Indra Wood is hoping to become a nurse, but first she’s going to pursue other goals – and assists.
Wood, a standout athlete and Flin Flon native, has earned a scholarship to play hockey for King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
“It feels great,” says Wood, 17, who will attend King’s College this fall. “My goal was always to play hockey in university, so I’m achieving my goal.”
Wood has earned an $18,000 scholarship from King’s College. Depending on how she scores on the SATs, she could be awarded another $2,000 to $4,000.
She will play for the college’s inaugural female ice hockey team, which will compete against other NCAA Division III schools in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland.
Known for her character and faceoff abilities, Wood brings a playing style she calls “calm aggressive.”
“Aggressive on the puck, but not so aggressive that you end up in the penalty box,” she says.
Wood caught the attention of recruiters this season as a member of Alberta’s Banff Hockey Academy Bears, who compete in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL).
She finished third in team scoring with 11 points (4G, 7A) in 23 games while completing her final year of high school.
Former NHLer Garry Unger, now Banff Hockey Academy’s athletic director, took note of Wood’s talent, calling her the best faceoff centre in the CSSHL.
Unger’s assessment was a big break for Wood, spiking the number of schools interested in her services. A total of 18 schools – all of them in the US – approached her about committing for the 2017-18 season.
Wood was drawn to King’s College in part by the chance to play for a brand new team for which she could be a starter for four or five seasons.
Though not yet an adult, Wood might be considered a hockey veteran. She signed up with the Flin Flon Minor Hockey Association when she was eight years old and has dedicated herself to the sport for nearly a decade.
“I love playing the game,” Wood says. “I’ve always been very passionate about it.”
Wood’s hockey heroes growing up included
female hockey greats Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Sami Jo Small and Jennifer Botterill, whom she once met at a hockey school in Winnipeg.
When she was 16, Wood joined the Norman Wild, a AAA female team representing northern Manitoba. Last season she left Flin Flon to further her game in Banff.
Wood will be a long way from home in Wilkes-Barre – more than 3,000 km, in fact – but she is eager to make the transition.
“Honestly I’m excited,” she says. “I think moving to Banff will actually help me when I’m in Pennsylvania because I’ve already gone through having to move and basically start over. I’m looking forward to it.”
Bob Wood, Indra’s father, notes his daughter will wear no. 16 at King’s College – the same number as another Flin Flonner who went to Pennsylvania to play hockey, Bobby Clarke.
“I wouldn’t say it was intentional, but it was very much a happy coincidence,” says Bob Wood, whose pride for his daughter is palpable.
While Indra Wood is eyeing a career in nursing, she is also open to a pro hockey career should the opportunity present itself.
“Right now it’s kind of difficult for women to become professional players,” she says. “There are leagues starting to open up, like the NWHL in the States and the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in Canada. If I got the opportunity, it’d be great.”
