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March 27, 2013
▼ GIRLS HOCKEY
Inside
Association wants all-girl teams
Ned Ireland makes it to the podium for the first time in a Nor-Am ski cross circuit race. ...............................
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Have you seen this sign? If so, Lake Country business owner Shirley Gingras would like it back as it’s an important part of attracting customers to her door. ...............................
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Flyers ■ Home Depot ■ JYSK ■ Rona
The Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association is hoping to increase the number of girls playing minor hockey across the Okanagan, including in Winfield. A committee is being formed to come up with some new ideas about how to increase the number of girls entering minor hockey, with the hope of establishing female-only teams at lower levels, as opposed to the current situation, where many girls play on boys’ teams, especially for the first few years of minor hockey. “We as association’s have to start looking at the grassroots levels and saying let’s get more girls out there and get them playing on allgirls teams,” said Cathy Carolei, BC Hockey’s female development coordinator for the Okanagan. “We have to start at the younger levels and try to get the little ones out from the get-go and build these teams so we don’t run into a deficit situation in certain years.” According to Carolei, one of the things associations are battling is a myth that many parents believe that female players are better off playing with boys and will develop better. But Carolei says when girls play on a boys’ teams, there are things that the player misses out on, and a better situation would have girls playing on all-girls teams from the time they enter minor hockey.
WADE PATERSON/CAPITAL NEWS
KELOWNA’S Christy Blackburne (left) slaps a shot past a Salmon Arm defender in Okanagan Mainline midget A girls playoff action earlier this month. There is a movement underway to attract more girls to hockey in the Okanagan. “The myth is that girls will play harder and stronger if the parents leave them with the boys,” said Carolei. “But it would be just as good and probably better in the long term to have girls playing together. They develop differently than boys and they don’t have the same physical strength as boys. “When they are on boys’ teams,” Carolei said, “they have to dress in a different dressing room
and they don’t get that camaraderie in the room before and after games and practices.” There are about 250 females registered in the different minor hockey associations across the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association. Carolei says their goal is to double that number in two years. One of the things that OMAHA will embark on is an educational campaign, letting parents
know of the opportunities that playing hockey provides to females. Many scholarships are available in both Canada and the US for high level athletes. This year at UBC, the women’s team featured three graduates from Kelowna Minor Hockey, playing on scholarships. “Looking long term, if we want our kids to be the best of the best and want them to play at university or national level,
we need our kids to be developing through the system and starting at a young age,” said Carolei. “People don’t realize girls can get full ride scholarships,” she said. “It’s a huge opportunity that people are just not aware of.” In Kelowna the steering committee on girls hockey is also hoping to talk to parents of young girls to educate them on minor hockey and will host a come-and-play
hockey initiative to explain all of the options in the coming months. “We want to have a discussion with parents about why it’s beneficial for your daughter to play female hockey,” said Carolei. If you want more information about female hockey in your area you can contact your local minor hockey association. In Winfield call 250766-3442.
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