Manager Christine Golding of Île-des-Chênes’ Novice B hockey team is proud of her players, who have faced an uphill battle of late. The team has yet to win a regular season game, but Golding says the team spirit and sportsmanship has been outstanding.
“The team comes off the ice still smiling, laughing, and dancing up a storm in the change room,” Golding says. She also recalls a remark from a player after a losing game: “Even though we lost, we tried hard.”
The Novice B team recently travelled to Brandon to participate in the Novice Coaches tournament, where they earned their first win of the season.
Right before the Christmas break, the Novice B coaches decided to host a skills competition. Players competed in six categories—agility, fastest forward, fastest backward, passing, accuracy, and a two-player chuck-wagon race. “This allowed the kids to showcase some of their individual talents,” says Golding. “Our team plans to repeat the skills competition at the end of the season so that they can all see how they have improved.”
Marty d’Auteuil, head coach of the Novice C team, is enthusiastic about the upcoming February tournament at the Île-des-Chênes Arena, as it will be their first of the year. The team has been anticipating the tournament with many practices and collecting silent auction prizes. The free hot dogs won’t hurt.
As the year progresses, players receive pucks to commemorate their first hat tricks, first shutouts, etc. Along with player-of-the-game awards for those who show excellence, the whole team works hard to apply the skills and techniques they learn in practice.
