SMU VS UPEI: ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SPORT AT THE MINER’S FORUM by Nellie Edwards

This weekend Glace Bay Minor Hockey is proud to host Atlantic University Sport at the Miner’s Forum. For the very first time, two preseason female hockey games will be played by the St. Mary’s University Huskies and the UPEI Panthers. Both teams will feature local talent: from Mabou, Orianna MacNeil will be lacing up with UPEI, while Sydney’s Maddy Corbett will be playing with SMU along with her teammates Erin Denny from Eskasoni, and Aimee O’Neill from Glace Bay. These games will welcome all minor hockey players and people of all ages from surrounding communities to take in hockey of the highest level in our province.

When asked how she felt about playing with her university team in her childhood arena Aimee O’Neill said, “To say I am excited would be an understatement. It is going to be awesome to have the opportunity to showcase this level of female hockey to these (minor hockey) kids.” O’Neill recalled her early days playing when girls from Glace Bay and New Waterford combined forces to dress an all female team due to the lack of numbers in each town. Today, the interest in female hockey has increased dramatically giving so many more chances for girls to try the sport.

Female hockey in Glace Bay over the years has developed in strides, with the numbers of girls registering multiplying year after year. In the beginning there were few who registered to play, but today, all female teams, divisions and other resources exist through all levels of every minor hockey association in Nova Scotia. 

All female teams are now a normality, when such a short time ago girls only had the option of playing with the boys. Sydney’s Maddy Corbett can still remember being the only girl on her team when she began playing with Sydney Minor Hockey Association at the age of seven. “Girls hockey on the Island is growing more and more by the year which is truly amazing to see.” She went on to say, “these preseason games will be a great chance to show everyone how competitive the university level is for us female athletes.” Both Corbett and O’Neill expressed how much they look forward to these games not only to play, but also to represent female hockey in our community and to showcase to our minor hockey youth where exactly the game can take them. GBMHA alumna Aimee O’Neill expressed, “I want them to see that myself and a few other AUS players from different teams were once playing bantam girls in Glace Bay just like them. The goal is obtainable to anyone!”

 O’Neill said that apart from looking forward to playing in front of family and friends, she is looking forward to playing in front of former coaches who helped her get to this level. She says, “I look forward to showcasing what the AUS is all about in front of girls who are where I once was and show them how far they can go.”

All four local girls rostering in this weekend’s games previously played for the Cape Breton Lynx U18AAA female hockey club based out of Membertou. Lynx Head Coach Sonya Lynk says she is looking forward to the games this weekend and watching some of her former players on their AUS teams. “They worked very hard to get to this level and for them to be able to showcase it to young local girls who look up to them is amazing,” said Lynk.

Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association President James Edwards says, “the organization is incredibly proud of how far female hockey has come in Glace Bay over the past twenty five years, but also in the CBRM. These games will showcase just some of that success! These athletes are playing at the highest level in Atlantic Canada, of the highest caliber—it’s great hockey! The talent will demonstrate to our kids where the game can potentially take them, both athletically and academically.”

Glace Bay Minor Hockey encourages all to come to the Miner’s Forum and take in some terrific hockey. The puck drops at 7pm this Friday (September 23rd) and again at 4pm on Saturday (September 24th).