By TERRY PUGH
A newly-minted hockey league featuring elite-level teams in western Canada aims to provide a competitive edge for teenage girls looking to sharpen their on-ice skills.
The Female Super League (FSL), formed in April, 2024 by Silent Ice Sports & Entertainment, is preparing to kick off its inaugural season next month. The FSL features two divisions: 12U and 14U, with the older age group introducing “progressive bodychecking” in recognition of the inherent physical nature of the game.
The Saskatoon Phantoms, a 14U team based out of the arena in Aberdeen, is the sole Saskatchewan entry in the new league so far. Made up of players from Warman, Clavet, Saskatoon, Davidson, Spiritwood, and Shields, the Phantoms will be coached by Morgan Mason of Warman, who last season guided the Warman Female U13AA Wildcats to both the league and provincial championships.
“That U13AA Wildcats team was a great group of girls,” said Mason. “They were very talented, very determined and very focused. I think what we did in the last two years with that team, where we went from the bottom of the league to the top, was a testament to the character of the players. They love hockey, and they showed up at the rink every day ready to go to work.
“The players also really bought into the program laid out by the coaching staff, and that gave me the confidence to build a program from scratch with a new league and take it to another level.”
Two players from Warman made the cut for the new team following tryouts last month in Aberdeen. Forward Taylee Mason was one of the leaders on the Warman U13AA Female Wildcats last year; while forward Micah Franko was a top-scorer and sparkplug for the provincial champion Warman U13A Female Wildcats last season.
Two Clavet players, Everleigh Knock and Quinn Olszewski, will help anchor the team’s blue line corps.
The bulk of the players hail from Saskatoon: Forwards Natalie Evans, Elianna Holovach, Bryelle Denis, and Ayla Clark; Defense specialists Victoria Dale, Angelise Lazaro, Astrid Lintott and Ruby Hurd; and goaltenders Ellaina Young and Eden Vols.
Forward Alexis Bates of the hamlet of Shields in the RM of Dundurn, forward Tivian Foster of Davidson, and forward Teigan Wingerter of Spiritwood round out the roster.
The team has already held several practices, and is gearing up for two exhibition games against Lloydminster in mid-September: the first in Aberdeen on September 14, and the second at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon on September 15.
Mason said the purpose of the league is to provide greater opportunities for girls and young women looking to pursue their hockey dreams.
“It gives them an opportunity to play against very skilled western Canadian teams, and provides more exposure options for post-secondary sports outside Saskatchewan,” said Mason, noting a team based in Lloydminster is linked to Lakeland College. “The players will be seen by advisors and scouts from all over Canada.
“At the same time, education is a big focus of the program; getting the girls to understand what it takes to get to the next level.”
Mason said the new league is not intended to step on any toes when it comes to established female minor hockey leagues in the province.
“It will have minimum impact on the minor hockey programs currently in place,” said Mason. “It’s not intended to compete with them; it’s strictly to offer more opportunities.”
The FSL 14U division includes: Angels Pro Hockey (Spruce Grove, AB), Calgary Glaciers Hockey (Calgary, AB), Junior Ooks Hockey (Edmonton, AB), Langley Leafs (Langley, BC), Lloydminster Junior Rustlers Hockey (Lloydminster, AB), Bow Valley Nationals Hockey (Cochrane, AB), Saskatoon Phantoms Hockey (Saskatoon/Aberdeen, SK), Vancouver Aeros (Vancouver, BC), and Winnipeg Lady Spartans (Winnipeg, MB).
The FSL 12U division includes the same teams with the exception of Lloydminster, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.
The FSL appointed former player Hayley Runnals as League Commissioner last April.
Mason said the Saskatoon FSL program has the potential to add 12U, 16U and 19U teams to the FSL in the future.
“This 14U program is the first step,” he said. “There is a tremendous amount of talent in Saskatchewan when it comes to female hockey. This new league will provide kids with an opportunity to play at a very high level.
“The vision is to help girls who are ready to take that next big step achieve their goals and develop their hockey skills, as well as fulfill their potential as individuals off the ice.”