“The positive relationships Emma has built with her players is evident and undeniable. Everyday when she arrives at the rink, she is greeted with hugs and 15 girls yelling her name. Her energy is contagious, and I’ve never seen her show up to the rink without a big smile and positive attitude. The girls on the team are constantly talking about how amazing she is and how they want to be just like her when they grow up. What more could you ask for in a role model?” – Nominator
The Ottawa Sport Council is pleased to introduce Emma Shimizu as our latest Community Sport Hero. Emma is a passionate advocate and volunteer for inclusive sports and community recreation.
While completing her studies in recreation and leisure at Algonquin College, Emma has devoted significant time to volunteer work, coaching, and promoting accessibility in sports.
She currently serves as the head coach of the East Ottawa Stars U13 ‘AA’ girls’ hockey team, where she has made a profound impact through her 20+-hour/week commitment to the high-performance team.
“Emma makes hockey such a positive experience for everyone, treating each player like they’re the most important girl in the world,” highlights the parent of a Stars player. “There’s no drama, no politics, just a coach who genuinely cares. She has created an environment where each girl feels valued and supported.”
The Stars have achieved success on the ice under Emma’s leadership as well. Last season, her squad won the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association Eastern region championship and her 2025 Stars have qualified for the OWHA provincials from April 10-13.
“We were not a team that was ever supposed to be winning championships, but we were a hard-working team,” Emma notes. “We were able to build a culture where all the girls supported each other and worked hard, and that’s what led to our success in the league.”
Emma’s leadership has not only helped players improve their skills but also built their confidence on a personal level. Parents were impressed to have a female coach in her early 20s helping the players to grow and develop while inspiring them as a leader. Many players had never had a female coach before, and Emma’s guidance motivated them to continue playing hockey and deepened their passion for the sport.
“I think it’s important for the female athletes to have or be exposed to somebody who isn’t just a parent to coach them,” Emma says. “To be a young female, non-parent coach, you have a different ability to create relationships with players, and if you can focus on a person first before the winning component, we have a lot more success.”
Beyond hockey, Emma is an active and hard-working volunteer for Special Olympics Ontario programs, the Capital City Condors adaptive hockey team, the Canadian Cancer Society and Campfire Circle, which seeks to bring joy to kids affected by childhood cancer.
Emma knows first-hand the challenges that cancer brings. While in her rookie season as a ringette player for the Nipissing University Lakers, Emma was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma.
“Even through months of treatment, she was still at the rink coaching as often as she could,” signals the Stars parent. “Her dedication, strength, and passion for the people and things she cares about is nothing short of remarkable.”
Emma found that hockey has been healing during her cancer battle.
“Sport can be a lifeline for people,” she says. “When I was going through chemotherapy, hockey was the thing that kept me going, and it was my only outing out of the house most of the time.”
Emma also works for the City of Ottawa, serving as a day-program inclusive recreation instructor and as a specialty instructor for free skating lessons in low-income communities. She is currently a student intern for Abilities Ottawa, where she is dedicated to promoting inclusive recreation and para sports.
She helps teach a wheelchair basketball clinic about adaptive sports and organizes community events to raise awareness about accessible sports. Emma says everyone should have the opportunity to participate in sports and experience their benefits.
Her commitment to creating a more inclusive and supportive sports environment has positively influenced countless young local athletes.
“I basically have a whole new perspective on life,” Emma says in a 2023 video where she answers questions from youngsters about her cancer battle. “I’ve learned to not take things for granted and I put way more effort into my relationships, and seeing people more often, because I realize we’re not here forever.
“It’s made the relationships in my life so much more meaningful and more filled with love.”
The Ottawa Sport Council is incredibly grateful for Emma’s contributions to creating positive and inclusive sports experiences in our community and is proud of the impact she’s made.
– article by Laiyiady Lam