When ringette rings
Courtesy Jeffrey Nelson
Last week was a busy one for local Benjamin ringette goalie Tewehshon Nelson, who was invited to join the Junior AA Laurentides roster as a reserve goalie at the Canadian Ringette Championships.
“The experience was incredible for her as the team made her feel comfortable and part of the team every game,” said her father Jeffrey Nelson of the March 30 to April 5 tournament.
Jeffrey ferried Tewehshon back and forth between Ottawa and St. Eustache, where the Blainville Cavaliers, her Benjamin A team, were playing a tournament simultaneously.
“It was a big week of travelling back and forth,” said Nelson, who coaches the Cavaliers.
In Ottawa, the Laurentides went undefeated in the round robin, with their 5-0 record putting them at the top of 18 teams. Their championship hopes were dashed, however, with a 10-5 loss against Team Quebec in the next round on April 3.
Since all her team’s games at nationals were competitive, Tewehshon did not get in-game ice time in her reserve goalie role, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t an experience to remember, and she is already looking toward double-letter ringette in the near future.
“The pre-camps for next year’s AA teams also start at the end of the month already. She’ll be busy until end of May, then take two months off for off-ice workouts to build up her strength and agility,” said Jeffrey.
In St. Eustache, the Cavaliers were eliminated in a tough 1-0 loss in the semifinals, but her season is not over, Jeffrey said. “She was asked to play on a team from the South Shore for the next couple of tournaments,” he said.
