This hockey player has 'a soft spot for musicals'

She’s still heavily involved with the sport she loves and excelled at growing up.

Sault Ste. Marie’s Brianne Veale continues to give back to the sport of hockey and helping girls develop their hockey skills through the Northern Elite Female Hockey Academy.

In our latest Q&A, SooToday spoke with Veale and got her thoughts on a wide variety of topics.

Q: What is your first sports memory?

A: Playing on the outdoor rink down the street from my house. I was there almost every day whether it was after school or all day on the weekend. It’s where I learned how to play.

Q: What other sports are you interested in that people wouldn’t expect?

A: Football

Q: Who are three people, dead or alive, that you would like to have dinner with and why?

A: Joe Sakic, Mark Zuckerberg, and Carrie Underwood

Q: Aside from your current job, what non-sports career are you interested in and why?

A: Being a tour manager for a musician. I love the entertainment world and would love to travel with artists and see the process of creating songs.

Q: What person, living or dead, do you admire most and why?

A: My parents. Now that I have started working with young athletes and see their schedules, I can’t thank my parents enough for all the time and effort they put in for me to enjoy playing. Whether it was waking up early for morning practices or driving out of town every weekend for tournaments, they always made it happen.

Q: If you could be the commissioner for a day, what changes would you make to the sport?

A: Combining boys and girls until Novice. Sounds crazy to some but like soccer, I think this would help with the development of all players with basic skills as there would be more coaches and ice time available.

Q: What’s the most important life lesson you’ve learned?

A: There is always something to be learned from failure and when unsuccessful, you need to continue to respect those teaching you, whether it is a parent, coach, or employee. There is always a reason for why something happens and it takes true strength to determine what you can do better personally the next time.

Q: What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?

A: I’ve got a soft spot for musicals.

Q: If you could have any super power, what would it be?

A: Reading peoples minds.

Q: If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring with you?

A: Paper, a pencil, and Steve Jobs biography. That would take some time to read