The lakecity had no shortage of representation April 2-5 in Salmon Arm for the under-16 BC Cup, BC Hockey’s high performance program.
On the ice, Williams Lake Female Midget Timberwolves defenceman Brooke Call was selected as one of the best 120 players from throughout B.C. from a regional selection camp, held in Williams Lake in January.
Pete Montana, Dave Carnes and Roy Call stood behind the bench as three of six coaches at the jamboree-style tournament, while Kelly Call and Mike Rispin performed managerial duties and Troy Weil participated as one of BC Hockey’s camp evaluators.
The players at the BC Cup, mixed up onto six randomly selected teams, were evaluated on on-ice and off-ice components including nutrition, strength and conditioning, mental preparation and fitness testing.
During the camp each team had practices Thursday, Friday and Saturday, then played games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
And as chance had it, Brooke drew Montana as her head coach at the cup.
“She just can’t get away from me,” joked Montana, who was Brooke’s head coach during this year’s Williams Lake Midget Female Timberwolves season that saw the team bring home a bronze medal from the provincial championships.
“Myself and Roy, we had two of the stronger teams. Part is fluke, but I think part of it is how you coach those players … Brooke stepped up and fit into the process we were trying to lay before those players and I think she did a really, really good job.”
Montana said Brooke showed not only the talent to be there, but also the attitude to make it to the next level.
“That’s the most important thing they’re looking at,” Montana said. “They’re seeing if they can adjust and come together [as a team] and accept roles in a short-term tournament like that and to find players willing to accept roles and who are smart enough to pick up on systems. Everything counts.”
Brooke’s teammate, Female Timberwolves’ captain, Ruthie Jackson, was also selected to the under-18 BC Cup, edging out hundreds of players even at the Female Midget ‘AAA’ level to be invited to the camp.
“There, they’re picking a team that will represent the province,” Montana said. “I’m just so, so proud of her.”
At the under-18 level players are scouted throughout their seasons through four regions in the province then invited to the camp as opposed to being selected at the regional level. Jackson, along with Williams Lake and Northern Female Cougars defenceman Victoria Byer, will suit up on the same team at the under-18 BC Cup.
The under-18 BC Cup begins next week and runs from April 29 to May 3 in Richmond.