Katie Brickman
For Kendall Doiron, hockey isn’t just about scoring goals and adding to her point totals.
She’s exceptional at doing just that—16 points in 12 games with U.S. prep powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s this season—but for Dorion, it’s more about the friendships she has built from being a part of the game.
“The biggest part of my joy for hockey is the friendships. The people in the hockey community are really like no other,” Dorion says. “I've made my closest friends playing hockey. You build such strong bonds being at the rink every day with these people.”
As great of a scorer Dorion is, she believes her calling is to orchestrate plays on the ice.
“I found from an early age, I was more of a playmaker. I am able to see the ice very well and make plays rather than just being a scorer,” Dorion explains. “I think my playmaking, my hockey vision and my IQ is my strongest part of my game.”
The 16-year-old forward from Boylston, Nova Scotia is representing Team Atlantic for the first time this week at the 2024 U18 Women’s National Championship in Quispamsis, New Brunswick. With the tournament hosted in Atlantic Canada for the first time, she’s elated to have the opportunity to play in front of East Coast fans.
“It is exciting to come home and have family watch me in real life,” Dorion says.
Dorion is looked upon as a leader for the Atlantic entry, even though she’s one of the younger players. Leadership is something she has been focusing on as she builds out her skillset as a new recruit at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minnesota.
“Even though it is my first year, I do have to step up and be one of the
leaders,” Doiron says. “I know I have more experiences than some of the
girls on my team and I think going to these tournaments helps me to know how
to deal with it all when I get back.”
As a first-year student at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, U16 girls head coach Ellie Williams Doherty has been impressed with what she has seen from Dorion. This year’s team has 16 newcomers with only four returning, and the coaches are looking for Dorion to grow into a larger role.
“It is hard to be a leader at Shattuck as a new player, but she has proven to be a kid that people are going to follow because she is a very genuine kid,” Williams Doherty says. “She genuinely cares about the good of the team and she is one of the most unselfish players I’ve coached. She's very humble.”
Dorion started in the game at a young age. Her parents, Fabian and Shauna, put enrolled her in a program at four years old. She’s grateful her parents gave her the opportunity to pursue and fall in love with hockey.
“My parents have done everything they can for me to be able to play hockey. It if wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have these opportunities,” she says. “It is a blessing to be able to play hockey in general and I’m super grateful and thankful for my family for encouraging me along the way.”
As Dorion continues to grow and develop on and off the ice, an important piece to her staying genuinely herself is being silly. She prides herself on being happy and making her teammates laugh.
“I love making people laugh and 95 per cent of the time, I have a smile on my face,” Dorion says. “I’m always trying to get people to laugh. Once I get comfortable on a team—which did take me a little longer coming to Shattuck—but once everyone got to know me, I really was able to be myself.”
Williams Doherty is still getting to know Dorion, but she shared the same description of the young forward, adding that she has adapted well to her new environment.
“Kendall is a fast, intelligent player that plays the game effortlessly and she has exceptional athletic maturity for her age,” Williams Doherty says. “On and off the ice, she’s kind of goofy and doesn’t take herself too seriously.”
Before joining Shattuck-St. Mary’s, Dorion played the last two seasons with the Northern Selects in the Maritime Major Female Hockey League (MMFHL), winning a pair of Nova Scotia provincial titles and representing the Atlantic Region twice at the Esso Cup, Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship. Dorion hopes her experience there will help her during U18 Women’s Nationals.
“I think the biggest thing I learned at that tournament is taking care of your body,” she says. “Making sure you’re stretching before games, cooling down after and eating the right food. There are so many games in a few days, and it takes a toll on your body, and you will feel worn out.”
As for Williams Doherty, she hopes Dorion enjoys this experience and brings back some added confidence to Shattuck-St. Mary’s for the rest of the season.
“I think any time you get a chance to perform on a bigger stage, it’s an opportunity to work under pressure. At Shattuck, we say that pressure is a privilege. There are some people that want the pressure. Kendall is a type of kid that doesn’t change who she is. She just tries hard every time,” Williams Doherty says. “I hope she comes back with more confidence in her abilities and experience with those pressure situations.”