Superstar Sammi

The ice rink was her home away from home, and she did not let this disease stop her from living an active life. On February 6, 2011, Samantha succumbed to the complications of lupus but her role in spearheading female ice hockey is always remembered amongst the hockey community.

For a girl of many talents, hockey was always Samantha’s passion in life. She was a long-time player and advocate for female ice hockey. Her love of, and dedication to the game of hockey was unsurpassed.

Samantha’s first taste of the game was when she laced up her skates at the age of eight. She skated on to many hockey achievements, including being a member of the Killarney Knights, one of the first female hockey teams in the Lower Mainland; playing for Team BC, the under-19 provincial team, at the 1995 Canada Winter Games; and becoming a member of the Vancouver Griffins, a professional women’s ice hockey team in their 2000 inaugural season.

When business opportunities took her to Hong Kong, she became essential in organizing women’s hockey there. Women’s ice hockey was still a relatively unknown sport in Hong Kong, and Samantha saw an opportunity to change that. Along with her friends, Samantha became a pivotal member of the Women’s International Hockey Organization (WIHO), an organization dedicated to introducing women’s hockey in Asia.

It was her time with WIHO that reinforced her true love of hockey. She volunteered her time to instruct males and females of all ages who were new to the sport. Samantha was a role model and inspiration to many young hockey players, and her contribution will always be integral to the sport in Hong Kong.

The sudden growth of female hockey paved the way for Hong Kong’s participation in international tournaments. In 2003, while representing Hong Kong in an exhibition game against the Chinese women’s national ice hockey team in Harbin, China, Samantha was invited to join and play for China’s national team. Samantha kindly declined the offer, as she was not ready to leave behind her life in Hong Kong or give up her Canadian citizenship. In an ironic twist of fate, Samantha was selected by the Vancouver Olympic Committee to be the team host for the Chinese women’s hockey team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Living with lupus took a toll on her both physically and mentally, but she continued to incorporate hockey into her life. In September 2010, Samantha decided to take on the role as one of the coaches for her youngest sister’s team, the Richmond Devils Female Senior AA team. Although her stint with the Devils was brief, her presence and leadership left a positive impression with the young women.

Even after her passing, Samantha’s spirit is still making an impact in the hockey community. Each year the Richmond Devils Female Senior AA team hosts the annual, “Samantha Wong Memorial Game,” in Richmond, BC, to raise funds in support of BC Lupus Society, and to honour Samantha’s positive influence on female hockey. Collectively, with the help of the community, family and friends, this event has raised over $15,000 over the last three years for BC Lupus.

For more information please visit www.liveforsammi.com & www.bclupus.org