Castlegar native Jennie Gallo has signed a one season contract to play professional women's hockey in Switzerland. Gallo will be playing for Ev Bomo Thun based in the city of Thun. The team is part of the Swiss A League and will travel throughout Switzerland, Italy and Germany.
After graduating from Stanley Humphries Secondary School in 2007, Gallo was offered a full scholarship to play NCAA hockey for the University of Maine Black Bears. Some overseas opportunities were then available, but upon graduation she decided to take a break and return home where she has been coaching hockey, teaching power skating and playing in men's leagues while working at Saint Michael's School.
Meanwhile she has kept in touch with overseas contacts, so when the offer to play for EV Bomo Thun came, Gallo decided she was ready to make the move. “I was happy that the opportunity was still there,” she said.
The team is only allowed to bring in three imports a year, and Gallo is honoured to be one of those chosen. “I am excited to have the opportunity to play the sport I love while having the opportunity for overseas travel,” said Gallo. “It's like a dream.”
She will be packing up her skates and leaving for Switzerland this week.