Sheena Darnley

As someone who has lived with a disability all of her life, Sheena Darnley is very familiar with the challenges that come with being recognized as equal to those without disabilities. “I want those who don't know much about parasport to understand that para-athletes are athletes first and foremost,” she says. “We are hardworking and deserving of all the same benefits that sport affords others.”

Darnley’s hard work took her to Norway in 2024 for the World Challenge. She was a member of Canada’s Women's Para Ice Hockey Team which returned home with a silver medal. “It was a great opportunity to perform on a global stage and showcase the skills I’ve worked so hard to develop,” she shares.

Being named to that team stands as Darnley’s greatest athletic accomplishment. Now 18, she’s been part of the national team since she was 15 years old. She relishes the chance to play at a highly competitive level and make her country proud. “My number one goal is to become the best para hockey player I can be. I’d love to compete at the Paralympic level but unfortunately there is a significant amount of gender inequality in my sport,” Darnley reveals. “The Paralympics needs to include a women's team.”

Darnley is a member of the Athlete Council for the 2025 Niagara Ontario Parasport Games, a platform she wants to use to “educate all athletes on the diversity of parasport and the joy it brings to countless communities. I want to help create an inclusive, fun environment that is engaging for everyone who is competing,” she adds.
Currently in her last year of high school at Notre Dame College School in Welland, Darnley plans to study accounting at Brock University with her sights set on earning a Chartered Professional Accountant degree.