Six Richmond players are among 51 hopefuls to earn invitations to B.C. Hockey’s U18 Female Provincial Camp slated for July 31-Aug. 3 at Shawnigan Lake.
The four-day camp is part of the process towards selected Team B.C.’s roster for the 2019 Canada Winter Games slated for next February in Red Deer.
The players will be further evaluated through the beginning of the 2018-19 season and a shortlist final selection camp will take place in November.
Heading the local contingent are defenceman Kate Reilly and forward Katie Chan.
Reilly, 17, will be looking to play for Team B.C. for the third consecutive year, having won bronze medals at back-to-back U18 Nationals. She has been playing for Shattuck-St. Mary’s — a renowned boarding school in Minnesota that annually contends for national championships. Another Richmond blueliner — Courtney Vorster — also attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s and captained Team B.C. a year ago. She is heading into her freshman season at Quinnipiac University.
Chan turned heads a year ago by becoming one of the youngest players in the history of the U18 Team B.C. program to make the final roster at just 14.
The high-scoring forward went on to have a key role in B.C.’s podium finish as the only 2003 born player participating at Nationals. Last season, she aged up to play Midget ‘AAA’ for the Fraser Valley Rush and was named to the league’s six-player all-star team.
Headed to Shawnigan Lake as well is Chan’s Rush teammate Jamie Grinder, 15. The blueliner was also selected to the B.C. Female Midget “AAA” League all-star team. Annalise Wong, 14, who played for the Richmond Ravens this past season, is another rearguard hopeful.
Also off to the Island are 2003 born forwards — Jessica Soon and Jennifer Andrash — who played for the Delta Hockey Academy’s top Girls Prep team this past season.
“We are excited to host B.C. Hockey’s top female players for the U18 Provincial Camp in Shawnigan Lake,” says Whitney Juszkiewicz, B.C. Hockey’s Female POE Coordinator. “They will experience a unique opportunity to work with the Team B.C. staff extensively on and off the ice. Players will experience on and off ice training, team-building and seminars focused on preparing all athletes for national level competition.”
