Local father-daughter duo seize rare coaching opportunity

It’s not often that a father is on the same coaching staff as his daughter at any level of competition, let alone on the international stage.

But for Sault Ringette President Bruce Graham and his daughter Rachel, that dream will become a reality next month when the pair coach the Swedish national team at the World Ringette Championships in Espoo, Finland.

Born and raised in Sault, Rachel played ringette from the age of five through early adulthood before moving away to school.

Rachel’s father had the opportunity to coach her on the U16 and U19 teams while she was still living in the city.

After graduating from Yale University, Rachel moved to Sweden to work, but her passion for Ringette never waned. She was involved in the board of the Swedish Ringette Association and even played as a goalkeeper for the Swedish national team in 2017.

“She’s having a lot of fun,” says Bruce Graham. “Rachel is really enjoying what she’s doing there now. She is really immersed in Swedish culture and even speaks fluent Swedish.”

The proud father has been with Sault Ringette since 1997 and has been training for almost 20 years. Graham worked his way up the ranks, coaching the house league, regional and eventually the top provincial levels – leading a wide range of age groups in the process.

The World Ringette Championships are held every two years but due to the pandemic this is the first time since 2019.

Graham was head coach of the Sweden national team three years ago when they won the gold medal in the President’s Pool on Canadian soil and he is looking forward to defending that title – this time with his daughter at his side.

“It’s a real privilege to be able to train with your daughter at any level,” he says. “The thought that I will have one of my daughters on the bench with me is amazing. I still can’t get my head around it. Doing that on the international stage is just the icing on the cake. I don’t know how to describe it.”

The Sweden national team consists of a mix of players. Many are from the 2019 roster, while others are cracking the roster for their first shot at a world title. The women are between 17 and 29 years old.

“It’s similar to women’s hockey, where there’s a pretty wide age range,” says Graham.

The head coach was in Sweden for three weeks in May and spent some time with his daughter and the national team in preparation for the upcoming championship.

“It’s an amazing country,” he says. “Believe it or not, the landscape resembles that of Sault Ste. Marie. You have a hard time distinguishing between northern Ontario and northern Sweden. They are very similar.”

While it’s been a long road, Graham gives full credit to Sault Ringette Club and its program for giving him the space to learn, adapt and grow into this role as international head coach.

“We have a very strong organization in Sault,” he says. “The opportunities that the club have given me are the real reason I can do it in the first place. Your ability to provide world class programming is why I am where I am today.”

The Club is hosting a Come, Try It Sunday, September 25 at 6:00pm at The John Rhodes for any child who would like to try Ringette.

While he genuinely respects other sports like hockey, his love for Ringette is undeniable.

“I live for Ringette,” says Graham. “I love the sport, it’s my passion and I just can’t get enough of it. Being able to take part in an event like this on an international stage and then having my daughter with me is just awesome. I can’t wait to get there.”

The Ringette World Championship takes place from October 31st to November 6th.