Photo Credit: Alex D’Addese | Ryerson Rams
If you are familiar with the Ryerson Rams athletics scene, you are well aware that women’s hockey goaltender Alex Armstrong has had a great deal of success between the pipes. What you may not know is she’s not only talented on the ice, but is equally as impressive on the pitch.
Alex has played both soccer and hockey at various competitive levels for many years. But when it came down to choosing one to pursue, she decided that she had a soul on ice, and that she would focus on hockey. Despite choosing to concentrate on hockey, she plays soccer in the summer with her friends as a way to condition, and take some time off from the ice.
Alex has played both soccer and hockey at various competitive levels for many years. But when it came down to choosing one to pursue, she decided that she had a soul on ice, and that she would focus on hockey. Despite choosing to concentrate on hockey, she plays soccer in the summer with her friends as a way to condition, and take some time off from the ice.
Two games into the 2015 Ryerson Rams women’s soccer campaign, adversity struck the team early. Both the Rams’ starting netminders went down to injury, before the ink on the game sheets was dry. Having only selected two goaltenders in training camp, Dr. Ivan Joseph, Director of Athletics at Ryerson, and the head coach of the women’s soccer team was in a nightmarish situation.
As Alex Armstrong was preparing for her junior year at Ryerson, and the upcoming women's hockey campaign, she certainly wasn’t expecting the phone call she was about to receive from her head coach, Lisa Haley. The conversation was about goaltending, but not about hockey. Lisa informed her of the situation with the soccer team. Alex, who has past competitive soccer experience and the type of attitude to do anything to help out her school, found herself in an OUA soccer game the next day against the Guelph Gryphons.
“They were shocked,” says Armstrong, after she told her friends and family that she would be suiting up for the soccer team. “My parents were not too, too happy about it at first because they want me to focus obviously on hockey,” adds Armstrong. “But it’s working out, [so] they don’t mind it.”
As Alex herself will tell you, she’s one of those people “that will help out anyone that needs help,” so when her fellow “Ramily” needed her help, the answer was always going to be yes.
As Alex Armstrong was preparing for her junior year at Ryerson, and the upcoming women's hockey campaign, she certainly wasn’t expecting the phone call she was about to receive from her head coach, Lisa Haley. The conversation was about goaltending, but not about hockey. Lisa informed her of the situation with the soccer team. Alex, who has past competitive soccer experience and the type of attitude to do anything to help out her school, found herself in an OUA soccer game the next day against the Guelph Gryphons.
“They were shocked,” says Armstrong, after she told her friends and family that she would be suiting up for the soccer team. “My parents were not too, too happy about it at first because they want me to focus obviously on hockey,” adds Armstrong. “But it’s working out, [so] they don’t mind it.”
As Alex herself will tell you, she’s one of those people “that will help out anyone that needs help,” so when her fellow “Ramily” needed her help, the answer was always going to be yes.
WSOC: Big save from Armstrong in the 86th minute! http://t.co/kKatVkh7QG #QUEvsRYE
— Ryerson Rams (@ryersonrams) 20 September 2015
Armstrong says she is able to transfer some of her hockey goalkeeping skills to soccer. “Definitely my reflexes … being able to track the ball or the puck, and being able to react on the shot is really something that helps me in soccer and in hockey,” says Armstrong. “I’m not the most technical soccer goalie, but because of my reflexes I am able to get to the ball.”
When asked what she likes about soccer that’s different from hockey, Alex jokes: “I like the diving aspect (of soccer). It’s harder to dive on the ice.”
Not only has Alex taken the field, she has been an effective addition to the team, contributing 11 saves and three clean sheets in her first five games.
When asked what she likes about soccer that’s different from hockey, Alex jokes: “I like the diving aspect (of soccer). It’s harder to dive on the ice.”
Not only has Alex taken the field, she has been an effective addition to the team, contributing 11 saves and three clean sheets in her first five games.
AOTW: Raheem Rose and Alex Armstrong named @stlouisatrium #DevilishlyGood Athletes of the Week: http://t.co/YdHhWOY7i7
— Ryerson Rams (@ryersonrams) 8 September 2015
Rams hockey head coach, Lisha Haley, was quick to praise her starting goaltender’s efforts. “I think [Alex] has done an admirable job,” Haley remarked before jokingly adding: “But I think that she, along with myself, will be happy when her soccer career is over this weekend so she can focus on our team heading into the regular season.”
When asked if she would let Armstrong join the basketball team if they needed an emergency point guard, Haley said with a big grin: “Probably not, no. I’m sure the basketball team has got better choices than some of our hockey players – I’ve seen us play basketball…”
RSS Feed
