Women’s military hockey takes to the ice of the Greenwood Gardens Arena February 2 to 6, as 14 Wing Greenwood hosts the Canadian Armed Forces Atlantic region championship.
The home team Raiders have “high hopes,” according to coach Captain Marina Comeau.
“Play wise last year, we were really good – but, we met a good team with a better goalie in Halifax” in the final.
This year, the women have worked on incorporating new roster members, building up their defence and breaking in a new goalie: postings and player availability is always a challenge, and then there is the unexpected – in just the last couple of weeks, Corporal Sarah Bradfield went from player to assistant coach, with a broken wrist. Comeau, a player last year, is the team’s coach, mid-wat through a pregnancy.
“But – we’ve played our first season all winter in a Valley women’s league, and we’re getting a good turnout there for weekly games, so that’s been a great warm-up for regionals. We’re sitting second in the league standings there. Weekly practices for the base team itself have been a challenge, as we have a lot of essential workers in the air traffic control tower and the fire hall.”
Comeau says, heading into regionals on home ice, the women “feel like we’ll be competitive for sure.”
Teams have practice time February 3, with the action underway February 4. The Raiders will be in the mix with the CFB Halifax/ Shearwater combined Formation Halifax Mariners and the 5th Canadian Division Support base Gagetown Warriors.
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Schedule
Tuesday, February 3
8:45 a.m. opening ceremony
9 a.m. Greenwood vs Halifax
2 p.m. Halifax vs Gagetown
Wednesday, February 4
9 a.m. Gagetown vs Greenwood
Thursday, February 5
9 a.m. semifinal 2nd vs 3rd
Friday, February 6
9 a.m. final 1st vs WSF
Roster
Master Corporal Natasha Philippe (C)
Corporal Amy Cuming (A)
Corporal Bri Cyr (A)
Captain Michelle Backhouse
Aviator Bethany Burt
Captain Alannah Dawe
Aviator Cadence Dow
Master Corporal Danielle Green
Warrant Officer Amanda Jardine
Captain Sophia King
Captain Grace Loucks
Private Madison Reeves
Master Corporal Audrey Rheaume
Major Ilse VanOostrum
Captain Lindsay Williams
Captain Marina Comeau (coach)
Corporal Sarah Bradfield (assistant coach)
