LaSalle native Kira Juodikis is one of 25-players chosen to represent Ontario at the Under-16 Girls Hockey Challenge in Japan.
The 15-year-old tells CTV Windsor her mother volunteered her for the team.
"She just said yes right away without me knowing. She came out and told me and I was just amazed. I was on cloud nine," she says.
Southwest Wildcats' Coach Jen Hitchcock-Souilliere will join the 5'-9" forward in Japan. The pair leaves Sunday for three practices and three games over the next week.
Hitchcock-Souilliere says Juodikis worked hard this season and has earned the opportunity.
"For me this is a great opportunity to work with some coaches with Hockey Canada and some other great players across the province," she says. "Hopefully down the line she gets a chance to be with the national team and get those experiences whether it's at camps or at different team events that they have."
The future looks bright for Juodikis — she's already committed to the University of New Hampshire, the same school her coach attended years ago.
"I'm never sad or disappointed I'm going to practice, because I know I'll just make myself better, I just love that. Making it to the big leagues I think the Olympics would be awesome to represent our country and show little girls looking up to me that anything is possible," says Juodikis.
Juodikis plays in the Provincial Women's Hockey League — she leads the Wildcats in scoring with 32-points in 37-games.
— with files from CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco.