Sami Jo Small

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameSamantha "Sami Jo"•Small (-Bridges)
Used nameSami Jo•Small
Born25 March 1976 in Winnipeg, Manitoba (CAN)
Measurements170 cm / 85 kg
AffiliationsMarkham Thunder, Markham (CAN)
NOC Canada
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Samantha “Sami Jo” Small has been a goaltender since the age of five, when she played Midget AAA hockey in St. Vital, Manitoba. She joined the Canadian National Team in 1997 and was attending Stanford University on a track scholarship and playing hockey with the men’s team when she was called up a reserve player with the 1998 Canadian delegation to the Winter Olympics. Although she did not appear in any games, it was the first time she had ever been on a woman’s team and she did make appearances with the national team when they took gold at the 1999, 2000 (two years where she was named the tournament’s top goaltender) and 2001 World Championships, as well as the 2002 Winter Olympics. At the latter tournament, she made one appearance in the match against Russia, which Canada won 7-0. She was again given the spot of a third-string goalie for the 2006 Winter Olympics but, unlike with the men’s tournament, was not eligible for a medal as an alternate goalie. Nationally, she played with Brampton Thunder in their inaugural two years with the National Women’s Hockey League (1999-2001).

Small has kept extremely busy since her appearances at the Olympic Games. Her activities have included blogging about women’s tournaments for hockey.com, giving talks as a motivational speaker, owning and running a hockey camp for girls and, of course, playing hockey, most recently with the Mississauga Chiefs of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, a league that she helped found. A graduate of Stanford’s mechanical engineering program, she wears custom upper-body padding that she designed for herself as a senior project. In 2002 she was inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
2002 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) CAN Sami Jo Small
Ice Hockey, Women (Olympic) Canada 1 Gold

Special Notes