold medal at the Under-18 Championships. She assisted the winning goal in overtime.
• 2016 Clarkson Cup champion
• 2019 Indspire Award, Sports