By / Kristi Patton
While the Calgary Oval X-Treme have dedicated their season to a long-time supporter it is also apparent they have returned as determined as ever to dominate the league.
“Our biggest assets as a team are speed and puck movement and we intend to use these assets as we defend our WWHL Championship title,” said X-treme captain, Colleen Sostorics.
“We have a good mix of veterans and rookies. The addition of players such as (Cherie) Piper and (Tessa) Bonhomme, who have international experience and college graduates in (Kendall) Newall, (Jennifer) Jonsson and (Carrie) Olsen as well as our international recruits from the Swiss National Team (Anja Stiefel and Angela Frautschi) have bolstered our already talented line-up.”
Sostorics has played for the X-Treme for ten years, taking only two seasons away to play with Canada’s National Team during the 2002 and 2006 Olympic years and win two gold medals.
“Our biggest assets as a team are speed and puck movement and we intend to use these assets as we defend our WWHL Championship title,” she said.
The Western Women’s Hockey League champions are sitting in a familiar first place spot with seven of their players in the top-10 point earners.
Head Coach Kinding is excited for the upcoming season. “Our plan is to focus on two major events: the WWHL league championship and the Battle of the Border series against the United States select team.”
Kinding took the role of Calgary Oval X-Treme head coach in July 2008. His coaching history includes head coach positions with the Swiss National League A, Danish Men’s National Team and the Japanese 1998 Olympic Team. He spent three years as the Director of Hockey Development for the Swiss Federation and has worked with Canadian hockey coach Dave King to create the Hockey Canada Skills Academy Program, working with NHL players Dion Phaneuf, Nick Tarnasky, Shawn Belle and Drew Stafford at a skills academy in Edmonton.
The X-Treme are wearing special patches on their right shoulder to honour long-time supporter Bill Beattie (Beattie Homes) who passed away after battling Leukemia in May.
Strathmore Rockies
The Rockies are struggling with the same thing they do every year, keeping up with the
Oval X-treme.
Off the ice, the team has been a hit with rural communties. The Rockies have teamed up with their major sponsor EnCana to promote Hockey ROCKS, an initiative where the players go to communities to practice with minor hockey teams. Another program the Rockies have to reach out to the community is Experience a Dream. Female minor hockey players get the opportunity to skate in the pre-game warm-up, stand on the blueline for the anthem and then help on the bench at a home game.
Edmonton Chimos
This year, the Chimos have come out of the gate strong and had a solid opening to their season against the Oval X-Treme.
Leading the way on the scoreboard for the Chimos is Kristen Hagg and Julianne Jubinville. In the month of October, Hagg recorded five goals and three assists, with three of her goals knocked in on the powerplay. Jubinville also recorded eight points with two goals and three asssits.
B.C. Breakers
WWHL MVP goaltender Desi Clark will be a top contender for the award again this year and up front, the Breakers have added some firepower to go along with that.
Rookie Anne Girtz, from Minnesota, has proven to be an offensive threat early in the season.
The 24-year-old forward is sitting amongst the top-10 point getters keeping the Breakers in contention every game.
Minnesota Whitecaps
Last season’s second fiddle in the WWHL championships is looking forward to becoming the bandleader.
An added boost to the Whitecaps is a partnership that was developed during the off-season with USA Hockey. With a residency program being stationed in the clubs hometown of Blaine, USA Hockey players can skate for both the Whitecaps and the national program.
The ‘Caps boast a roster of Olympic players including Jenny Potter, Julie Chu, Angela Ruggiero and Canadian goaltender Manon Rheume. |