On October 16, the Purcell Hockey Academy (PHA), a newly-formed U19 female team based out of Kimberley, made the long trip to Burlington, Vt., where they competed and ultimately emerged victorious in the twelth-annual Fall Foliage Classic.
The tournament is hosted by the Vermont Stars hockey program, and featured high-level female hockey programs from across North America.
This was PHA's first time playing against team in the same age bracket. Before this tournament, they had played against ACHA Division 1 university teams in Nebraska and Virginia. Though they're new, with players who are younger than their college-age competitors, PHA was happy with how they performed.
They had several close losses against Midland University and Liberty University, before taking a 3-1 win in the final game of the set against the six-time ACHA D1 national champions.
They carried the positive momentum into the Fall Foliage Classic, where they took three big wins in the preliminary round, advancing them to the Tier 1 finals against the New Hampshire Mountain Cats.
Here the team took a remarkable 3-1 win, with the organization calling the trip as a whole an "incredible success for PHA and a great experience for the players."
In addition to their victory at the tournament, they also had the chance to visit numerous campuses including the University of Vermont, Norwich University and Middlebury College.
“I am incredibly proud of this group and how they have united as a team, despite coming from different countries and backgrounds," said Valeriia Machak-Jensen, head coach. "Each player has put in a tremendous amount of effort to perform at their best, and I truly believe they deserve every bit of recognition for it.”
Associate coach Megan Hostasek added she was impressed with how the girls came together through the course of the weekend, both on and off the ice.
"This was my first opportunity to coach and watch them in action, and I couldn’t be prouder," she said. "Their chemistry, determination, and support for each other speak volumes. It’s an exciting beginning, and I believe it sets a strong foundation for a promising season and represents a successful launch for Purcell Hockey Academy.”
PHA's international hockey advisor Harry Rosenholtz said the goal for the program has always been to bring together a team of athletes from diverse international backgrounds at Purcell Collegiate School in Kimberley.
"It was thrilling to watch a team of players from so many different backgrounds and countries come together under the leadership of Val and Megan," he said. "The players played with purpose and had great fun in the process. Winning was a bonus, but learning to put team objectives ahead of personal ones is a great formula for the future.”
PHA is now gearing up for two more trips. First up, they will head to Colorado to play a two-game set against Denver University. They'll then head to a tournament in Boise, Id. before taking a break for the holidays, and the IIHF national team training schedules, which will require several PHA players to return home to represent their national U18 teams.
There are still roster spaces on the team. If you are interested, you can visit www.purcellcollegiate.ca or contact hockey@purcellcollegiate.ca