POTSDAM — Gabrielle David has already been so productive with the Clarkson University women’s hockey group that she enters her senior season desiring simply 3 issues to achieve 100 for her occupation.
But David isn’t glad with what she’s already accomplished and spent the summer time operating more difficult than she has sooner than to be in a position to excel at the ice this season.
“I worked hard to be one of the best players on the team, but that means I have to do everything right, too,” David stated.
David has at all times been amongst Clarkson’s best scorers, however her first 3 years she’s been at the back of gamers like Elizabeth Giguere and Caitrin Lonergan.
This 12 months she may emerge as Clarkson’s go-to offensive participant.
“I want to get better and grow my play, so I have to be good in all areas,” David stated. “I like challenges. It will be good for me.”
David scored 38 issues as a freshman, 20 as a sophomore in part the selection of video games and 39 extra remaining 12 months.
“I want to work on sustaining my play and getting points is always fun,” David stated. “The shots were there (last year) but having a shot mentality and wanting to score more is more important this year.
“This summer I’ve prepared how to have the puck more and puck control. It’s not just being there and scoring, it’s also knowing everything else so you can be at the right place at the right moment.”
David stated she labored on making improvements to her pace over the summer time. She additionally labored on being more difficult.
Part of her offseason hockey coaching additionally integrated taking part in in opposition to a adolescence hero, Canadian Olympian Marie-Philip Poulin.
“I played against her in a 3-on-3 league this summer and then at the Canadian (tryout camp in August) we were on the same team,” David stated. “She’s a role model to me and she’s also (French-Canadian) so we had that connection. In practice I was trying to go against her line. If I keep going against the hardest line, that’s how I get better.”
David’s paintings ethic is one thing Clarkson trainer Matt Desrosiers appreciates. Many of his best gamers prior to now have additionally been as pushed to excel.
“She’s been growing into a leader on and off the ice for us,” Desrosiers stated. “She just does everything the right way and everything well. On the ice she’s that kid that I can kind of point too at any time and say, ‘Hey, that’s how we do things here’. It’s really valuable to have those types of players on your team. “You can see when (players) come in and get into the preseason you can tell that they’ve put the work in over the summer. It goes back to not only helping herself but also helping her teammates. When they see how hard she’s worked over the summer, they know she’s ready and prepared for the season.”
Clarkson had already received 3 nationwide titles by the point David arrived on campus and having a probability to win was once a large think about her opting for to come to Potsdam.
She was once meant to play in an NCAA Tournament recreation in opposition to Wisconsin in 2020, however that recreation was once known as off on the remaining minute due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Clarkson didn’t make the NCAA Tournament within the shortened 2020-21 season so remaining 12 months was once David’s first probability to play within the tournament, when the Golden Knights confronted Wisconsin.
“It’s something that I’m going to be proud of,” David stated. “I want to make it to the Frozen Four, because I haven’t been able to do that. I came here to win and I saw the success they’ve had and that’s something I want to repeat.”
David has the danger to come again subsequent 12 months as smartly, however she stated she’s ready to see if any roughly large skilled women’s league begins after this season.
She additionally desires to keep concerned within the recreation after her taking part in occupation ends.
“I’d like to be a strength coach or a hockey coach,” David stated. “I want to stay in the sports arena.”
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