McGovern elevates game with Select 19Us C


By Matt Mackinder


ompetition means everything to Katie McGovern.


Born and raised in Arizona, McGovern grew


up learning the game of hockey in the desert, but decided a few years back she wanted to take the game as far as she could and yearned for more exposure and stronger development. Now, the skilled forward is honing her skills


on the Colorado Select 19U team under coach Marnie Hill and, aside from showcasing her talent on the ice, she was recently named the inaugural winner of the Elizabeth “Liz” Tur- geon Award, an honor given to a Select player who best exemplifies a strong passion and spirit for hockey, much like the late Turgeon did. “To be totally honest, I’d never heard of the


Turgeon Award until Marnie told me I won it,” said McGovern. “She then explained the meaning of all of it and I was very honored and humbled.” Turgeon, the daughter of former Colorado


ern added. “Liz was respected for her character, personality and work ethic, so to be in that com- pany of hers is quite an honor to me.” On the ice, McGovern couldn’t be happier


skating for the Select organization, which has groomed plenty of girls for the collegiate ranks. “Here in Colorado, there are so many girls who


Colorado Select 19U forward Katie McGovern, pictured with Liz Tur- geon’s parents, Pierre Turgeon and Elisabeth Turgeon, was named the recipient of the inaugural Elizabeth “Liz” Turgeon Award in November.


Avalanche forward Pierre Turgeon, died in a car accident in December of 2010. “The award truly means a lot to me,” McGov-


want to compete at a higher level, so it’s definitely more competitive,” McGovern said. “I came here looking for exposure to colleges and I feel the Select program is giving me that opportunity, as well as the other girls in the organization. I couldn’t ask for a better situation.” McGovern is in her third year with the Select


program. She was an out-of-state player when she played for Bob Taggart at the 14U AAA level and then, last year, she up and moved to the Rockies to play for Hill’s 19U AAA team.


“Coach Taggart was influential towards me


because not only did he show me a whole new level of play, but he also taught me a lot of things outside of hockey,” said McGovern. “He helped me through a lot. “Coach Marnie, as well, has been influential


because she pushes me to my potential and challenges me, making me the best player I can be. I’m not sure where I’d be without those two special coaches.” Hockey runs in the McGovern family.


Katie’s brother, Eddie, is a forward with the United States Hockey League’s Sioux Falls (S.D.) Stampede. “My brother is my role model and so, to be


like him, I started playing myself and fell in love with it,” Katie said. “I think my passion for the game is what keeps me going and my dream is to play the game as long as I can.” Next up on her to-do list is a shot at college


hockey. McGovern feels her strengths on the ice will enable her to catch the eye of the right coach at the right time. “That’s always been my dream,” said Mc-


Govern. “I’m visiting schools this year and hope to have my choice made by the end of the season. Each school has something unique and I need to find the right balance.” On the ice, the high-character McGovern


believes she can be a valuable asset at the next level. “My biggest strengths, hockey-wise, are seeing


and reading the ice and being able to find the back of the net,” she said.


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