The Alberta U18AA female hockey provincial championships will take place at the Ponoka arena from March 24 to 27.
“The best five teams from across Alberta, and their families and friends, will be coming to our community for a weekend of elite female hockey,” said organizing committee vice chair Lisa Harmatiuk.
“We are very excited to be hosting (provincials). The success of females in hockey is growing and hosting provincials will not only ignite the spirit and enthusiasm that central Alberta has for the game but also promote young female athletes in the sport of hockey.”
The committee encourages people to “come down to the arena to watch some of the best female players in Alberta.”
The host team is the Red Deer Sutter Fund U18 AA Chiefs. The Chiefs are a group of 15 to 17 year-old elite female hockey players from across central Alberta. Players come from Red Deer, Ponoka, Innisfail, Lacombe, Forestburg, Rimbey, Caroline and Blackfalds.
Local players from Ponoka are third-year player and team captain Kate Hollingsworth and second year player Karley Feragen.
Earlier this season, the Chiefs placed second in the 2021 Regina Female Challenge Tournament and fourth in the eighth annual Pacific Coast Female Rep Hockey Classic in Richmond, B.C.
They are currently in third place in the south division of the Alberta Female U18AA Hockey League.
The Alberta Female U18AA Hockey League consists of 11 teams from across Alberta. Teams are just finishing the regular season games and will begin playoffs the first week of March.
The top four teams, as well as the host team (RD Sutter Fund Chiefs) will then play in the provincial championships in Ponoka.
The organizing committee is preparing for the provincial championships and is still in need of additional sponsors and/or donations.
If you or your business is interested in supporting the event, please contact organizing committee chair Julie Feragen (403-357-8346) or Harmatiuk (403-318-4072).
You can follow the Sutter Fund Chiefs and find out more about provincials on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
Sutter Fund U18 AA Chiefs Roster:
• Alexandra Evans - Caroline
• Anna Boyer - Red Deer
• Chloe Becher - Red Deer
• Chloe Johnson - Red Deer
• Devon McConnell - Red Deer
• Evelyn Cave – Red Deer
• Kaisy Huber - Lacombe
• Karlee Feragen - Ponoka
• Kate Hollingsworth - Ponoka
• Kiara Streich - Forestburg
• Lauryn McConnel - Red Deer
• Mackenzie Gould-Sharpe - Red Deer
• Malia Tetreault - Red Deer
• Mary Purse - Red Deer
• Megan Graham – Red Deer County
• Natalia Billings - Innisfail
• Nilah Ledieu - Rimbey
• Payton Kletke - Red Deer
• Teigan McAuley - Blackfalds
• Head coach: Brent McAuley
• Assistant coaches: Clayton Boyer, Jessie Fisher, Liz Fonda, Randy Graham
• Manager: Neal Tetreault
- Submitted