By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator
Andrea Ferguson | Athlete – Ringette
Andrea Ferguson was born in Winnipeg in 1983 and it didn’t take long before she found her calling in ringette.
At the age of seven, she started playing and honing her craft. She worked continuously on her skating, passing, and shooting abilities with her two clubs, the River Heights Cardinals and the Fort Garry Flyers.
By the age of 12, Andrea had made it to the highest level of ringette in the province: the Assiniboine Park Fort Garry Association Sixers. The team dominated on an annual basis, both at the provincial and national levels.
Andrea improved at a quick rate, trying out and making Team Manitoba for the 1999 Canada Winter Games as a 16-year-old – the age limit was 18.
She was the youngest player, but that did not intimidate her. She was selected to play on the top line, leading Manitoba to a silver medal.
In her final season representing Manitoba at the U18 level, Andrea helped the team capture the national championship title in Saskatchewan.
Upon turning 18, Andrea had already won everything there is to win in ringette at the national level, and thus took her talents overseas in 2002/2003.
In her first year there, she played in the Finnish Elite League, representing a team in Lapinlahti, Finland. Upon arrival, she did not disappoint. Andrea showcased her elite skills and won the Ringette Player of the year award, as she led her team to the championship.
From 2005 to 2013, Andrea continued to play for Team Manitoba and her local club in Manitoba, Prairie Fire. During this time, she competed in eight consecutive National Championship tournaments, twice being named to the Canadian Ringette Championships All-Star Teams.
In 2009, the format changed from the Canadian Ringette Championships to the National Ringette League. This is where her club team, Prairie Fire, took center stage. They won bronze in 2010 and silver in 2012. With Andrea as the team captain, she demonstrated her scoring abilities and leadership qualities, too.
Competing at a high level for many years and continuously being one of the best, Andrea is a worthy inductee into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
Find more info on the other nominees and the induction ceremony here.
