November 09, 2011
Posted in Alberta Edition, Female
By Kristi Patton /
Unorthodox yes, but the Alberta team iced for the Canadian Women’s Hockey League this season is ready to make a charge for the Clarkson Cup — no matter the distance they must travel.
While other teams are based out of cities (Boston, Brampton, Burlington, Montreal, Toronto) the expansion to the west is a provincial team. Essentially it is two squads practicing (one in southern Alberta and one in the north) and coming together on games days.
“One of the reasons for the provincial team is we wanted to have a depth of skill by bringing all the best players together. This is a very skilled elite female hockey league and in order to be successful we needed to make sure we included the best players from all over the province. The result is a great roster that just happened to be divided with 50 per cent coming from the north and south,” said Alberta coach Jason Schmidt, who previously coached the Edmonton Chimos in the now-defunct Western Women’s Hockey League.
Schmidt made it a requirement that players must show up either to the Edmonton or Calgary-based once-a-week practices, but are welcome to both if they want to travel. As a coach it means taking a different approach to strategy.
“The players get a playbook and we do things online and over email. We use different tactics and strategies to solve the distance, for instance on game days we get together early and walk through the off-ice stuff,” said Schmidt. “These are elite female hockey players who have skated on national teams, post-secondary or NCAA teams and they have made the commitment to play here.”
The coach has chosen four players he hopes can help bring the players together with their leadership skills. Captain Chelsea Purcell, a former Chimo, may not be the most vocal leader but Schmidt is relying on her.
“She demonstrates with her commitment to this team and her play on the ice in all situations is very selfless. The biggest thing she is able to do is relate to all the players to make them comfortable. But, I will look to all the players with letters on their shoulders in different situations,” said Schmidt.
That includes assistant captains Meaghan Mikkelson, Courtney Sawchuk and Bobbi-Jo Slusar. Mikkelson was selected third overall in the 2011 CWHL draft and was on the 2010 Olympic gold medal team. Slusar previously played for the Brampton Thunder, competing in the Clarkson Cup finals last year and also brings with her national team experience.
The new team will be housed in Calgary at the WinSport Arena and will travel around the province playing in various arenas to share the game with fans. Their first home stand is on Nov. 19 against the Toronto Furies 7:00 p.m. at WinSport and a re-match on Nov. 20 at 2:00 p.m. at WinSport.
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