The future of female hockey is apparent on and off the ice this week at the Esso Cup national 18U AAA championship in Lloydminster.
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More so than in the past, women are well-represented behind the benches of the elite teams from across Canada, from head coaches to assistant coaches and support staff.
The Central region champion Saskatoon Stars have styled that trend in greatest fashion. All three of the Stars’ coaches are women well-schooled in the game as former university hockey players. Alana Serhan is the head coach and her assistants are Autumn Garnham and Tess Houston.
“It’s absolutely by design,” Serhan said of Saskatoon’s all-women coaching complement. “We’re definitely the only (entirely) female staff here, which for us is awesome.
“We’ve all had incredible U Sports careers — myself at U of M (Manitoba), Tess Houston at the University of Alberta and Autumn Garnham spent some time at the University of Toronto. We have lots of experience at the next level and there’s no doubt in my mind that that bodes us well in this tournament, and it did as well all season long.”
Stars rookie forward Mickenzie Petford, 15, looked like a college player when she ripped a top-shelf goal in the first period of Saskatoon’s 5-4 win over the North York (Ont.) Storm in the opening game at the national tournament.
“Our coaching staff is really important,” Petford said of the Stars’ pioneering leadership group. “They’re definitely a big reason that we’re here today. They push us lots and our systems are all them.
“They were all successful hockey players and they’re showing us what they love and coaching us how they know. It works well and it’s a really positive environment to be in.”
Lloydminster PWM Steelers coach Dan Auchenberg’s two assistants are women, Sydney Chrusch and Stephanie Fischer.
“Crucial,” Auchenberg said of having female voices on the coaching staff. “They know how the girls tick. I always ask (my assistants) how the players feel because they know what’s going on.
“You need female staff. You just do. It creates a better connection with the team.”
As girls and women gain hockey options that didn’t necessarily exist in the past, the opportunities extend beyond the ice surface.
Two years ago, Chrusch had been pursuing a U13 AA head-coaching position when Auchenberg invited her to become an assistant at the U18 AAA level.
“I was shocked,” said Chrusch, now 21. “I didn’t think I’d make the jump to such an older group so quick. I was only three years older than some of those girls. But it was the best decision I ever made. I’ve learned so much over the past two years with Dan. I couldn’t have had a better mentor — someone who knows the game. I can do the skills stuff, but the actual tactical stuff, he has taught me everything I know now. I’m just so grateful for this opportunity.”
Chrusch is moving on next season to become a U13 head coach in
Bonnyville.
“Looking back, if I had done that head-coach job when I had (initially) applied for it, I was not ready for it,” she said.
“But now, with the mentorship side of this, I definitely feel ready.”
Chrusch, who is from Crossfield, Alta., moved to Lloydminster to play for the college team. “But after some injuries, I decided I wanted to move into coaching side, instead of playing. I stayed here and the North area kind of stuck to me and I can’t leave,” she said.
Fischer, 24, is also leaving the Steelers after this season. She’s taking an assistant-coaching job with the Lakeland College, Auchenberg reported.
Lloydminster captain Ryann Rekimovich said the female coaches with the Steelers help ease the players’ adaptation to 18U AAA hockey.
“They’re great role models and we, for sure, look up to them,” she said. “We have someone to go to (with questions), no matter what it is.”
The Steelers themselves have become role models in the community. The teenagers work with minor hockey teams in Lloyd.
“I got assigned the U9 purple team, so I really enjoyed going out with them once a week,” said Rekimovich, who could see herself coaching regularly in later years.
“For sure, I hope to give back in the future.”
Jenna Pellerin, an assistant coach with the Atlantic champion Eastern Stars of Prince Edward Island, believes women coaching women is the way of the future.
“We only have one male on our bench and we have three female assistants,” Pellerin said. “It’s great to see. It’s great to see Saskatoon have all girls
(coaching).
“Every year, you see more and more girls get behind the bench. It’s nice for the girls. If they can look up to us, it’s good.”
Isabelle Lajoie is one of three women who are assistant coaches on the Edmonton Junior Oilers’ staff, along with head coach Joel Lenius and assistant Jeff Willan. Edmonton’s hat trick of female coaches includes Megan Goebel and Sage Sansregret.
Lajoie grew up close to the coaching scene. The daughter of former Western Hockey League coach and University of Alberta legend Serje Lajoie played at the U of A in recent years. She has just graduated and now is transitioning into a teaching career.
Not to mention coaching, which she seemed almost destined to pursue, following in her father’s footsteps.
“I think so,” said Lajoie, 24. “I grew up around the rink, seeing him kind of take on that lifestyle. I think, just with my background being in education and being a teacher, it just goes together so well.
“I get to do what I love most, which is hockey, and take a different side of it, but teach and kind of see these young girls grow. I think that’s been super exciting for me.”
Embarking on a teaching career in the Edmonton area, Lajoie hopes to continue coaching with the Junior Oilers. She’s worked with the 18U AAA program for two years.
“It’s been a very rewarding experience,” said Lajoie, proud to be among the team’s three female assistant coaches. “I think it’s awesome. It’s always the saying of, ‘See them, be them.’ So, for a lot of those girls now, being able to see female coaches behind the bench and where the game has grown to, it just opens the door for them to see all the opportunities that are there once playing might be done.”
Before her five-year university career, Lajoie played 18U AAA under Auchenberg when the Lloydminster coach was behind the St. Albert girls’ bench.
Her 21-year-old brother, Marc, played at the U of A this season. Now, he’s transferring to Nebraska-Omaha to finish his collegiate hockey career.
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