In honour of the IIHF Women’s Under 18 hockey tournament held at the Meridian Centre in January 2016, I thought it only fitting to speak of one of our own local hockey heros! Visit the Hockey Hall of Fame at the Meridian Centre to see Bauer’s Team Canada jersey in the new exhibit focusing on women’s hockey!

Sara Bauer was born in St. Catharines on May 11, 1984 to parents Kim and Barb Bauer and is the older sister to Jenni Bauer.

Sara Bauer is well known in St. Catharines for being the first female to play AAA boys hockey after she made the minor novice team in 1992. Bauer continued to play AA and AAA boys hockey with the St. Catharines Minor Hockey Association where her talent was highly recognized.

Bauer attended St. Fancis Catholic Secondary School where she successfully competed in many sports. The following is a list of all of her activities and accomplishments during her high school years:

• Girls’ hockey (99/00-02/03)
  • 4-time Most Outstanding Member (99/00-02/03; as a coach in 02/03)
  • 3-time team captain (99/00-01/02)
  • 3-time All-Star Game participant (99/00-01/02)
• Girls’ basketball (99/00-02/03)
  • 2-time Most Valuable Player (01/02-02/03)
  • 3-time team captain (00/01-02/03)
  • 3-time Kearny Classic All-Star Game participant (00/01-02/03)
  • The Standard Tournament All-Star (02/03)
• Track and field (98/99-02/03)
  • 5-time OFSAA participant (4x100m relay, javelin; 98/99-02/03)
• Girls’ soccer (00/01-02/03)
  • 2-time Most Valuable Player (01/02-02/03)
  • 2-time team captain (01/02-02/03)
• Girls’ volleyball (98/99-99/00)
  • Team captain (98/99)
• Tennis (02/03)
  • OFSAA participant
• Boys’ baseball (01/02)

In 2002 Bauer received recognition as St. Francis’ Female Athlete of the Year, and St. Catharines’ Female High School Athlete of the Year. She was also the 2002 Rotary Award Medalist.

Bauer attended the University of Wisconsin where she played for the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team and studied Kinesiology on a full scholarship. In her freshmen year as a Badger, Bauer led the team in points and was titled the team’s Rookie of the Year as well as Offensive Player of the Year. Also in her first year of college hockey, she was elected to the All-WCHA Rookie Team, the All-WCHA Second Team and was named WCHA Rookie of the Year. Bauer continued her college hockey career, leading the team again in points for her following three seasons and in her junior and senior years she served as assistant captain. While playing for the Badgers her team made it to the NCAA Frozen Four National Championships. By the time her career with the Badgers was complete; Bauer held 17 team records and had graduated with honours. She went on to study at Niagara University, achieving a Master’s of Science in Education.

Bauer also played with the Canadian National Team program during the years 2004-2008 and was a member of the Under 22 Team in the 2005-2006 season, where her team won the Air Canada Cup in Germany.

Among the many other accolades awarded to Bauer throughout her hockey career, others included: USCHO Player of the Year, WCHA Player of the Year, First Team All-America and Frozen Four MVP and St. Catharines Athlete of the Year in 2006. One of the more famed recognitions given to Bauer was the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award which was won in 2006. This award recognizes the most outstanding player in United States women’s college hockey. She was also in the finals for this award the following year.

The following is a full list of Bauer’s accomplishments beginning in her freshman year of college:

• 2-time WCHA Rookie of the Week
• 7-time WCHA Offensive Player of the Week
• 5-time USCHO Offensive Player of the Week
• Team Rookie of the Year (03/04)
• WCHA Rookie of the Year (03/04)
• 4-time team Offensive Player of the Year (03/04-06/07)
• 2-time assistant captain (05/06, 06/07)
• Member of All-WCHA Rookie Team (03/04)
• 2-time member of All-WCHA Second Team (03/04, 04/05)
• 2-time member of All-WCHA First Team (05/06-06/07)
• 2-time member of All-USCHO First Team (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time member of NCAA Frozen Four National Champion team (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time WCHA Playoff Championship Most Outstanding Player (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time member of WCHA Playoff Championship All-Tournament Team (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time WCHA Scoring Champion (05/06, 06/07)
• Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player (06/07)
• Member of Frozen Four All-Tournament Team (06/07)
• 2-time WCHA Preseason Player of the Year (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time WCHA Player of the Year (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time USCHO Preseason Player of the Year (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time USCHO Player of the Year (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time USCHO Preseason First-Team All-American (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time AHCA First-Team All-American (05/06, 06/07)
• 2-time AHCA At-Large Academic All-American of the Year (05/06, 06/07)
• Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Winner (05/06)
• Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-Three Finalist (06/07)
• 2-time WCHA Scholar Athlete (04/05-06/07)
• 3-time member of All-WCHA Academic Team (04/05-06/07)
• 3-time UW National Board Scholar (04/05-06/07)
• 2-time recipient of Big Ten Sportsmanship Award (05/06-06/07)
• Recipient of Big Ten Medal of Honour (06/07)
• Woman of the Year Top 30 Finalist (06/07)
• Holder of 17 team single season and school records upon graduation
• Remington Scholar (07/08)
• St. Catharines Athlete of the Year (06)

Hockey Canada

• Participant at Under-22 camp (04/05)
• Member of Under-22 Team (05/06)
• Member of Senior National Team program (06/07-07/08)

In 2012, Bauer launched the “Sara Bauer Academy” which continues to provide hockey and athletic training such as: on-ice training and testing, office training and testing, game and hockey IQ training. The academy also offers academic tutoring services to athletes in Ontario

In 2015 Sara Bauer joined the Brock University athletics department as the new associate head coach for the school’s womens hockey team. Bauer will coach the team alongside Margot Page, the head coach.

This series is written and compiled by Alicia Floyd, Collections Technician – Archival at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre

Sources:

http://sarabauer.ca/

http://scshof.com