LCCVI’s hockey teams prepare for OFSAA
LCCVI’s hockey teams have always been a force to be reckoned with but this is a year to remember.
For the first time in the school’s history, both the Girls and Boys teams are headed to OFSAA to play for the title of top hockey team in the province.
The Girls team punched its ticket with a win over L’Essor March 5. Captain Felicia Park says early in the year, the team set their sights on OFSSA.
“We work our butts off that’s for sure. Practices, games, no matter what it is, we always give 100 per cent effort in everything that we do. So, it’s pretty awesome that we have a great group of girls who we all have our end goal, which was to make it to OFSAA and that’s where we are now. So hard work paid off.”
The team’s coach, Scott Watson agrees; “This whole year we’ve been building with the idea of this is our year. …We’re gonna go and play and if the girls play the way they did at SWOSSA, they can – it’s up to them what they want to achieve…they’re that good.”
Chris Edgar coaches the Boys Team. He says they’re a motivated bunch, too, partly because the seniors haven’t had a chance to play through the pandemic. “It really kind of just fed into their desire and wants to be able to try to make it to that awesome tournament,” he says adding they have the skill to make a mark at OFSAA.
Captain Brayden Kominek was one of those guys who missed two years. He did everything he could to stay connected to hockey during the pandemic. Now, he’s excited to hit the ice in St. Catharines for the biggest tournament in Canadian high school hockey. And, like Edgar, Komineck thinks the team can do well.
“I think if we go in there and play how we’ve played, especially the last two games to get us here, I think we will be just fine,” he says.
It will be tricky. Edgar says 20 of the 22 players will be juggling minor hockey playoffs with OFSAA. The team will be arriving at the provincial championship early in the first morning of play so some members can be part of their minor league games the night before.
Aside from balancing multiple hockey playoffs, the school is busy raising money for the tournament. Watson estimates it will cost about $10,000 this year.
But, no one is complaining. This, after all, is hockey history with both teams qualifying for OFSSA.
LCCVI won’t be the only school with boys and girls representing at OFSAA. St. Patricks near Peterborough boys and girls are also qualified for the provincial championships this year.
