Saskatchewan’s newly formed provincial para hockey team recently took on Team Canada’s high development women’s team.
The goal was to draw more attention to this form of hockey and also to prepare this new team to represent the province at the upcoming nationals in Alberta.
“It’s great to see Saskatchewan now have a high-performance team — a provincial team — because they have so many great, coachable players,” says head coach of the Canadian women’s para hockey team Tara Chisholm. “They just want to learn. They are strong people already. A few of them are farmers and ranchers and are used to throwing around some weight, but now they can go and do it on the ice.”
Team Sask defenceman Carter Russell-Pander said this is “definitely a first at this level.”
“I do play for Regina. That is not as exciting as playing for Team Sask. This is where I live and I’m proud to wear the crest and represent Team Saskatchewan.”
For the players selected to play on Team Saskatchewan against the best players from across the country, it will be a big thrill and something they are truly looking forward to.
“It’s like when you hear of people playing in the Olympics,” says Team Saskatchewan head coach Les Nemish. “You put that flag on, you put that crest on, it’s just something different and you see that with the players that we have. That they are playing for their province.”
Nick Elliott, a forward on Team Saskatchewan, says the team is looking to build for the future.
“I think what is next for us is focus on what to bring to nationals and focus on our skills and build up our player base,” says Elliott. “Get younger players and develop them in camps. I think a combination of all those will fuel Team Saskatchewan for years to come.”
Women’s Team Canada player Claire Buchanan says the team is “really impressed on how hard this organization has worked to bring a provincial team to this province.”
“And we are not only excited for our program, but to see the success of their program as well,” Buchanan says.
The para hockey national championships in Leduc, Alta., will be played on the May long weekend.