Ringette girls battle surgeries, injuries to play at Canada Games

From metal rods in one girl's spine, to playing with torn ACLs, Nova Scotia's girls ringette team has dealt with an unbelievable number of obstacles to make it to the Canada Winter Games. But the girls wear their illnesses and injuries like a badge of honour, as their passion for the sport has pushed them to keep playing. 

The majority of the team has played together since the girls were 10 years old, and even back then, they talked about making it to the winter games.

That was, until the problems began.

Defender Olivia Henwood's odds of participating were low. In 2011, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and she became too sick to play.

"Last year I was here just thinking, 'This is it. That's the last ringette game I'm ever going to play,'" she said.

Henwood comes from a family of ringette players. She's been on the ice since she was able to stand.

One year ago, Henwood had major surgery. Doctors removed her colon, leaving her with an ileostomy. Despite that, her family and physicians came up with special plans to help her play again.

"They were all for me going to the games."

The surgery was so serious, Henwood had to relearn how to walk. She persevered, and started by walking around the house, then the block. Several months later she was back on the ice.

"I was a little timid because I'm a defender, so I'm not allowed to be scared," she said. "We have to go in fearless but it's a little nerve-wracking after having everything happen to you happen. You want to be more careful."

Henwood now plays with a hernia belt that protects her ileostomy, but still, it's not easy when she runs into other players.

"Whenever there's direct contact with it, I need to take a minute," she said. "I always have to go right away, I have to go check it, make sure it's not bleeding, it's not broken."

Problems pile up

A few years ago, Emily Falconer faced her own struggle when she was diagnosed with epilepsy.

"At first, I spent a lot of time feeling bad for myself," she said. "But then you just kind of realize it's time to suck it up, get over it, and then you adapt."

When I got back on the ice, it was the happiest day of my life, because that's all I've been waiting for- Reagan Wynn, Team Nova Scotia ringette player

Then there's 19-year-old Reagan Wynn, who also received a diagnosis that could have ended her career as a player.

"I had scoliosis surgery when I was 16 — which is a pole that is fused to my spine — so I have two titanium rods fused to my spine right now."

Wynn couldn't do any physical activity for six months, but she wasn't about to quit the sport she loves.

"When I got back on the ice, it was the happiest day of my life, because that's all I've been waiting for."

After all that, injuries struck several players including Ashley Maynard and Brittany Melanson.

"We both tore our meniscus," said Melanson. "And Ashley tore her MCL, as well, and she had surgery 11 months ago to repair hers and I'm getting mine done next month to repair mine."

But stopping was not an option for either of them.

"When you're on the ice the feeling of pain goes away, because you're loving what you're doing."

"It does hurt but it's definitely worth it in the end," said Maynard. "It brings us closer together as a team, knowing what we've been through."

Alison Kintch tore her ACL in June.

"It was really hard," she said of the pain. "But I had a goal. I wanted to get here."

She spent the summer in the gym, working on her strength in her leg. She's held off on surgery until after the games.

"I remember being a little kid and dreaming of this for so long, so for us to be here is crazy."

After going through so much, they're convinced there's nothing else they can't overcome that will stop them from winning gold.