This is Part 4 in a multi-part series on Port Moody’s PWHL draft prospect Sophia Gaskell. Feel free to go back and read Part 1 (Expansion Teams Create Movements), Part 2 (The Growth of Girls Hockey), and Part 3 (Port Moody Is a City of Pros).
Port Moody’s Sophia Gaskell is one of five UBC Thunderbird women’s hockey players who have declared for this year’s PWHL Entry Draft.
Of this list, she’s one of only three who hail directly from BC, the other two being forwards Grace Elliott and Annalise Wong.
As it stands, the lone BC-based UBC alum currently playing in the PWHL is Boston Fleet defender Rylind MacKinnon.
With players like Gaskell, Elliott, and Wong on the rise, that number looks as though it will change.
UBC’s season came to a disappointing end in 2025–26. After finishing their season as the Canada West Champions with a stunning record of 26–2–0, the Thunderbirds faced a massive upset at the USports National Championships. The eighth-seed University of Montréal Carabins defeated UBC by a score of 4–3 in the shootout, ultimately going on to win the USports National Championship title in 2026.
The result doesn’t distract Gaskell from what was an “amazing” career overall with UBC.
“Being able to play high-level hockey while going to school made the whole experience really special,” the defender told NewsLight. “I can’t imagine going to university and not continuing to play hockey at the same time.”
Part of what made the experience so special, Gaskell said, is the group she was surrounded with. Alongside the four other Thunderbirds who have declared for this year’s draft, this season, Gaskell also shared the ice with former PWHL draftee Ilona Markova and fellow Tri-Cities local Audrey Church, who is from Coquitlam.
“I had so much fun with my teammates, and we really all clicked as a group, which made the experience even better both on and off the ice.”
When it comes to her studies, Gaskell ended up pursuing an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology, also adding on a minor in Education. While she is from Port Moody, the defender opted to live with her teammates while playing at UBC.
“Living with teammates made it feel like a family away from home,” she explained. “We also made a point of having weekly dinners as a team, where we would all cook and spend time together, which really strengthened our bond.”
One of the more difficult things about being a college athlete can be living abroad for most of the year. The rigorous travel schedule often results in little space to return home to celebrate holidays like Thanksgiving. As a result, many players end up celebrating these events with their teammates instead.
The travel and schedule may make things a bit hectic for professional athletes, but when it comes to a typical game day, there’s always a set routine. Usually, hockey players will take part in a morning skate, have a pre-game nap, fit meals somewhere in between, and then head to the rink to take part in a game.
Things are a bit different for college athletes.
For starters, college athletes have classes to plan around. Wong, for instance, made the news for taking part in a National Championship game on the same day that she had her medical school interview. Then, there are meals and pre-game activities to plan around. Because of these factors, college athletes tend to require a fair bit of structure to their routines.
“I would usually start with classes in the morning, then I would head to pre-game skate. After that, I would often grab coffee with teammates and make breakfast, then try to get a nap in to reset,” said Gaskell of her routine ahead of arriving at the rink.
From there comes the routines around the rink. This can include warm-ups, prepping gear, or even getting some light exercise in.
“I always liked arriving at the rink early, about two hours and fifteen minutes before game time, so I could tape my sticks, get prepared, and spend time with teammates, including playing [sewerball] to keep things light and relaxed before puck drop.”
Part 5 can be read here.