Girls take part in Hockey Celebration
The 10th edition of the Caroline Ouellette Hockey Celebration took place right before the holidays, with many talented girls participating on teams across age groups and divisions.
According to the organization, the goal of the Celebration is to “inspire young girls ages four to 15 to play hockey while providing them the opportunity to meet successful role models both in hockey and academics.”
And that is exactly what a half-dozen girls from Kahnawake had the chance to do, with one Kahnawake team participating in the U7 “festival” portion of the weekend and some players from town playing on teams in the tournaments.
The celebration is a four-day event, starting this year on December 19, until December 22. It features tournament play for older players, while U7 players get to play against different teams, but scores and results are not tallied.
President of the Kahnawake Minor Hockey Association Brianne Alfred served as coach of the Kahnawake Girlhawks, who participated in the festival, with U7 director Rebecca Scott serving as manager.
“The process was super easy. Brianne approached me asking if we had interest in putting U7 girls into the event, so I told her I’d speak to the parents and get back to her,” said Scott. “We didn’t have many girls, but we made it work. Just an easy email sent in, and we were set to go!”
Scott decided to act as manager of the seven-player team once she got confirmation of their participation and was very excited to do so.
“An all-girls event is super exciting and a different kind of hockey,” said Scott.
Scott’s daughter, Kallie Diabo, participated in the celebration last year, but not on a Kahnawake team.
“She was the one who said, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we had enough girls for our own team mama?’ and I said that would be super cool,” said Scott.
The experience did not disappoint at all.
“It was so much fun. Considering it was an early game, the girls showed up ready and really enjoyed themselves to the fullest,” said Scott. “My favourite part was when they scored. Their arms flew up as they immediately looked for their family in the stands.”
She also said that they were all smiles even after stepping off the ice and thoroughly enjoyed their time in their first all-girls game.
Scott and Alfred did, too.
“We’re super happy with the outcome. Brianne and I really enjoyed watching them go out there,” said Scott. “It’s such a positive thing for our young female hockey players to have an event that acknowledges them as female athletes.”
She said they are already looking forward to the next one.
“I 100 percent would put our girls back in, next year and the years after. I hope to put some of our older girls in as well,” said Scott.
Participants also had the chance to meet the namesake of the celebration, four-time Olympic gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Fame member Caroline Ouellette.
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“Caroline made her way to every locker room to see and talk with the girls for a bit, she made a fast entrance, to high five our girls, say a few words and made her way out,” said Scott.
Other legends present for autograph signings and coaching included four-time Olympic medalist for Team USA and current Concordia Stingers women’s hockey head coach Julie Chu, three-time gold medalist and Order of Canada recipient Kim St-Pierre, and ex-Montreal Stars captain Lisa-Marie Breton-Lebreux.
Alfred’s daughter, Briella Kirby, was one of three girls from the community to participate in tournament play, competing as part of the U11 AA Lac St. Louis Warriors. The other two, Aria Kirby-Snook and Bria Bakersfield, both played for the U13 AA Lac St. Louis Warriors – although neither team were finalists.
