The Central Alberta Sting U19 AA ringette team is gearing up for a tournament in Regina this weekend after a great start to the season.
The Sting are 10-3 about a quarter through the season, which includes a pair of wins over the Edmonton Elite this past weekend.
“Our game on Sunday was probably the most complete game we’ve played all season,” said Shawn Wagar, Sting head coach and vice-president, who added he expects Edmonton to be a team fighting for gold at provincials.
Central Alberta is playing at a high level heading into this weekend’s tournament, Wagar said.
“We’ve been playing really well, especially considering we’re a young team,” he said. “I’m very pleased with how we’ve been playing.”
The players leave for Regina Thursday night and play four games on Friday and Saturday. The tournament finals are Sunday.
Wagar said he doesn’t know how his team will perform at the tournament.
“It’s hard to say right now,” said Wagar. “Usually around mid-December you’ve played everybody and have an idea of where every team is at, but we’re still early enough in the year and we don’t fully know.”
Wagar said the team is most successful when it works as a unit.
“We don’t have that marque kind of Connor McDavid player, but we’re very balanced. We have three very balanced lines and seven solid players on defence,” he said.
The biggest focus in practice is improving the Sting’s special teams, Wagar added.
“At this level you need to be effective on the powerplay and killing penalties in order to put yourself in a good position, so we work on those a lot,” said Wagar.
Wagar said the team’s goal is to medal in provincials and play as well as it can in nationals.
Last year the U19 Sting won the consolation final against Team Quebec after finishing third in the provincial championship.
The Sting will host a tournament in mid-December in Lacombe.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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