France Saint-Louis


France Saint-Louis is a Canadian ice hockey coach and retired player. She was a member of the Canada women's national [ice hockey team|Canadian women's national ice hockey team] for nearly a decade, winning gold medals at five IIHF Women's World Championships and a silver medal at the Ice hockey at the [1998 Winter Olympics – Women's tournament|inaugural women's ice hockey tournament] at the 1998 Winter Olympics. At the age of 40, she retired from the Canadian Olympic Program to launch her own hockey school. She served as a consultant to the Montreal Carabins women's ice hockey program from 2008 to 2016 and currently teaches at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal.
She won the Abby Hoffman Cup seven times at Hockey Canada's National Championships and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player a record five times

Playing career

Ice hockey

In the 1980s, St. Louis competed for the Ferland Quatre Glaces team in the League Régionale du Hockey au Féminin in the province of Québec. She participated in the 1987 Women's World Hockey Tournament and was Canada's leading scorer. St. Louis was a member of the Canadian Hockey Team from 1990 to 1999. She was part of the first five women's teams to win gold at the IIHF Women's World Championships. She won the gold medal at the 1996 Three-Nation Cup and the gold medal at the 1996 Pacific Rim. She was also an assistant coach for Team Quebec at the 1991 Canada Winter Games. France St. Louis was the Most Valuable Player of the 1998 Esso Nationals as Team Quebec finished in third place and was awarded the Maureen McTeer Trophy.
In the 1980s, writers often paralleled St-Louis with the best names in men's hockey, be it Guy Lafleur or Wayne Gretzky. She started the decade with Belvedère de Montréal, won her first national medal on loan with Nettoyeur Seyer de St-Hyacinthe in 1984 [Abby Hoffman Cup|1984], and won her first National Championships MVP award with Sherbrooke in 1988.
At the 1988 National Championships in Burlington, she had a 12-point game when she scored seven goals and five assists in a 20-0 win over Nova Scotia, a record that one reporter called "a game that would have made even Wayne Gretzky green with envy".

Lacrosse

In addition to hockey, St. Louis was an accomplished lacrosse player. She was a member of the Canadian Team from 1985 to 1989. She participated at the World Championships in Australia and the World Championships in Philadelphia, where Canada finished in fourth place. St. Louis was part of the team that won the Gold medal at Canadian Championships in 1989.

Career stats

Coaching

As part of the IIHF Ambassador and Mentor Program, St. Louis was a Hockey Canada coaching mentor that travelled to Bratislava, Slovakia to participate in the 2011 IIHF High Performance Women's Camp from July 4–12.
As of 2010, St. Louis was a consultant to the Montreal Carabins women's ice hockey program.

Awards and honours

More honours

  • Quebec Athlete of the Decade in Lacrosse
  • Quebec Athlete Award of Excellence in Women's hockey
  • Captain of the Canadian Women's team
  • Assistant captain of the Canadian Women's hockey team
  • Nominated for Teammate Award of Excellence by the Quebec Hockey Federation