Manitobans shine on national Para hockey team
Peyton Vergie and Alyssa White are subject of new short documentary
Peyton Vergie had lived in pain for about eight years when she decided enough was enough.
A broken ankle hadn't healed properly and the doctors were out of options to help her, with the exception of one: amputation.
"I remember, like, waking up from surgery, and I cried because the pain was gone," said Vergie, 23, whose right leg was amputated in 2023.
Walking and even running without pain were possible and so was Para hockey, the adapted version of hockey for players with disabilities.
Taking up a Para sport was one of her doctor's conditions for amputation.
Vergie, who had been a hockey player previously, took to Para hockey (also known as sledge hockey) immediately.
Fast forward to now: Along with Alyssa White, Vergie is one of two Manitoba women on Canada's national women's Para hockey team.
The team competed at the World Para Ice Hockey Women's World Challenge in Skein, Norway, in October, where 67 women from teams all over the world played.
Canada brought home silver.
"I am super proud of them," said Team Manitoba coach Makenna Wild. "Going to Norway itself is an amazing accomplishment, and I am so proud of them for representing Canada the way that they do."
It's amazing to watch them grow and succeed, she said.
"Their determination and their work ethic is amazing," Wild said. "They are amazing athletes who work hard every single day, every single practice, giving their 100 per cent effort."
White, who was already playing as a forward for the national team, encouraged Vergie to talk to the national coaches and try out for the team.
"I like to think that I had a little part in that for Peyton and, I mean, she can do that same thing for someone else one day," said White, 19.
"It means everything to me. It's my life," said Vergie, who plays defence. "It's my passion. I don't know where I would be without it, and it's who I am. It's the biggest part of me."
The women's story is is now the subject of a new three-minute documentary by students in the Create program at Sisler High School. Sisler's post-high program trains students in the creative digital arts, including filmmaking.
Create students Gianluca Caldarola, Markus Penner and Joshua Soriano produced the new short video.
Meet the filmmakers
More about Project POV: Sisler Create
CBC Manitoba's Project POV: Sisler Create is a storytelling collaboration that partners filmmaking students with CBC Manitoba journalists to produce short documentaries. You can see past projects here.
The Winnipeg School Division's Create program is hosted at Sisler High School and trains post-high students in the creative digital arts.
During fall 2024, CBC journalists taught storytelling to filmmaking students and led production workshops at Sisler.
Create focuses on education and career pathways into the creative industries. Students can take courses in animation, film, game design, visual effects, graphic design and interactive digital media.