Ainslie Gardner

More about Ainslie Gardner

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Like most Australian born players, I grew up loving the Mighty Ducks movies but never thought I’d have the chance to play! I travelled to Canada in 2004 on a working holiday visa and spent 3 months going from rink-to-rink watching my friends play and supporting them from the warmth of the bar. This soon grew old and I finally invested into a set of equipment for myself. Luckily for me there were enough adult beginner skills sessions and leagues in the area I was living, so I had a lot of opportunities to learn and improve. 

When I moved home in 2005 I attended women’s development camps around Australia. In 2006 I played for the Goannas in the showcase series, as well as for the Queensland State Team and the Australian Selects Team. I have played for the Goannas in the AWIHL each year since.

My most embarrassing hockey moment is busting out onto the ice before a game only to find myself sliding across the length of the blue line... my skate guard was still on! Other highlights include being part of the defensive line that accidently scored on our own goalie 8 seconds into the season opener of the 2010-2011 season.

Moving on...

The Goannas are my teammates and my best friends. I feel honoured to play with such a diverse and amazing group of women and look forward to the day we will take home the trophy.

Giddy up Goannas!