Calgary well represented at the Canada Ringette Championships

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Calgary might be effectively represented on the 2024 Canadian Ringette Championships in Dieppe, N.B.

Three U16AA groups and two U19AA groups from the town are participating within the April 7-13 occasion.

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Within the U16AA bracket, the Calgary Assault, Calgary Peak and Calgary Strike (Workforce Alberta) hope to deliver residence the championship. In U19AA, the Calgary Fight (Workforce Alberta) and Calgary Crew are aiming for achievement.

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“I imagine everybody is absolutely excited for this chance to go to nationals in New Brunswick,” stated Strike goaltender Stephanie Coli. 

Coli defined that nationals are a possibility to doubtlessly get recruited to the Nationwide Ringette League or Workforce Canada, including that enjoying on the occasion supplies superb publicity.

“It actually simply makes me really feel actually pleased with myself for all of the work I’ve put into the game,” she stated.

In the meantime, the Western Canada Ringette Championships in Calgary wrapped up on Saturday. Calgary’s U14AA Blue began off 4-0, however got here up quick in opposition to Spruce Grove within the semifinals, then settled for fourth place after falling 7-6 in additional time to AB2 Zone 2 within the bronze-medal recreation on Saturday.

“Workforce Blue has been steadily bettering all through the season,” stated supervisor Cheryl Barnabe earlier than the match. “The athletes have been dedicated to bettering their expertise, studying key tactical performs for his or her respective positions and enjoying to their strengths.” 

Barnabe added they’ve a robust teaching employees with three members coming in from Workforce Canada Junior, one being a goaltender for the Calgary Rath of the Nationwide Ringette League and one who might be enjoying for Workforce Alberta’s U19AA squad at nationals.

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Workforce Blue got here into the match having received its hometown Esso Golden Ring championship and inserting third at provincials

Waiting for nationals, right here’s a Q&A with representatives of the 5 groups with native connections: 

U16AA Peak

Consultant: Supervisor Amanda Roach 

Describe your group’s season thus far?  

“This season our group has had nice success each on and off the ice, nevertheless it has not come with out its share of adversity. Now we have loved the success of enjoying in three gold-medal video games, popping out on high in two of them. Our group has confronted their justifiable share of challenges alongside the best way, together with important accidents and diseases. Whether or not it’s enjoying with a really quick bench or having to vary positions, the teaching employees has been impressed with how effectively our gamers have tailored to trials all through our season. Our group identify is Peak and we’ve used the analogy of climbing to the height of a mountain. It’s hardly ever a direct line to the highest. Your route can embody unexpected challenges, takes planning, grit and willpower and would possibly even embody a couple of backtracks. The resolve of our group has allowed us to proceed to play and compete at a excessive stage. We’re pleased with what we’ve completed thus far however look to compete to the perfect of our talents at nationals.”

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What’s the group’s X-factor?

“The X-factor of our group has been our psychological toughness. I touched on this earlier than, however I imagine it’s certainly one of our greatest contributors of our group’s success all year long. I can’t rely what number of instances this group has confronted difficulties, however the gamers’ psychological power has allowed them to push via and stay extremely aggressive. The women have rallied collectively, drawn nearer as a group and repeatedly look to place their greatest effort ahead. At no time has there ever been a query concerning the group’s effort, dedication or loyalty.”

What does the group must do to win the nationwide championship?

“Successful the nationwide championship isn’t any small feat. It’s a protracted week with many superb groups throughout the nation competing. For Peak to perform this aim, we’ll want to stay tight and centered as a group, each on and off the ice. We might want to play the sport based on our technique and stay optimistic and get artistic when issues don’t go based on plan. Peak has all of the instruments to beat the strongest groups throughout Canada: an impressive goaltender, robust and disciplined defence and forwards who can management the play and put the ring within the web. It’ll be a matter of sticking to our technique and placing our greatest effort ahead all week lengthy.”

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U16AA Assault

Consultant: Supervisor Christine Profili 

Describe your group’s season thus far? 

“Calgary Assault’s season can greatest be described with the phrase ‘perseverance’. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, however our group has the power to play their greatest ringette when the chips are down and it issues most. We went into provincials because the eighth seed and made all of it the best way to the championship recreation.”

What’s your group’s X-factor?

“Our group is filled with extremely proficient gamers, however we don’t have a single participant that might be described as an X-factor. Our X-factor is our group’s perception in one another and realizing that we now have an opportunity to win each time we step on the ice, irrespective of who we’re enjoying.”

What does the group must do to win the nationwide championship?

“To win a championship our group might want to proceed to work collectively and assist one another. It is a aim we set again in September and our focus has by no means wavered. Now we have numerous respect for all of the groups competing at nationals this 12 months, however we additionally know that we now have the talent to perform this aim.”

U16AA Strike (Workforce Alberta)

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Consultant: Head coach Invoice Blackwell

Describe your group’s season thus far? 

“Now we have an exquisite group of younger athletes who care about one another and who’ve turn into a tight-knit group of buddies. We even have a tremendous guardian group, keen to step up and assist the group in any approach attainable. The group has had a tremendous season so far — the Strike have medalled in six tournaments this 12 months, together with three Golds. That features profitable gold on the greatest ringette match on this planet, the Esso Golden Ring, and in addition profitable gold within the provincial championships, turning into Workforce AB for the upcoming Canadian Ringette Championships in New Brunswick.”

What’s your group’s X-factor?

“The coaches have stated since Day 1 that in the event you do the little issues proper, the massive issues will occur. Our group works on being calm and managed, and works on doing all of the little issues proper. Our group genuinely works collectively as a group — gamers play for one another and for the success of the group.”

What does your group must do to win the nationwide championship?

“Our group must give attention to controlling the ring, having fast transitions up the ice, and enjoying robust defence. It’s an honour to symbolize Alberta on the CRCs and we’re wanting ahead to the match.”

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U19AA Fight (Workforce Alberta)

Consultant: Head coach Caley Mineault

Describe your group’s season thus far? 

“To sum up our season in a single phrase: consistency. By means of sickness, accidents and different commitments our group has overcome adversity and maintained a excessive stage of efficiency. Three of our teammates and our head coach Caley Mineault had the chance to compete on the World Ringette Championships hosted in Calgary in November 2023. This expertise has introduced new data and expertise to our group. Our athletes consist of 4 college college students, 11 multisport athletes (lacrosse, subject hockey, volleyball and extra,) and 5 coaches. We’re pleased with how this has been balanced over the course of the season. Our group has labored arduous to compete within the gold-medal finals in all of the tournaments we’ve competed in with the turning level in our season being a gold medal at Esso Golden Ring in January. That is the time our group actually started to click on on and off the ice. The momentum from this success carried us ahead to the provincial ultimate the place we performed an thrilling recreation in opposition to our sister group, Calgary Crew. We’re honoured to symbolize Workforce Alberta on the Canada Ringette Championships.”

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What’s the group’s X-factor?

• Now we have a robust and cohesive group dynamic. This has been constant all season. 
• Now we have a lot enjoyable enjoying collectively. Whether or not that’s belting Jealous by Nick Jonas earlier than video games, or laughing on the ongoing blooper reel our group has of everybody’s falls. 
• We transfer the ring very effectively as a group. Now we have believed in our talents because the begin and have trusted the method and one another. 
• Our group is older on common than most of the different U19 groups in Alberta. Now we have sixth third-year U19s with many bringing Workforce Canada, Canada Winter Video games and different expertise. This group of athletes has supplied robust management to our group this 12 months and want to “go away all of it on the market” and nationals. 
• Every athlete on this group is extremely coachable and has a team-first mindset. 
• Now we have a small snack membership that gathers outdoors the dressing room earlier than each recreation, chatting and sharing their numerous snacks of pickles, cherries, skittles, corn nuts and go-go squeezes. 

What does your group must do to win the nationwide championship?:

• We must be current within the second. Play and give attention to one recreation and one shift at a time. 
• Benefit from the expertise. Our group performs our greatest when the environment is gentle and we’re working collectively. 
• We have to go like we’re able to, see the ice and use one another. 
• Nationals is the longest competitors of the season, it’s a grind. We might be specializing in energetic and preventative restoration and fuelling ourselves bodily and mentally for the week.
• We are going to lean into our experiences as a group and the composure our group has in overcoming obstacles and enjoying via setbacks. We want perseverance, confidence and suppleness. 

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U19AA Crew

Consultant: Head coach Michael Beland 

Describe your group’s season thus far? 

“Calgary Crew is a really particular group, constructed of 17 gamers and 4 coaches. We had a robust begin to the season and have labored extremely arduous to enhance and study from our superb teaching employees.  Our season document thus far is 32-16-4. We received silver at provincials, silver on the Richmond Hill, Ont., match and gold on the Woods match in Edmonton. We’ve had a stable and enjoyable 12 months with very aggressive video games, together with those we now have misplaced.” 

What’s your group’s X-factor?

“Our groups X-factor is our skill to play as a group. Everybody on the group performs an essential position and all are crucial for our success. Now we have a robust veteran management group and everybody performs with talent, power, ardour and willpower. Our goaltending is a big consider our success and our goalie rises to the problem in actually each recreation.”

What does your group must do to win the nationwide championship?

“We have to play like we will, belief ourselves and one another and be ready for each group that comes our approach. Throughout the season, we got here up with a couple of sayings that we will resort again to throughout video games. They embody: ‘be the place your toes are’ and ‘fall again on what you already know’. If we persistently execute the little issues, the whole lot else will fall into place. Now we have a really shut group of women and the chemistry on and off the ice is obvious. We assist each other. Each single particular person on our group is a chunk of the puzzle and if we execute with pace, play with function and try to win each second, we now have no limits.”

mkaake@postmedia.com

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