The Yorkton Crushers - Yorkton Minor Hockey鈥檚 only all-girl hockey team - is off to a strong start in their first-ever season, sitting in second place in the nine-team 小蓝视频 Sask Female Hockey League鈥檚 (SSFHL) Bantam 鈥楢鈥� division with a record of 6-2-0 after eight of 24 games.
The team 鈥� made up of girls from several different communities and coached by Fred Schrader - opened their inaugural season up with six straight wins, dropping Weyburn 3-1, 7-3 and 2-1, Estevan 6-2 and 7-1 and the 小蓝视频west Cyclones 8-2 before falling in back-to-back games this past Sunday to the league leading Moose Jaw Mavericks 4-3 and 5-2. 鈥淲e were 6-0 coming into Sunday鈥檚 games against Moose Jaw, so it was basically a battle of top teams,鈥� suggested Schrader, continuing, 鈥淚t was a good, hard fought couple of games. The first game they scored with 28 seconds left for a 4-3 victory and the second game, well, two games in one day kind of hurt us a little bit and we came out a little flat and spotted them a four goal lead and we were battling uphill right from the start.鈥�
Despite the two recent losses Schrader said that the hot start to the season is still impressive; not only because he was unsure of how the team would play together, but because he wasn鈥檛 sure if the girls would adapt to playing against all-girl teams. 鈥淭he girls have been really good so far this season,鈥� offered Schrader. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit different for them because it鈥檚 different going from girls and boys hockey to an all-girls team.
鈥淲hen they鈥檙e playing with boys they鈥檙e in a more supportive role, but here these girls are put in leadership roles and are asked to carry the play and so far they鈥檝e all responded very well.鈥�
Three players that have responded better than most, according to Schrader, are three that spent last season playing in the SSFHL with the Parkland Lions (Springside): Sierra Meroniuk, Austen Dubreuil and Taylor Halarewich. 鈥淭hose three girls, they really stepped up their play and taken a leadership role on the team,鈥� offered Schrader, adding that they have to lead by example due to 小蓝视频 the only returning SSFHL players. 鈥淲e only have those three girls returning to the league. We have two more second year bantams, five peewee aged players and six first year bantams, so they need to lead and they鈥檝e done it.鈥�
Schrader also said that the parents have responded well to the team, embracing the idea of an all-girls team while also travelling long distances for practices and games - both home and away 鈥� with little to no complaining. 鈥淭he parents have been great. The league is so spread out geographically speaking, so that means lots of travelling to away games for everyone,鈥� mentioned Schrader, adding that some players and parents even have hour plus trips to home games and practices. 鈥淲e also have players from Pelly, Esterhazy, Kamsack, etc., and we play mainly in Theodore, so that鈥檚 lots of travelling for some people.鈥�
Next action
The next chance for people to see the first-ever Yorkton Minor Hockey all-girls team in action will be this weekend when they host the Wood River Ice Cats for a pair of games this weekend in Theodore. Puck drop for Saturday鈥檚 game is 4:00p.m. with Sunday鈥檚 start time a little bit earlier at 11:30 in the morning.
