Guelph broadcaster gets rare opportunity at World Juniors

 

The 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships gold medal game featured a local voice heard inside the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

Isabelle Germain kept fans informed as the in game public address announcer. It was her first time ever being a PA announcer. She was drafted for the role by Hockey Canada, because of her broadcasting experience doing play by play with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and women’s professional hockey. Hockey Canada was looking for someone bilingual and landed on Germain.

"Finally it got to my roommates co-worker who knew what I did and that I was bilingual and he recommended me. So I got the e-mail only a couple weeks before the event. I had already planned my vacation to go home to Guelph,” Isabelle Germain said.

Germain said she will never forget announcing the final game winning goal in overtime.

“My co-worker Ryan and I just started jumping up and down. We gave each other hugs and kept jumping. There is a moment, we had to switch and make sure that we got the goal call out,” Germain said.

Germain fell in love with the sport as a kid, playing for the Guelph Thunder.

“I’m very proud of my Thunder family. And went to bishop Mac(donell) high school. Won four consecutive CWOSSA championships when I was there,” Germain said.

According to her parents, it was clear early on in their daughter’s life that hockey would always play a big part.

“Figure skating did not go very well. She basically said to me, ‘I want to play hockey,’” Francine Mainguy, Germain’s mother said.

“She’s been always passionate about hockey and still is. I think she always will be. It’s a passion for her more than anything else,” Jean-Pierre Germain, Germain’s father said.

Germain’s hockey career took her to Dalhousie University, but a brain injury forced her to retire from playing. She was still chasing the high of competition and dabbled with coaching, but later picked up a microphone and found that adrenaline rush again.

“Getting to say Bedard’s name as many times as I did and have a crowd of 10,000 plus people scream back at you. I definitely get the same feeling," Germain said.

Germain is one of the first females in game announcers at the tournament. The 30-year-old is now quickly realizing how big of a role model she’s becoming.

“I didn't see myself as that until honestly 24 hours ago. And now on Twitter and Instagram from all over of people saying they would love to do what I do,” Germain said.