Five players from the South Cariboo will be joining the Williams Lake Midget Female Timberwolves rep hockey team as they search for a provincial championship this year in Parksville starting March 19.
The girls have played with the Williams Lake rep team for several years.
"Each of the girls brings something different to our team and are major contributors to our success to date," says coach Roy Call.
Rachel Cross goaltends for the Timberwolves. Call says she has had a tremendous season this year with seven shutouts to her name.
Defenders Sienna Monical and Addie Cleave are first-year midget players.
"Sienna is a tremendous athlete and has been a dominate player even as a first year," says Call. "Addie has excellent skills and has been one of our most improved players. She has embraced the idea of getting better every day."
Two Lac la Hache players, Anya and Katya Levermann, fill out the team as forwards.
"The Levermann family has had high-performance athletes in their family for many years," says Call. "These two girls are perhaps the most determined and consistent competitors on the club."
Anya centres a line of her own and Katya has led the team in scoring from the start of the season.
The team has seen an incredibly successful season.
The team won the regular season Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association championship in Penticton at the end of January and have seen strong showings since as they prepare for the provincial tournament.
In addition, the team battled their way to the finals in each of the six tournaments they participated in this season.
Provincials will see the team face up in some familiar battles when they will battle against a strong Victoria team for their first game of the tournament. The team has a 1-2-2 record against the Victoria. Pool play will also see them face up against a strong academy team from Kimberly and a Surrey team the Timberwolves have a 1-1 record against.
"With our season, we will not be sneaking up on anybody," says Call.
This will be the team's fourth provincial tournament.
All in all, says Call, the South Cariboo players have had a tremendous impact on the success of the team, making great connections with the Williams Lake players and creating a team that "fits together, on and off the ice."
"We are hopeful these and perhaps even some new players from 100 Mile will continue to play on the female rep teams here in Williams Lake going forward. These players and communities working together have allowed players to play competitive hockey without having to move away or pay thousands of dollars," says Call.