Hall of Fame
As a tremendous hockey player in her younger days and now a police officer, Melanie Roach is a role model for young girls and women who dream of one day excelling in areas traditionally dominated by men.
Like many Canadians from small-town Ontario, she was drawn to hockey as a child in Sault Ste. Marie because, as she says, “that’s what you do in the Soo!” However, it was rare for young girls to participate in the sport at that time and so she played on boys’ teams every year until she went away to university.
When it was time to decide where she wanted to go to school, Roach chose York and joined the women’s ice hockey team as it provided her another avenue to be competitive and, finally, the chance to play with women. That first year was a major adjustment for someone who had never experienced girls’ hockey before.
“It was my first time playing with women full time. I got over 100 penalty minutes in my first year! But it was also the first time I really got to enjoy the dressing room atmosphere because before that I always had to change alone.”
Roach quickly asserted herself as one of the best players in the league, winning the OUA rookie of the year award and earning a place on the conference all-star team as a freshman. She went on to become the most decorated women’s hockey player in York history. In addition to helping the Yeowomen win the OUA silver medal in 1999, she was an OUA all- star in each of her five seasons and was also a two-time CIS all-Canadian, the first national recipient in program history and, to this day, still the only York player to earn multiple all- Canadian honours. In 2002, she was named York’s female athlete of the year, the first hockey player to receive the honour, and she remains the program’s all-time leading scorer with 108 points in 98 games.
Despite all of her success, it’s the people she remembers most fondly from her time here.
“Our teams always had the best people year after year. We didn’t always have the best teams but the players were awesome. I’m still in touch with some of my former teammates and they remain good friends of mine.”
After graduating with her degree in geography, Roach spent a couple of years playing in the National Women’s Hockey League and working in landscaping in the Toronto area until the opportunity to return home to Sault Ste. Marie presented itself in the form of becoming a police officer.
While it’s not something she grew up dreaming about doing, Roach has settled in well to her career as a constable. Just like all those years spent playing boys’ hockey, she once again finds herself flourishing in a predominantly male industry.
“It has its challenges for sure but I don’t let that stand in my way,” she says about being a female police officer. “I come in and do my job and then Igohome.IlikewhatIdo,andIhopeIcanshow other women that if you want to do something, you should do it no matter what.”
If her hockey career is any indication, there is no doubt Roach will continue to shine as a constable.
