OTTAWA — Almost 6,000 miles away from her hometown in Hokkaido, Japan, Akane Shiga was being requested concerning the climate.
Mike Hirshfeld, normal supervisor of Ottawa’s PWHL group, was sitting with Shiga and coach Carla MacLeod within the group workplace at TD Place Area, chatting with the 22-year-old ahead and Japanese nationwide group member via her interpreter.
“She’s me like, ‘What’s he speaking about?’” Hirshfeld stated concerning the playful preamble to an essential bit of stories forward of the PWHL’s closing roster deadline.
As a result of what Hirshfeld actually needed to know was how Shiga felt about spending the winter in Ottawa, as a member of the most recent professional group in Canada’s capital.
When he instructed Shiga that she’d made the group, “her face simply lit up,” Hirshfeld stated.
“I really feel very honored to be given this chance,” Shiga instructed The Athletic via her interpreter, Madoka Suzuki.
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The second was the end result of a hockey journey that noticed Shiga journey internationally for her likelihood to play skilled hockey in North America. Regardless of her credentials — an Olympian and four-time member of Japan’s World Championship group — she was not chosen within the 15-round PWHL Draft in September. Unswayed, Shiga flew to Ottawa alone in November, with no assure of a contract, to check out for the group.
Her skating potential, fast launch and hockey IQ impressed Ottawa’s braintrust and earned Shiga a one-year contract.
Now, she is a historic participant in a historic league embarking on a singular path: Shiga is the youngest participant within the PWHL and the one Japanese-born participant.
This season Shiga is adjusting to her first yr as knowledgeable hockey participant, and concurrently adapting to life in a brand new nation and studying a brand new language.
“To know the braveness it took for her to fly over right here on her personal and stroll into an atmosphere the place she didn’t converse the language and he or she didn’t know anybody,” MacLeod stated. “To know at that second that she had gambled on herself and he or she earned her alternative — that’s what sport is all about.”
The place Shiga grew up in Hokkaido — the northernmost and second-largest island in Japan — hockey is, on the very least, an choice. Some may name it Japan’s hockey hotbed, with a lot of the nationwide group gamers coming from the northern area.
“If you wish to play hockey, it’s accessible,” Shiga stated via her interpreter. “However it’s not a sport that everybody picks to play like it’s in Canada.”
In Tokyo, however, the place Suzuki — who was employed to function Shiga’s interpreter in November and performs hockey at Carleton College in Ottawa — is from, “you’re form of a weirdo should you’re enjoying hockey,” he stated with amusing.
In line with the IIHF, there are only one,281 registered feminine hockey gamers in Japan, with a nationwide inhabitants of about 124 million. There are extra indoor rinks in Canada (2,860) and registered feminine gamers within the state of Florida (1,517).
Shiga is the star of the Japanese girls’s nationwide group, and in 2021 she turned the primary Japanese participant to attain towards Crew USA. (Dennis Pajot / Getty Pictures)
Shiga, although, discovered hockey skating on an outside rink together with her sister, Aoi, when she was six years previous and he or she “by no means regarded again.” When she was 13, in 2014, Shiga watched a Japanese girls’s hockey group play on the Olympics for the primary time in her life — and for the primary time since Japan was the host nation in 1998. “It had a big effect on my profession,” she stated.
MacLeod, now Shiga’s coach in Ottawa, was an assistant coach for Japan on the time.
“I do know what ’98 meant to me as a younger Canadian child after I noticed these girls on TV and I knew that that dream may then be mine,” stated MacLeod, who went on to win two Olympic gold medals with Crew Canada. “To know {that a} piece of that second is inside her and serving to her to encourage that subsequent group and serving to her to attain her desires is fairly particular.”
Shiga’s dream was realized just one yr later when she made the Japanese under-18 group for the 2015-16 Division 1 world championships. She was one of many youngest gamers on the match and scored two objectives and 4 factors to guide Japan to a gold medal, and promotion to the highest tier U18 world championships in 2016-17.
“I didn’t assume I used to be able to make the bounce that quickly,” Shiga stated. “However I used to be very excited to get the information.”
She’s been a member of the Japanese nationwide program ever since, enjoying on 4 under-18 groups, 4 senior world championships and qualifying for the 2022 Olympics. In 2019, Shiga made the change from protection to ahead as a result of her coach, Yuji Iizuka thought she may assist present extra offense for the group.
And he was proper.
In 2021, Shiga was one of many breakout stars of the ladies’s world championships in Calgary, Alta. She scored the opening purpose towards Hungary in a vital 4-1 win for Japan to make it to the quarterfinals. She turned the primary Japanese participant ever to attain towards Crew USA — and he or she did it twice. Then, she scored the game-winning purpose towards Czechia to safe Japan’s greatest end (sixth) at girls’s worlds. Her 4 objectives tied for fifth amongst North American stars like Natalie Spooner and Hilary Knight. It was yet one more than Canada’s Captain Marie-Philip Poulin had within the match.
“She’s a vital a part of the group’s success,” Iizuka instructed IIHF.com “Our groups have at all times had bother scoring, so to search out somebody who can put the puck within the web is essential.”
After years of including to her status as some of the proficient gamers exterior North America — together with a visit to the 2022 Beijing Olympics — it was solely pure that Shiga’s title popped up when the PWHL Ottawa entrance workplace determined to prioritize bringing in worldwide expertise.
“Clearly there’s a pure tether for me to the worldwide recreation, and I’ve been fortunate to see how proficient these gamers are all over the world. So for us it was a straightforward determination to say, Let’s usher in some worldwide gamers and see how they do,” MacLeod stated. “If they will make it, nice. And in the event that they don’t, at the very least we all know that too. However we didn’t wish to depart that uncertainty.”
In line with Shiga, Ottawa was the one group to name when PWHL free company opened in September.
At coaching camp, Shiga rapidly impressed.
“I’d say two days in, we knew we had one thing,” Hirshfeld stated. “Her skating is off the charts. So is her hockey IQ. I bear in mind Claude Julien (the previous NHL coach) was right here at some point and he was like, ‘Who’s that?’”
“Her talent with the puck catches everybody’s consideration as a result of she will maneuver issues in a small house that lots of people can’t,” MacLeod defined. “The puck comes off her stick quicker than you anticipate and with a velocity that you simply’re unsure the place that’s all coming from as a result of she’s such a petite participant. And she will do it in a cellphone sales space.”
There was chatter amongst the Ottawa gamers forward of camp a couple of participant from Japan attempting out for the group. Some nationwide group gamers would have been aware of Shiga’s recreation from world championships or the Olympics. However others, like defender Zoe Boyd, had been being launched to her for the primary time.
She remembers a second early into coaching camp the place Shiga danced round within the offensive zone and despatched a slapshot zinging previous her face, bardown and in.
“Holy crap, this woman is legit,” Boyd thought on the time. “She’s the actual deal.”
“Shocked isn’t the proper phrase to explain it,” she defined. “We’re simply amazed by Akane, her play, and what a tremendous particular person she is — despite not having the ability to fluently converse English.”
When Madoka Suzuki answered the cellphone on a Thursday afternoon, he was within the automotive taking Shiga residence from considered one of their errands.
“Needed to do some banking,” he stated. “Making use of for bank cards and stuff.”
Bringing Shiga to Ottawa launched the difficulty of the language barrier. The PWHL has 14 gamers from abroad — hailing from international locations equivalent to France, Hungary, and Czechia — however most of these gamers converse at the very least some English. Shiga didn’t, so Ottawa knew they’d want an interpreter to make her really feel extra snug and assured at tryouts.
The group began with a name to the Japanese Embassy, who offered an inventory of names, however these interpreters would price round $300 per hour. “Nobody can afford that,” Hirshfeld stated, laughing.
The group tried calling the schools within the metropolis and related with Stacey Colarossi, the coach of Carleton’s girls’s hockey group, who referred Hirshfeld to Suzuki, a 24-year-old from Japan and a ahead on the lads’s hockey group.
Madoka Suzuki, left, along with his sister, Chihiro, and Akane Shiga. Suzuki is employed by the PWHL’s Ottawa group as Shiga’s interpreter, although he has additionally been serving to her alter to life in Canada. (Photograph courtesy of Madoka Suzuki)
Because it turned out, Suzuki’s sister, Chihiro, performed on the nationwide group with Shiga final yr and had already alerted her brother that Shiga had made the transfer to Ottawa and may want a pal on the town. So, when Hirshfeld made the decision with a job provide, Suzuki rapidly accepted.
The day Shiga arrived in Ottawa, Suzuki was on the airport to choose her up and convey her to the group resort. When the group skates, Suzuki is on the ice translating directions for drills, or messages from the teaching workers. He attends group conferences and video games, too, as his schedule permits. If Suzuki has class — he’s a psychology main at Carleton — or is on the street along with his hockey group, he’ll be a part of conferences or interviews over the cellphone.
“He understands the teachings from the teaching aspect and clearly as he’s translating, is giving her data that’s serving to her develop and match throughout the group aspect of issues,” MacLeod stated. “He’s actually invaluable on the subject of Akane and Akane feeling included.”
“We love having Madoka round,” stated defender Jincy Roese (née Dunne). “I really feel like he’s simply one of many women — as a lot a part of this group as any considered one of us.”
Suzuki’s work with Shiga goes past the rink. After Shiga made the Ottawa group, she needed to fly to Hungary to play within the 4 Nations match for Crew Japan. Whereas she was there, Suzuki discovered a realtor to start out in search of residences for Shiga and received all of the paperwork performed in order that when she returned they may discover her a spot to stay as rapidly as attainable. He’ll take her to the financial institution to get an account or bank card arrange, or to Ikea to purchase furnishings, or to get meals at a restaurant or grocery retailer.
“A whole lot of the ‘work’ I’m doing is extra as a pal than something,” he stated. “She’s made it tremendous simple on me too. She’s very fulfilling to work with.”
Suzuki moved to Canada from Japan along with his mother and sister in 2014, when he was 14 years previous. He spoke English and had household with him, however he nonetheless remembers the troublesome adjustment to a brand new place and new tradition.
Akane Shiga and Madoka Suzuki, pictured with Suzuki’s former billet household. (Photograph courtesy of Madoka Suzuki)
“I’m glad I may assist her out this manner, as a result of in any other case it’s fairly the journey to get your ft going up right here,” he stated.
Shiga has been utilizing the Duolingo app to study English. Her teammates have been serving to her study, too. Suzuki will typically step again and simply let Shiga attempt to speak while not having the interpretation. If he’s not round, teammates will use Google Translate if Shiga wants assist.
“She’s actually quiet proper now, however that’s to be anticipated,” stated Roese. “However you see it there, she’ll converse slightly extra, she’ll get slightly extra concerned in dialog. You may inform she’s beginning to comply with alongside extra.”
Roese has discovered some Japanese to assist break the language barrier the place she will. And MacLeod nonetheless is aware of just a few phrases from her time as an assistant coach with Crew Japan.
“I do know the phrase ‘koko’ (which suggests right here in Japanese), or I do know the phrase hurry or no hesitation,” she stated. “There’s definitely one thing small, small nuggets that clearly I used to be lucky sufficient to choose up after I labored with them for 2 years. Not sufficient to truly be sensible, however sufficient to perhaps assist in moments.”
Shiga’s teammates “love her,” Hirshfeld stated. And several other have taken her beneath their wing to make her really feel snug and included on the group.
Boyd and her roommate Kristin Della Rovere will drive Shiga residence from the rink, or take her to a teammate’s home if there’s a get-together. They’ve gone for bubble tea and have promised to have Shiga over as soon as she’s settled in so she will see Boyd’s cat, Sam.
Shiga loves cats and has two again residence in Japan named Pickle and Churro. “I miss the cats greater than anybody,” she stated with amusing.
“I can’t think about what it should be like to come back to a rustic the place no one speaks your language,” Boyd stated. “So naturally I simply needed to ensure that she understands issues — like everyone did.
“However Akane is hilarious. Regardless that she will’t converse English very effectively, she nonetheless makes the funniest jokes and will get her level throughout. It’s been a pleasure to hang around together with her and be a teammate together with her.”
On the ice, Shiga remains to be adjusting to her first skilled season. By six video games, Shiga hasn’t registered some extent but, however no one in Ottawa is trying on the scoresheet.
“We’re not even worrying about that,” stated Hirshfeld. “She’s getting used to the velocity and physicality of this league, however I do know she’s received the hockey IQ to work via it. She’s a fantastic skater, which I believe is a superb benefit on this league. We’re very optimistic.”
Shiga has impressed in video games together with her skating and arms in tight with the puck. MacLeod says she works laborious in observe and has already seen Shiga’s recreation develop in Ottawa. It looks like solely a matter of time earlier than she scores her first PWHL purpose.
“I’ve by no means seen someone that may rip the puck like she will,” Roese stated. “Simply bardown from anyplace.”
Shiga can be some of the in style gamers in Ottawa. “I believe she received the second loudest cheer after (Brianne) Jenner,” MacLeod stated concerning the home-opener intros.
The Ambassador of Japan to Canada attended Ottawa’s residence opener. There have been a number of Shiga indicators noticed within the stands, and loads of fan mail despatched to her residence — one thing Shiga says began after she performed within the Olympics.
“She’s 22 years previous,” MacLeod stated. “Consider all of the variables: youngest within the league, enjoying in a rustic, in a league that’s not native tongue to her, and he or she simply retains rising. What an unimaginable human being.”
Shiga hopes her sister, a 24-year-old defender enjoying in Switzerland, can be a part of the league subsequent season. The 2 had been signed to play along with the Buffalo Beauts within the PHF earlier than the league folded final season. Greater than something, she hopes extra gamers from Japan can comply with in her footsteps.
“To have the ability to pave the trail for youthful gamers and provides them somebody to look as much as — to say, you will be from Japan and play hockey — is a big honor,” she stated. “And I’m simply very excited for what the long run holds.”
(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; Pictures: Courtesy of Madoka Suzuki; Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Pictures)
