From the desk of Aces U13 C beat writer Rob Nyenhuis
80 long weeks after the dissolution of play, the caverns of hockey reduced to cobwebbed echoed dark chambered halls, the kids dreams of return to play lived out through online video posts and practice alone in their driveways. The return to play was buffeted by a shortened stale year of monotonous practice, over and over and over again in the long cold winter of 2021. Hope flickered in the eyes of the kids, the promise of a beautiful comeback grew with every warm day and the roll up of every sleeve throughout the spring of ’21 and every child, coach parent and grandparent looked to the advent of the fall to see the life of hockey return. And here we are.The call for Aces began August 15th, the teams were formed, and the kids landed with peers that will propel their dreams into a return to play we had all been waiting for. Mentors Todd Nickel and Jaimie Gethke took up the call to lead a team of girls, dogged from the rollercoaster of the chances they took trying for their spot. They’ve earned their spot here and they look forward to the challenge – each bringing their own set of ability to make something good together.
The Aces opened exhibition play against the formidable Woodstock Wildcats at the Southwood Arena for a Saturday matinee. Aces Rookie netminder Ivy Hurley-Demers, facing a steep learning curve of guarding the iron for the Aces this season, took up the challenge this weekend and proved her mettle to the anxious crowd. Through their muffled fabric filters the Aces mentors shouted from the bench directing their girls – reminding them of their places, and understanding the talent each girl provides to this new team. The Aces lost their opener 2-0.
As was true in the opener, the Aces possession game was equal to their opposition in game 2 of the weekend as the Aces hosted the West Oxford Inferno at 12:30 on Sunday at the Rotary Complex. Demers kept her spot between the pipes and held off the Inferno the best she could. Ace D Selina Gethke recorded the first goal for the group to tie up the inferno late in the first period 1-1. The inferno ran the Ace net in the second racking up 3 more before Leighton Nickel buried one to half the Inferno lead to 4-2. Katie Wheal shone for the group streaking to goal and backchecking with full intensity in the same play over and again. The girls dropped the second game 5-2 and not for any lack of matching intensity.
The girls look to morning training as the key to improvement as coaches Todd and Jaimie focus on puck control and shots at the net to guide these girls to victory as the exhibition season continues and the regular season approaches.