Reaching their goal
Rankin Rock female players attend annual Wickfest event
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
RANKIN INLET
The Rankin Rock midget female hockey team made its second successful appearance at Hayley Wickenheiser's Wickfest World Female Hockey Festival in Calgary, Alta., this past month.
Head coach Mikki Adams said the players, coaches and members of the bench staff had an absolute blast at the event.
She said the players gained invaluable experience, and the journey was made even more special by a couple of surprises.
"The girls got to play the Mount Royal University Cougars female team through a professor I met while she was visiting Rankin Inlet this past summer with a group of her justice students," said Adams.
"She talked to Cougars coach Scott Rivett when she realized we were coming to Calgary, and we were able to have lunch, play a game of shinny with the team, and have some practice time with coach Rivett.
"The girls got to go into the dressing room and meet all the players.
"It was a big deal for everyone, especially some of our girls who are interested in attending that university."
Of the 18 players who went to Wickfest, eight attended for the second time and 10 made their first appearance at the event.
Adams said it was great for the Rankin Inlet girls to meet other females from around the world who share their love of hockey.
She said the day Rankin will be competitive at the event is not as far off as some people might think.
"I see us competitive in the next year or two.
"We have a group of girls in our peewee division who have a lot of potential.
"They're already showing great hockey skills."
Adams said another surprise was seeing Wickenheiser's Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women's Hockey League play the Brampton Thunder.
She said it was a great learning experience for the Rankin girls to see females of that calibre play.
"The girls kept commenting on how fast they were skating, and on their expertise in passing and receiving the puck.
"I also got them into workshops on strengthening your core muscles, honing in on leadership skills while playing mini ping pong and creating mental toughness.
"I hope we can keep this an annual trip but we have to come up with new ways to raise money so we're not fundraising every week for seven months."
