A local teen is inching closer to representing Team Alberta at the Canadian Winter Games in U18 female hockey.
On Wednesday Hockey Alberta announced the 28 females that made the shortlist for a chance to play at the Winter games in Red Deer. The tryout for Team Alberta started off in May with around 60 girls, the Provincial camp in July with 46 and now 28 females will be fighting for a spot on the team in February.
Defenceman for Northern Alberta Xtreme Hockey Academy 16-year-old Alexandria Spence has been playing hockey since she was 6-years-old, this is her first year going through the U18 process and says its an exciting feeling making it to the shortlist.
“It’s an honour where I am at, especially as a first year. I am also nervous about the upcoming camps and the standard Team Alberta holds.”
Spence calls Lloydminster home but has been in Edmonton at the Xtreme Hockey Academy. She has been involved in the U16 Hockey Alberta camps for the last two years.
Spence says the chemistry between the females fighting for a spot is not an issue as they have been all been playing against each other for a while.
“We all know each other from just from playing in Alberta. We’ve all played against each other, played with each other at previous camps and we all know we are working and striving towards a common goal.”
Two players from the Lloydminster AAA Steelers have also made the U18 shortlist. Left-wing Payton Laumbach from Wainwright and Goalie Bella Mckee from Irma are both 17-years old and in their final year of making the U18 team. This is Laumbach’s second time trying out for the team and didn’t make it past the summer camp last year.
Alexandria Spence says that the final cuts won’t be made at the fall camp, instead, Hockey Alberta will be keeping an eye on the shortlist players during their club teams regular season to help make their decision.
The 2019 Canada Winter Games takes place from February 15th – March 3rd in Red Deer.