[Monthly Recap - December] Burnaby Wildcats Midget

Burnaby Wildcats Midget - winners of the Remembrance Day Tournament

Division: Midget
Manager: Nicole Geyer
Opponents: Langley
Record: 2-0

The Burnaby Wildcats Midget team continues to make positive strides as their season progresses. Fresh off of being crowned the champions of the Remembrance Day Tournament, which was hosted by the Burnaby Wildcats in November, the Midget team made further strides by taking on and beating Langley twice in the month of December. The Langley Midget team was the only unbeaten team in the tier and the Burnaby Wildcats saw their 2 games against Langley as a real opportunity to establish themselves as a strong contender in the division.

The Midget team has been the beneficiary of Burnaby Wildcats Female Hockey's recent hiring of Dominique Di Rocco as their Head of Female Hockey Development. Di Rocco's numerous experiences of both playing and coaching the game at a high level have made her the perfect mentor for the Wildcats' midget players as they look to improve both on the ice and in the locker room. Di Rocco's influence comes at a key time for the players as they are now nearing the end of their careers in minor hockey. As they consider their options for the future, Di Rocco, who finished her minor hockey career and then went on to play for the UBC Thunderbirds in the CIS, can help guide the players who wish to continue their hockey careers through the decision making process. The girls have only had a couple of ice sessions with Di Rocco to date, but the improvement in their development is already evident.

After a series of great results in both November and December, the Wildcats midget team seized the holidays as an opportunity to celebrate and unwind off the ice. They celebrated Christmas with a team pool party...in the middle of winter! Just further proof that hockey players are indeed the toughest athletes out there!

~ Jehan Jiwa

[Monthly Recap - December] Burnaby Wildcats Novice

Burnaby Wildcats Novice - Sponsored by the Dodge Caravan Kids Program

Division: Novice
Manager: Joanne Lee
Games Played: 8 GP (4 of which were part of the Angels on Ice Tournament in Langley)
Results: 5 Wins - 3 Losses

December was a festive month for the Burnaby Wildcats Novice team. Christmas celebrations were in full swing as players and their families gathered at Revs Bowling in Burnaby to commemorate the holiday season and the end to another successful year of hockey. Players tried their hands at a sport other than hockey as everyone enjoyed the friendly competition of bowling.

The off-ice festivities were soon replaced by on-ice fun as the Novice team opted to participate in the Angels on Ice tournament, which ran from December 27th to 30th in Langley. It was a testament to the dedication of the players, coaches, and parents, that everyone was willing to give of their time during the holidays to enter a hockey tournament. The team was rewarded for their dedication, as the tournament ended up being a real highlight for everyone. It was the first time that many of the girls had ever played in a hockey tournament during the Christmas season. The best part about tournaments is that there is always a lot of free time between games. The Wildcats took full advantage of this free time as they spent it bonding with their team mates, relaxing, and joking around. They even managed to enjoy another Christmas party in the form of a team lunch, which was held between two games on the same day at the tournament. The team continues to improve in every aspect of the game, as is proven by their solid December record.

One thing a player is never short on when they finish their minor hockey careers is hardware of all kinds. Medals, ribbons, trophies, and plaques are a great way to chronicle a player's accomplishments in minor hockey, and the Angels on Ice tournament started off the collection for many of the players. For some of the players, especially the tykes (ages 5 and 6), these marked their first ever commemorative medals. It was no doubt an exciting experience for them and one that they will always look back on with fond memories.

Each piece of hardware a hockey player wins comes with stories and memories of how that piece of hardware was earned. Whether it was for braving early mornings during the holidays to drive to faraway tournaments, or whether it was for winning Gold at the Olympics, the stories and experiences are what make it worth it.



~Jehan Jiwa