The Williams Lake Midget Female Timberwolves hope to make history next week when they host the BC Midget Female Championships in the lakecity.
They’re looking to become the first midget female team to claim a provincial title in the city’s history, and the first Williams Lake team to win a provincial championship since Carey Price and his midget T-wolves squad accomplished the feat in 2003.
According to a sampling of players from the T-wolves, that title is within their grasp, and something they’ve been working tirelessly towards throughout their season together.
From March 21-25, Williams Lake will host Tri Cities Female, Kamloops, North East, VIAHA Female, North Shore Female and North West for the five-day spectacle at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
Timberwolves captain Kassidy Herrick is expecting a physically and mentally gruelling tournament, but added the team is ready after a strong season that saw the team play 58 games in the 2017/18 season and finishing with 38 wins, nine ties and 11 losses.
“We’re definitely ready,” said Herrick, who plays defence for the T-wolves and is in her final year with the team.
“We’ve really improved from the start of the year up until now, and I’m looking forward to playing with my teammates who I’ve been playing with for years, and seeing friends and family at the tournament, and going out with a bang in my last year.
“I try to be a good leader out there, and I like to play offensively, as well as defensively.”
Brette Kerley, at 14 years old, is one of the youngest players on the team, however, has fit right in among the forward core and has played a crucial role in the team’s success this season.
“It was a bit hard to get used to at first [the pace of the game], but once you get the systems down it was good,” Kerley said of making the step up to the midget age division. “We play well together as a team, and I’ve got some experience at provincials as last year I played for Prince George [bantams] at provincials, so I’m really looking forward to playing one last tournament with my team here this season.”
Faith Myers, a third-year player with the T-wolves, said there’s not much more a player could hope for than to finish their minor hockey career at provincials in their hometown.
“I’m really happy that for my last year we’re in Williams Lake,” she said. “I can’t wait to play in front of family and friends.”
In the team’s 58-game season, they’ve played the competition they’ll be facing at provincials, and Myers said the team matches up well with anyone in the province.
“We’ve seen a lot of the competition so I’m confident we’re going to do well,” she said.
Sara Vermeulen, a second-year forward with the Timberwolves, also has confidence the team will be at its best come next week’s provincials.
“Our team has learned a lot this year,” Vermeulen said. “We’ve come together as a whole as the season has progressed, we’ve seen almost everything and everybody so we’re pretty prepared.”
Of the season, Vermeulen said her teammates, and the memories they’ve created, is what she’ll look back on most fondly.
“I love when we stay together and room together,” she said. “It’s just a lot of fun, and we’re really excited to show everyone what we’ve been working on all year and I’m confident we’ll have a good turnout.”
Second-year centre Paige Outhouse echoed Vermeulen’s sentiments, and said being at home will undoubtedly side in their favour.
“We have very good structure,” she said. “Our endurance beats them in the end usually. And I think we’ve seen everyone, and we’re prepared.
“Sleeping in our own beds, eating our own food and not travelling — I think it’s going to be a good time.”
Herrick, meanwhile, said their biggest competition will come in the form of rivals Kamloops, Tri Cities and North Shore.
Williams Lake will open its tournament against Tri Cities on Wednesday, March 21 at 7:15 p.m. following the opening ceremonies (6:45 p.m.), and will then take on Kamloops on day two of the event at 4:15 p.m.
The matchup with North Shore, meanwhile, will go on day three of the tournament, March 23, at 4:15 p.m.
Williams Lake wraps up its round robin matchups on March 24 versus VIAHA at 7:15 p.m., followed by a meeting with North West on March 25 at 1:30 p.m.
The tournament championship will follow on March 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Herrick also said the team would like to thank the community for all of its contributions to the team, and to the tournament.
“We wouldn’t be able to have these provincials if it weren’t for them,” she said.
“We all want to thank our family and friends for supporting us all year,” Outhouse added.
And if all goes as planned, and as the team envisions, they’ll be hanging a provincial championship banner in the rafters at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
“Hopefully, we’ll come out with a gold medal in the end,” Herrick said.