Switzerland's Cindy Joray is a World Women's rookie at age 29.
photo: Matt Zambonin / IIHF
Cindy Joray was born in the shadows of the Juras mountains but has made Neuchatel her home. She found a love for hockey at an early age and has been playing in the Swiss league for a dozen years. She has had a good life, a happy life. But this past season, playing with Bomo, she averaged better than a point a game and helped her team reach the championship finals.
Colin Muller, Switzerland’s national team coach, took notice and invited Juray to training camp for the 2023 Women’s World Championship…and she made the team. At age 29. She is one of the oldest first-timers in WW history, and the whirlwind events have shocked Joray as much as anyone.
“It was a surprise for me because I am 29 years old, and I didn’t expect that, but I’m really proud to represent my county once and I’m enjoying every moment I’m here,” she enthused after playing the U.S. on Friday afternoon. “I played in the Swiss championship and had a really good season with my team this year. We reached the final, and I had a great statistical season, so I think my coach Colin [Muller] was happy with me, so he gave me the chance to come to the World Championship.”
While training camp can be a stressful time for any player, Joray went in with a positive, can’t-lose attitude. “I was a bit nervous at training camp at first, but maybe it was different from me because I’m 29. I think I enjoyed every moment and thought I’d give my best and let’s see what happens. And now I’m here. I’m so happy.”
Joray’s self-scouting report is pretty simple, but sometimes a coach has a specific need and little more is required. “I think he liked my speed,” she said. “I’m here for strong forechecking and backchecking.”
Actually, Muller must share the credit for getting Joray to Brampton because she almost retired last year. “I live just outside Neuchatel, where I played ten years. But this past year, I wanted to stop hockey. It’s over, I thought. I had fun, but its time. Then Bomo called me and said we would have a great season and great players, and I said, okay, let’s try it because hockey is my love.”
For Joray, playing hockey worked as a foil to her day job, which is demanding in other ways. “I think ice hockey is my salvation because I work as a primary teacher. The students are 11 and 12 years old, in secondary school. I teach all subjects, except music, because I’m not very good at it. But hockey is my life. I’ve played 12 years in the Swiss league.”
Joray started playing when she was young, and her joy in lacing ‘em up hasn’t diminished with time. “My brother played hockey, but he stopped playing already when he was ten years old. When I was eight, I asked my parents to let me play, and here I am 20 years later still playing!”
That being said, her thought of retiring a year ago hasn’t quite gone away. “I think ahead one year at a time now,” she admitted. “After next season, let’s see. I’ll play for Berne, but I just signed for one season. I’m a little bit old to keep playing.”
So far, Joray has played both Swiss games in Brampton and has fit in nicely. She skated for 13:49 against Canada and 11:52 against the U.S.. “I was really excited playing Canada,” she said of her first-ever game. “It was a little stressful beforehand, but when you are on the ice, you forget everything and just play against the big players.”
Joray goes by the number 87 with the Swiss, but that isn’t a familiar one to her and doesn’t have any particular meaning. “I always play with the number 8, but Kaleigh Quennec has it, so I had to choose another one. I was given a choice of choice of three, but it’s not because of Crosby that I have 87. I don’t know. It has an 8 in it and I liked the number.”
Colin Muller, Switzerland’s national team coach, took notice and invited Juray to training camp for the 2023 Women’s World Championship…and she made the team. At age 29. She is one of the oldest first-timers in WW history, and the whirlwind events have shocked Joray as much as anyone.
“It was a surprise for me because I am 29 years old, and I didn’t expect that, but I’m really proud to represent my county once and I’m enjoying every moment I’m here,” she enthused after playing the U.S. on Friday afternoon. “I played in the Swiss championship and had a really good season with my team this year. We reached the final, and I had a great statistical season, so I think my coach Colin [Muller] was happy with me, so he gave me the chance to come to the World Championship.”
While training camp can be a stressful time for any player, Joray went in with a positive, can’t-lose attitude. “I was a bit nervous at training camp at first, but maybe it was different from me because I’m 29. I think I enjoyed every moment and thought I’d give my best and let’s see what happens. And now I’m here. I’m so happy.”
Joray’s self-scouting report is pretty simple, but sometimes a coach has a specific need and little more is required. “I think he liked my speed,” she said. “I’m here for strong forechecking and backchecking.”
Actually, Muller must share the credit for getting Joray to Brampton because she almost retired last year. “I live just outside Neuchatel, where I played ten years. But this past year, I wanted to stop hockey. It’s over, I thought. I had fun, but its time. Then Bomo called me and said we would have a great season and great players, and I said, okay, let’s try it because hockey is my love.”
For Joray, playing hockey worked as a foil to her day job, which is demanding in other ways. “I think ice hockey is my salvation because I work as a primary teacher. The students are 11 and 12 years old, in secondary school. I teach all subjects, except music, because I’m not very good at it. But hockey is my life. I’ve played 12 years in the Swiss league.”
Joray started playing when she was young, and her joy in lacing ‘em up hasn’t diminished with time. “My brother played hockey, but he stopped playing already when he was ten years old. When I was eight, I asked my parents to let me play, and here I am 20 years later still playing!”
That being said, her thought of retiring a year ago hasn’t quite gone away. “I think ahead one year at a time now,” she admitted. “After next season, let’s see. I’ll play for Berne, but I just signed for one season. I’m a little bit old to keep playing.”
So far, Joray has played both Swiss games in Brampton and has fit in nicely. She skated for 13:49 against Canada and 11:52 against the U.S.. “I was really excited playing Canada,” she said of her first-ever game. “It was a little stressful beforehand, but when you are on the ice, you forget everything and just play against the big players.”
Joray goes by the number 87 with the Swiss, but that isn’t a familiar one to her and doesn’t have any particular meaning. “I always play with the number 8, but Kaleigh Quennec has it, so I had to choose another one. I was given a choice of choice of three, but it’s not because of Crosby that I have 87. I don’t know. It has an 8 in it and I liked the number.”