nto Kings forward Rudy Gay h

GLASGOW -- Kate Gillis says it was difficult to block out the noise. The energetic 24-year-old is the captain and inspirational leader of Canadas womens field hockey team at the Commonwealth Games. Shes also the daughter of former Vancouver Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis, who was fired in April after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in six years. Gillis and soon-to-be ousted head coach John Tortorella took most of the criticism for the Canucks struggles as media and fans alike dissected what had gone so horribly wrong for a team that came within a game of winning the 2011 Stanley Cup. Having your feet held to the fire is part of being an executive in professional sports, but that doesnt make it any easier for the families. Its something the younger Gillis learned first-hand this spring. "I think its always hard for people to say those things about your father. With the Internet these days, you can just have a free-for-all," she said this week. "Its tough to kind of differentiate between the truth and the fiction, but I just keep my head down. He definitely doesnt let us get affected, but in the long run its hard. "Its your dad." Kate Gillis grew up in Kingston, Ont., but moved to Vancouver after being scouted by the national team when she was still a teenager. That cross-country adventure was coincidentally part of the reason Mike Gillis, an NHL player agent at the time, was hired by the Canucks in the first place. "I was 17, finishing high school by correspondence and my parents didnt feel quite comfortable with me living out there by myself," said Gillis. "They moved just for the year until I went back to school, but ended up staying because my dad got a job." Despite all of the heartache in recent months, she said one of the positives of her father losing that job is that he can spend more time following her career. "It was definitely tough, but weve been able to spend so much more time together as a family," said Gillis, who has two brothers. "I actually just celebrated my 100th cap in England, which is a huge milestone, and my dad was able to be there. "He will be here for the whole tournament, and that normally doesnt happen because its (NHL) free agency, or the draft or pre-season or something. It was a very difficult circumstance when it happened but now were seeing him more relaxed, he has more time, and hes able to capitalize on these sort of events." Canadas womens field hockey team has not made the Olympics since 1992 and is using the Commonwealth Games in Scotland as a measuring stick ahead of next summers Pan American Games in Toronto, which will serve as the qualifying event for Rio 2016. "Were a young team. Weve made lots of progress over 12 months and the opportunity to play in a tournament like this definitely gives us an idea of where were at," said Canadian head coach Ian Rutledge. "We want to make sure we give this event the respect it deserves. Were obviously looking to do our best and play as well as we can and finish as high as we can -- thats the objective. But thinking longer term its also an opportunity to gauge where were at ahead of Toronto 2015." Canada currently ranks 22nd in the world and has lost its two opening matches at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, 4-2 to No. 13 India on Thursday and 2-0 to No. 11 South Africa on Friday. Next up is No. 31 Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, and the biggest test of the group stage on Wednesday against fourth-ranked New Zealand. Meanwhile, the 16th-ranked Canadian men lost their opener 3-1 to No. 6 New Zealand on the first day of competition and will tackle No. 13 Malaysia on Saturday, No. 29 Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday and No. 5 England on Thursday. Rutledge said Gillis sets the tone for the countrys womens team with her passion and dedication to a sport that she hadnt even heard of until making her varsity team in Grade 9. "Her work rate is immense -- one of the best Ive seen from any athlete in the world," he said. "But more importantly its the quality she brings off the field. Shes a natural leader. Shes very aware of whats going on around the team and in the team. She backs up what she says. Her actions often speak louder than her words. "Shes the hardest trainer, the most committed, the most dedicated, and I think the rest of the team finds that inspiring. She sets standards. Its easy to talk a good game, but she shows what a good game looks like. Shes a fantastic role model." Gillis said she and her teammates want to help grow the sport in Canada, especially with the Pan Am Games on home soil just 12 months away. "What most people dont know is field hockey is so popular almost everywhere else," she said. "Were really looking forward to bringing our sport home and letting people see what we play and how intense our game is." And despite a trying couple of months for her family, Kate Gillis can still lose herself in the sport she has grown to love -- something she learned from her father. "Once you step onto that field nothing else matters," she said. "Thats what hes taught me." Kevin De Bruyne Jersey . The Missouri Tigers Defensive End and SEC Defensive player of the year is eligible for the upcoming NFL draft in May. Marouane Fellaini Jersey . 1-9 on TSN. With more than 65 hours of exclusive live coverage, TSN delivers all the action beginning with Draw 1 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p. http://www.belgiumsoccerpro.com/Thomas- … m-Jersey/. Then he got back at the team that released him five days before the start of last season, hitting a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning of the first game at Fenway Park since Boston won the World Series last October. Romelu Lukaku Jersey .com) - Eric Fehrs goal 42 seconds into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Columbus, halting the Blue Jackets seven-game win streak. Leander Dendoncker Jersey . Pospisil, the seventh seed, saved match points in each of the last two sets before falling to the unseeded Dutchman. "I wasnt very happy with the way I was playing,"said Pospisil. SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay has exercised his $19.3 million player option for next season. The Kings also announced Wednesday that they have extended a qualifying offer to point guard Isaiah Thomas to make him a restricted free agent. Gay averaged 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 55 games for Sacramento after being acquired in a trade from Toronto.dddddddddddd Gays agent, Jeff Austin, says the sides plan to discuss a potential long-term deal before Gay will be an unrestriced free agent next summer. Thomas averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists in 72 games last season. Thomas is eligible to sign an offer sheet with another team next month but the Kings have the right to match any contract. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '