Community, hard work, and passion are the blocks the Lakeland College Rustlers Women’s hockey team was built on.
At a recent Rotary Club of Lloydminster meeting, head coach Morgan Mann and players Asha Petrie and Julianna Giacobbo shared what makes their program unique. The team relies on local support, and in return, they give back.
Rustlers: Connected to the community
The Rustlers take pride in their deep ties to Lloydminster. Players not only compete at a high level, they also engage with fans and sponsors.
“Our professors come to our games and watch us play,” Mann said. “If a player needs extra help with school, it’s there. That’s something really special about being at Lakeland College.”
The team appreciates unmatched community support.
The Rustlers lead the league in attendance, something Mann credits to relationships in the city.
“We have the highest attendance in the league,” he said. “It’s because of how involved we are. The way we’re funded creates real connections.”
Giacobbo agreed. She said the team knows how important it is to be visible in the community.
“We get to know our sponsors,” Giacobbo said. “We’re out there making connections, and people want to come support us because of that.”
This support system helps players on and off the ice, and according to Petrie, community participation is a constant for the team. Whether it’s helping at local schools or visiting sponsors, they make sure to give back.
“We’re always out in the community,” Petrie said. “It’s great to have that connection with the people who support us.”
Mann says it’s all about the player’s mentality.
“I think our group has a different mindset. It’s not about what the program can do for them; it’s about what they can do for the program and for the community,” said Mann. “We run hockey schools in the summer. We run them over Christmas. We run them during the February break. It gives our players a chance to give back and keeps us connected with young players in the area.”
Lloydminster “hockey town” helps Rustlers
Lloydminster has a strong hockey culture, and the Rustlers are a big part of it.
“This is a real hockey town,” Mann said. “We’ve hosted big events like Hockey Day in Canada. Now, the U18 AAA Steelers are hosting the Esso Cup. There’s a lot of passion for the game here.”
Petrie said she feels that support every time she steps on the ice.
“It means a lot knowing the community is behind us,” she said. “We see the same faces in the stands, and they follow our journey. That’s special.”
A challenging but exciting future
The Rustlers will soon move into the new Cenovus Energy Hub, and while the transition is exciting, it comes with challenges.
“At Russ Robertson, we get 500 or 600 fans,” Mann said. “It feels like they’re wrapped around the rink. That’s an incredible atmosphere.”
The new rink will seat 700 fans, keeping that close feeling, but, there are financial hurdles.
“We had a dressing room in an ATCO oilfield trailer,” Mann said. “It was donated, and we gutted it to make it our own. We can’t move it, so now we must rent a space. We have to be smart with our dollars.”
Keeping the program strong
Sustaining the Rustlers program will take continued support. Mann said the foundation is strong, but the team must keep building.
“We’ve been lucky to have local people involved,” he said. “If that changes, we’ll need to find other ways to keep things going.”
Giacobbo knows how much the program means to its players and fans.
“This team gives us a place to grow as players and as people,” she said. “It’s about more than just hockey.”
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