The Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs U18AAA will have a new look this season.
Gone are all but three players from last year’s AFHL silver medalist squad, along with the coaching staff.
Former pro Marissa Graham of Wetaskiwin steps in, replacing long-time coach Brett Wold.
The 29-year-old Graham brings a fresh new look with her.
“Our No. 1 focus is to make sure the girls want to enjoy coming to the rink, they want to be there, be with their teammates and put in the effort. That goes a long way.
“We want the off-ice to be good, to have a good dressing room. Our expectations from them is to be positive and uplifting … to encourage each other right off the bat to have an encouraging and positive environment.”
Although they are relatively new as a team, that attitude has been prevalent in the preseason as the Chiefs won six of seven starts, including three games at the NAIT tournament, where they defeated NAX Academy, the Edmonton Jr. Wolves and the SAIT Trojans.
While the players are enjoying their team atmosphere, so is Graham.
“I haven’t had this much passion for the game since I retired from hockey,” she said. “The first day I signed to be the coach, I had that passion, that drive, that excitement.”
Marissa, a defenceman, grew up in Wetaskiwin and received a scholarship to Liberty University. She played for two years there before transferring to Brock University in Ontario. After graduating in 2021 she signed with Farjestad in Sweden. She played two and a half seasons there and a half a year with DEC Salzberg in Austria before returning home.
“That was a great experience, the time of my life. I recommend it for any athlete,” she said.
She returned home and started her MVMT Training and Performance business in Wetaskiwin.
“Full-time skills development and off-ice strength and conditioning” was how she explained her business.
She worked with Hockey Canada skills development at the grassroots level and as a high-performance instructor.
She’s still highly involved in working with teams and individuals, in power skating and skill development.
It was one of her clients — Chloe Goofers — who played with the Chiefs last season that led to her signing in Red Deer.
“I was her off-ice trainer and Chloe and her family knew there was an opening coming up in Red Deer and they passed my name along for the position.
“I sent in an application and the first interview was awesome just to get to know the guys at Red Deer Minor Hockey and see their philosophies and passion.”
Marissa was offered a co-coaching position with Shanya Shwetz.
“Once we had a chance to connect and discuss our philosophies, strengths and fundamentals, we saw our integrity and passion for the game aligned.”
Once they set up how they would be involved Marissa took over more of the on-ice development and as head coach with Shanya as an associate coach and looking at the General Manager side dealing with recruitment and a lot of off-ice work.
The veterans returning include Presley Zinger on defence/forward and Raya Hastings and Jayden Olafson up front.
“Those three have been amazing,” said Graham. “They have a great foundation to build on with their character values and qualities and off-ice leadership.”
The Chiefs also have seven players up from the defending provincial U18AA champion Chiefs.
Bailey Rogers is the lone addition on the blueline with Karly Currie, Summer Grenier, Bria Hull, Jensyn and Peyton Stepehson up front.
Brylee Hull, who was one of the premier netminders in the AA league also moves up after posting a 1.73 goals-against-average, which was third in the league, and a .933 save percentage which tied for first.
Hull will have an interesting teammate in net this season in Ava Romanow.
Romanow’s family is from Lacombe, but her dad’s business took them to Colorado where Ava got into hockey. But with her family moving back to Lacombe she wanted to finish her U18 career at home.
“She played with an elite program last year and it worked out perfectly for us. It’s crazy how things can happen at any time.”
Graham has three other players from the U18AAA league in defenceman Jess Foster and forward Alyssa Vollmin from Lloydminster and defenceman Chloe Higgins from the Rocky Mountain Raiders.
Addison Shaw and Taylor Sorenson, up from the U15AA Chiefs, and Olivia Stewart round out the blueline.
Stewart played U18AA in Edmonton last season along with forward Lena Loomer, who led the AA league in scoring with 23 goals and 18 assists in 31 games.
“They have a good foundation in Edmonton and we’re happy to have them,” said Graham.
Forward Macy Morrison is highly regarded and played with the 15AA Chiefs. She had 14 goals and 30 helpers in 31 regular season games and six goals and seven assists in nine playoff contests. She also played for Team Alberta in the Cwench World Invitational where she had four goals and two assists in seven games.
Rounding out the forward units is Talia Switzer who played with the North Central Impact AA squad.
The Chiefs will once again call the RDP Gary W Harris Centre home.
“It’s a huge benefit and privilege to have our own room,” said Graham, who will also be calling Red Deer home shortly.
She will still be running her business in Wetaskiwin several days a week but moving to Red Deer the rest of the time.
The Chiefs open their regular season Saturday at RDP at 1 p.m. against the Calgary Fire Black.
The Chiefs will also be involved in a prestigious tournament in Minnesota Oct. 18-20.
They face the Ironbound Elite 19U squad out of Newark, N.J., and Team Illinois on the 18th and Shattuck-St, Mary’s of Minnesota on the 19th. They finish on the 20th against Lovell Academy from Hingham, MA.
Danny Rode is a retired Advocate reporter and member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame who can be reached at danrode@shaw.ca
