Two weeks ago the Northern Avalanche Female Hockey team participated in the Richmond Ice Classic tournament where a total of 68 teams were competing.

The team tied one game and lost three. All losses were by two goals or less, and even though the Northern Avalanche dominated most of their games, having only nine skaters just wore them down at the end of three periods.

During the event, two Northern Avalanche players, centre Linsey Eby and defenceman Tamara Greek, were identified and offered the opportunity to play a high level of hockey with the B.C. Rockets, a AAA bantam team comprised of players living throughout B.C.

The team will be participating in two large AAA female tournaments. The first in May in Saskatoon and the second in June in Winnipeg.

The girls also plan on travelling to Vancouver prior to competing to practice with the team.

They are currently looking for sponsors and exploring various fund-raising opportunities. This is yet another example of the Canada Winter Games 2007 legacy.

These girls were 10 or 11 in 2007. They saw what could be and trained hard to make it to the next level. Coming from a pool of approximately 30 female bantam players in the territory, the fact that the Avalanche, which had only 10 players at the Richmond tournament, were able to place two players on the AAA Rockets says a lot about the development of female hockey and the hard work that these two players put in.

The two girls were also representing their home at the Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie last month, together accumulating six goals and two assists.

Great players are made when no-one is keeping score.

Submitted by Louis Bouchard, coach of the Northern Avalanche Female Hockey Team.