The Cochrane Chaos female hockey team may not have won the Alberta Female Junior Hockey League (AJFHL) Championship when the team was swept in three straight games by the Sherwood Park Steele, but their season isn’t quite over yet due to the fact that Cochrane is hosting the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League Western Showcase April 6 to 8.
There will be eight teams divided into two pools taking part in the tournament including the league champion Sherwood Park Steele, Fort Saskatchewan Fury, the Manitoba Gray Owls, two teams from Calgary as well as two graduating midget teams that are formed of players divided into Northern and Southern Alberta teams from the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL).
The tournament is used to showcase female hockey in the province of Alberta, while also giving the players who participate a chance to showcase their skill set.
“It’s cool because it gives the girls who are graduating from Midget a chance to get a feel for what it would be like to play in our league if they want to continue playing,” said Chaos forward Summer Gibbons.
“It’s a great way to showcase our league and what it’s all about. It’s a great league to play in and it’s good to let other girls know that it’s out there.”
“It will be fast hockey. Not a lot of people know about the AJFHL and how competitive every girl is. Everyone of us wants to be there and play to the best of our abilities which will make the games interesting, intense and fast-paced hockey … every game will also be fun to watch.”
This is the first year an AJFHL Southern Division squad has hosted the tournament, as the previous two years it has been held in Ardrossan in Strathcona County. Members of the Chaos organization are really excited to be the first Southern town to host the Western Showcase games.
“I know a lot of people are looking forward to it. The Showcase has only been in the Edmonton area both times so it should be a fun weekend,” Gibbons said.
“It will be really good for us as a team to get people around town to learn about us and the league we play in.”
Gibbons also commented on the fact that having the Steele in the tournament play is a bonus for the Chaos as they look to end their season off on a high note.
“We are really excited. We didn’t want the season to end quite yet so this (tournament) is something all of us are really looking forward to,” Gibbons said.
“The Steele are in the tournament as well. We could possibly play them and take care of some unfinished business but we have to wait and see what the other teams have in store.”
“We don’t really have any idea what any of the other teams are going to be like, but we are going to play like we do against any team … we are going to play Chaos type hockey.”
Along with the games taking place over the course of the weekend, there will be plenty of other activities for attendees to enjoy including a raffle table and silent auction, a photo booth and a spring market hosted by Deja Brew and Killarney’s, taking place on April 7.
The Chaos will play their first game on April 6 at 6 p.m. The Chaos will then play the following day at 11:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. to decide where they’ll finish in the standings. Their potential Sunday games are scheduled as to be determined.
All games will be played at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre Totem one Arena.
