Larocque still lovin’ it Gold-medal blue-liner chasing more Olympic hardware in Milan ‘26 By: Mike Sawatzky Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 4, 2022

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This article was published 04/04/2022 (428 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jocelyne Larocque turns 34 next month. If you were unaware of her age and watched her log big minutes for Team Canada at the Beijing Olympics, it would be easy to assume the Ste. Anne product was much younger.

Truth is, the oldest player on Canada’s roster formed a shutdown pairing with her defensive partner, Renata Fast. When head coach Troy Ryan needed a penalty killed off or a lead preserved late in a game, the indefatigable Larocque-Fast duo usually got the call.

They were the foundation of Canada’s gold-medal effort in women’s hockey and Larocque, who has medalled at the last three Olympics, sees no reason to stop. She has firmly set her sights on playing for her country at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy‎ when she will be 37.

“After every a year, I just ask myself two simple questions — if I’m still having fun and if my body feels good? — and the answers are both, ‘Yes,’ and I’m very very confident that there’s gonna be a (women’s) pro league very soon, so with that, it’s like, ‘Why wouldn’t I keep playing?’” said Larocque on Monday, during a brief trip to home to spend time with her family and participate in weekend events for Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre.

Her immediate goal is to earn a job on Canada’s team heading to the upcoming worlds in Denmark, slated for Aug. 26-Sept. 4.

“I’m extremely motivated to keep my spot because I know there’s tons of women that are nipping at my heels and trying to get there, which is great because in Canada there are so many good hockey players,” said Larocque. “It just keeps me fighting and keeps me motivated to keep my spot.”

In Winnipeg, she got a chance to reconnect with her dad Andy Larocque, sister Chantal Fritzsche and her husband Derek and their kids — 27-month-old Nolan and nine-month-old twins, Rylan and Gracelyn.

Fritzsche, 35, said nothing surprises about her sister’s determination to continue.

“This is her, she’s in her element,” said Fritzsche, an elite college player herself who once tried out for Canada’s under-22 national team. “I think the biggest thing with Joce is her hard work. It does amaze me that she loves the game so much still.”

Larocque has been a fixture on the national team for more than a decade but Fritzsche remembers the hard times that preceded the Olympic glory.

“She has a very good outlook on the game, on her team, her teammates, her coaches,” said Fritzsche. “After getting cut from the 2010 (Olympic team), I had to get her in Calgary and she still just had this positive attitude. I think it was one of those things that has made her the resilient player that she is… It was it was a rough go. For me, I probably would thrown in the towel. But no way, she just kept going.”

Larocque’s home base is in Brampton, Ont., where she is the co-owner of Stoke Strength and Conditioning. Her work with athletes there has paved the way for her to simultaneously pursue business and fitness objectives when she is away from the the national team program. The arrangement also allows her the flexibility to be away from work for Team Canada events.

“My two business partners are fantastic,” said Larocque. “And we have some part-time employees and they kept things running while I was in Calgary training for the Olympics. So, it’s something where I don’t have to be there. I obviously enjoy being there but it isn’t a make-or-break situation.”

Apparently, multi-tasking runs in the family. Fritzsche balances her growing family with a new business in south Winnipeg — Re Sauna, which features infrared saunas and massage therapy — and she’s also active in the ball hockey. She will play for the Canada’s women’s team at the International Street & Ball Hockey Federation Masters World Championships in Czech Republic this September.

“We love being busy and I think, too, especially with Jocelyne’s business and everything I think making a difference in people’s lives and giving back is something (we like to do), said Fritzsche. “I coached after playing hockey for nine, 10 years and I think now with Re Sauna, we want to really take care of athletes and take care of the mental and physical aspect of people’s lives.”

National team director Gina Kingsbury had post-Olympic debriefing sessions with her leadership group (of which Larocque is an alternate captain) but one-on-one meetings are expected to come later this month. It’s at that time that Larocque will get a clearer pictures of the program’s expectations.

She would love to continue her on-ice partnership with 27-year-old Fast but she won’t fixate on the inner workings of the national team.

“I absolutely love playing with Renata,” said Larocque. “We’re really good friends, so that’s nice. But we also play very similarly and we like to not give opponents time and space. And I think that really allowed me to play that way.”

Larocque has also been fortunate to remain free of major injuries that often curtail careers.

“I think it’s important to have balance in your life,” said Larocque. “And I take both those things really seriously. I make sure even just coming here for the weekend and spending time with my family — that gives me balance. Working — that gives me balance — and doing things that I enjoy gives me balance. So, my life isn’t consumed just with hockey.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14

Mike Sawatzky
Reporter

Mike has been working on the Free Press sports desk since 2003.

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