Royals Alumni Spotlight: Saige O'Connor
From tiny goalie pads to the bench, the classroom, and now the sports medicine arena — Saige O’Connor’s hockey journey is one we’re incredibly proud of!
Starting out with the GKGHA, Kingston Ice Wolves, Saige laced up her skates at just 4 years old and found her forever position early, stepping into the net in U8. After two years of rep, she made a bold move back to house league and DS, choosing the challenge (and ice time!) of being the only goalie — a decision that speaks volumes about her confidence and commitment.
In her second year of U13, Saige switched to the Gananoque Royals to help get a team off the ground at that level. It was a tough first season, but grit paid off. That group grew together, going on to win multiple tournaments and league championships in the years that followed.
Giving back has always been part of Saige’s story. Before heading to university, she coached the U13 team, passing on her knowledge and love of the game to the next generation.
In 2024, Saige has served as a trainer for both the women’s U18 team during the Ontario Summer Games in London Ontario and Team Ontario at the U18 Women’s National Championship in New Brunswick.
Today, Saige continues to play the sport she loves in Brock University’s recreational league, where her team has captured the Intramural Championship two years in a row.
Off the ice, Saige started in Physical Education, but pivoted to Kinesiology when she realized her passion wasn’t teaching — it was staying connected to sport in a different way. She’s now in her third year of Kinesiology and her second year in Sports Medicine, traveling with Brock’s Women’s Competitive Hockey Team as one of four Student Trainers — a role she plans to continue as long as she’s a Brock student.
Saige plans to apply to Athletic Therapy, with hopes of one day traveling full-time with a sports team.
From Royals goalie to future sports medicine professional, Saige’s path shows how hockey can open doors far beyond the rink.
We can’t wait to see where she goes next!
Royals Alumni Spotlight: Mara Edwards
We are proud to recognize Mara Edwards, whose hockey journey reflects dedication, leadership, and a deep love for the game.
Mara began her hockey career right here in Gananoque. After several seasons as a Royal, she took the next step in her development by moving to Kingston in her second year of Atom, where she continued her minor hockey career with the Kingston Ice Wolves. Her leadership stood out at the U18 level, as she proudly wore the Captain’s “C” for the Ice Wolves U18 Tier 1 team for two seasons (2023–2024 and 2024–2025).
Mara’s commitment to excellence carried through to her high school career. She played for the LaSalle Women’s Varsity team (2021–2022), earning recognition as a KASSA finalist. From 2022–2025, she competed with the Holy Cross Women’s Varsity team, where she helped capture KASSA championships in all three seasons and advanced to OFSAA each year. A natural leader, Mara served as Assistant Captain in 2023–2024 and Captain in 2024–2025. She was also honoured with the Coach’s Award every season, a testament to her work ethic, leadership, and character.
As a result of her dedication and perseverance, Mara accepted an offer to play NCAA Division III hockey at SUNY Potsdam, where she began her collegiate career in August 2025.
Congratulations, Mara! Your Royals roots run deep, and we look forward to following your continued success on and off the ice.
