The definition of a team sport includes “any sport which individuals are organized into opposing teams which compete to win. Players working
together towards a shared objective. This can be done in a number of ways such
as outscoring the opposing team. Team members set goals, make decisions,
communicate, manage conflict, and solve problems in a supportive, trusting
atmosphere in order to accomplish their objectives.” It’s the perfect metaphor
for our tournament recap.
This past weekend, The Perth Auto Dismantlers Atom A girls hockey team travelled to Cambridge to compete in the Cambridge Roadrunners Girls Hockey tournament. Not only were the girls playing against the hometown team, The Cambridge Roadrunners, they were competing against the early start and the looming storm prediction. Explored from every would it or wouldn’t it angle, the weather was the hot topic and one of the biggest competitors over the weekend.
It turns out, that an 8:00 am game forces our team to dig deep, find their determination and set a clear goal. To win.
Unfortunately, the end result didn’t reflect the decision making, the conflict management or the problem-solving skills that happened at a fast pace, during an emotionally charged game. This game, more than any throughout the weekend embodied the very definition stated above. We all make mistakes. It’s how we come back from them that defines us as a team.
This takes us into game number two, leaving behind the disappointing start of a 5-0 loss behind us.
The girls re-grouped, stalked the mall and made the drive to the Bermuda triangle of arenas, the corner of Bishop and Hamilton St., in lovely downtown Preston.
Taking on the Mississauga Chiefs, the girls survived the hotbox-that-smelled-like-puberty dressing room, dug deep and came up big taking home their first win of the tournament.
The scoring happened fast and it made the Mississauga fans furious, well, only one fan really, but our Aces grandparents took care of her. Emersyn Miller took two goals to the bank, one unassisted and the second, assisted by winger, Anne Nickel.
The Chiefs came back with a goal to bring the game to a score of 2-1, but Aces goaltender, Grace Kipfer, who saw more rubber in this game than roadkill on the 401, held her ground, protected by skill and the damn good defence of Randall, Van Nes, Marshall and Schuster, held the game at 2-1, giving the Aces their first win.
Cue day two and the impending doomsday snowstorm anxiety grew and it was back to Ellis Road to ride the momentum train of day one in a potential three game day. It appeared that 8:00 am has become the Aces witching hour offering up a repeat of the day before. Clearly riding the struggle bus, the girls battled hard against the Ancaster Avalanche unable to come up with the win.
Ancaster spent the first period scoring, giving them a 2-0 lead heading into the second period. Goaltender Sloan Cameron, brought her dressing room dance moves to the ice holding the Avalanche at 2, giving Anne Nickel the opportunity to earn her second point of the tournament, assisting Emersyn Miller’s goal, narrowing their lead to 2-1.
The Avalanche came back in the third, moving the score to 3-1, which was answered back by centreman Lauren Leis, bringing the Aces within reach of the Avalanche.
Cameron disappeared, and a sixth player hit the ice, but it wasn’t enough to push through for the win.
A quick trip to the mall for some, home for a rest for others and an unfortunate few who travelled ahead to the modern architectural masterpiece that is the Duncan McIntosh Arena, where their motto is, “We open up the roof at -20 or below.”, (there was seriously a hole in the roof where snow was falling on my head for eighty hours it felt like I was there for) and it was time to take on the KW “Lady” Rangers.
As we all sat huddled under the glowing space heaters, the echoing roar of the crowd saw the first elimination game of the tournament in a must-win situation, the freezing cold temps became a distant memory as we watched what these girls are truly capable of. Setting goals, making decisions, communicating, pushing through conflict and solving the problem of how to win the game in a supportive, trusting way, that totally paid off for them.
The Lady Rangers played an aggressive game and managed to nearly fill the game sheet with penalty minutes, but our girls played with class and grit, beating their goalie three times over, all three unassisted break-away goals.
Starting with what could only be described as the Holy Grail of wide shots, Paige Campbell fired a rubber rocket right over the goalie’s shoulder to get things started. Followed closely by defenseman, Maren Marshall, who dangled her way by an imposing Lady Ranger line-up, to sink one right past their goalie, earning her the celebration of the weekend, where she nearly disappeared inside of the celly circle as her teammates celebrated her goal with unbridled joy.
Solidifying their spot in the evening semi-final event, and rounding out the tiny trifecta, Emersyn Miller, scored with four minutes to go, earning Kipfer her second win of the tournament.
A quick rowdy meal at Moose Winooski’s, where moose ears and peanuts were everywhere, saw the girls plan their route back to the aforementioned Bermuda arena triangle, that was missing one side, I’m aware, to the Karl Homuth Arena, where just getting to the ice surface should earn a player some sort of prize.
Meeting up with regular season rivals, the Saugeen Maitland Lightening, the girls showed grit and grace as they never gave up, even when things just didn’t go their way. Not one single time did the crowd see a single team player give up. In fact, the near condemned walls of Karl arena shook with the severity of the cheering when our lone goal, scored by winger, Paige Campbell, found its home in the Lightening’s net. For these girls to have walked into an arena at 7:00 am that morning and to have played all day long in freezing cold, sub-standard arenas, and to play their hearts out, even when they found themselves a man down for the second and third period, was nothing if not the embodiment of the definition of a team. The game ended with a score of 4-1 and a loss, but it was the words of defenseman Emma Van Nes that spoke the loudest. “We get to play for bronze. And man, we played really good tonight! We deserve to be there tomorrow no matter what happens,” which was closely followed by, “And we’re playing at the mall guys! Shopping and hockey! I’m so excited!”
Which brings us to today, the girl’s sixth and final game for the bronze medal. They were up against Mississauga, who were looking forward to the re-match. And what a re-match it was. With their super fan infiltrating our end, every parent had their chance to coach from the side-lines in the Cambridge Ice Centre. End to end, back and forth, with Kipfer holding court, the Aces pulled out all the stops, with visions of medals dancing in their eyes. It wasn’t meant to be, even though the two teams were evenly matched. Emersyn Miller scored the Ace’s only goal for this game, unassisted.
Exhaustion and overwhelm set in, the goalie was pulled but we just couldn’t get the needed puck in the net and after graciously accepting defeat, the Aces celebrated their fourth place final standing and a weekend of teamwork, strength and perseverance which they should all be incredibly proud of.
Personal bests were achieved, goals were met and hearts were broken, and they’re all ready to do it all over again, February 1 in London.
Special congratulations go to tournament MVPs:
Game 1 – Paige Campbell
Game 2 – Emersyn Miller and Grace Kipfer
Game 3 – Emersyn Miller
Game 4 – Maren Marshall
Game 5 – Jada Houben
Game 6 – Lauren Leis
Special mentions should go to the two goalies who never got a break when it was their game, were always up for the challenge and who lead by example all weekend long. Congrats Sloane and Grace.