If dedication means being on the ice for hockey practice at 6:15 on Thursday mornings and back again three more times each week for more practice, dry-land training and games, then the newly formed Donex Thrashers female Bantam Rep team has it.
The enthusiastic 18 girls, aged 13 and 14, have been keeping up their busy regime since mid-September, and as far as team manager and assistant coach Cristy Mellott knows, they’re making history as the first female rep hockey team ever iced by the 100 Mile House Minor Hockey Association.
Her husband, Jeff Mellott, is head coach and he’s helped by another assistant coach Jason Armeneau, goalie coach Mark Nichols and safety trainers Kathleen Hartard and Cindy Grant.
The roster includes Emilie Nichols, Cassidy Mellott, Linnaea Bedford, Jessa Paddison, Jasmine McLellan, Alexa Armeneau, Katie Toews, Aaron Hartard, Maddy Rutledge, Caily Mellott, Taylor Grant, Avery Rutledge, Lucille Paul, Shian Remanente, Breanna Uphill, Keyana McNeil, Caitlyn Ray and Laurel White.
Commitment is a must for team members and it’s nothing new to Remanente, Uphill and Cassidy Mellott who played last year for the Kamloops Mystix Female Bantam AAA squad. Caily Mellott and Aaron Hartard travelled to Clearwater all season to play with the Clearwater Peewee Reps.
With so much developed talent already in 100 Mile House, Cristy says she was sure they could pull together a local team and after working on it since last year, was given the OK from the local association this season.
“Our girls here need a bigger challenge and something to commit to and take seriously. 100 Mile needs that next level of competition.”
The Thrashers and a team in Prince George are the only squads in their Cariboo Amateur Hockey Association zone and both will have their sights set on winning the lone pass to the provincials. The two will meet at zone playdowns in February for that decision-maker, and will also play the required league games throughout the season. Besides that, Cristy will be lining up exhibition games and tournaments with rep squads from Kamloops, Kelowna, Surrey and other southern centres.
She says her team has a lot of heart and is close to the same talent level Prince George.
“The big thing is they want to work together and they’re already a very close-knit team.”
Cristy has coached both girls and boys teams and says the girls are a cinch.
“Coaching girls is easy. They figure things out fast. You do a complicated drill with them and they get it in a short time. They listen well.”
She adds coaches have to be careful with their approach, though.
“You have to think about how girls take things personally sometimes. There’s lots of emotion involved.
“You can tell boys something in a certain way and they’ll just go off and do it without a thought, but with girls, it’s different. You hear the same things from coaches all over.”
Cristy notes that with two daughters in the house and several years of experience with coaching youths, her husband, Jeff, has learned how to keep himself out of hot water.
With lots of anticipated road trips ahead of them, team members will be busy off the ice fundraising to help meet their expenses. They’re asking people to donate their loose change to their “Pennies for Pucks” campaign, with collection taking place at ABC Communications, Donex and at the Canlan office.
Also on the agenda is to fill close to 675 sandbags and sell them at various locations including Regency Chrysler, 99 Mile Supermarket, 99 Mile Car Wash, Home Hardware, Central GM, Big-O Tire, 70 Mile General Store, Gold Trail Recycling and 108 Supermarket.
The team is also taking orders for fresh poinsettias.
The Thrashers’ first league games are Nov. 5-6 in Prince George and their home league games with Prince George are Dec. 10 at 5:45 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 10:30 a.m. They will be played at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre.
For more information about the team’s fundraising initiatives and to order poinsettias, contact Cristy at 250-395-2860 or send an e-mail to femalehockey@bcwireless.com.
