By TERRY PUGH
The inaugural season of the Saskatchewan Senior Women’s Hockey League (SSWHL) is officially underway.
The league has six teams in its south division and five in its north division. They include:
* Dalmeny Sabres
* Bridge City Storm
* Lloydminster Border Collies
* Northeast Drift
* Northern Ice
* Grenfell Prairie Fire
* Gull Lake Falcons
* Rouleau Reign
* Soutbeast Saints
* Vibanks Bruins
* Yellow Grass Wheat Queens
The newly-launched league website (www.sswhl.ca) lists the schedule, scores and league standings.
The season officially kicked off with the Bridge City Storm hosting the Dalmeny Sabres at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskattoon on Sunday October 12. The Storm won that contest 3-2.
The Dalmeny Sabres next game is on the road against the Lloydminster Border Collies on Saturday, October 25. Their next home game is Saturday, November 1 when they host the Northern Ice.
In an interview with the Gazette in late August, Janette Martens of Delisle, one of the organizers of the Senior Women’s Sabres, said the new league provides a vehicle for women to play competitive hockey in their home communities.
“It’s an exciting time for female athletes in this province,” said Martens in that interview. “This is going to be competitive hockey, It’s going to provide women who’ve aged out of junior and have finished college or university hockey with a place where they can continue to play the game they love.”
Martens said female hockey in Saskatchewan is exploding in popularity. And with more girls playing minor hockey in female leagues each year, the number of girls graduating from those younger ranks is growing.
“This league really provides the next step,” she said. “It’s aimed at giving them a place to play competitive hockey at a high level.”
The Dalmeny Arena is the home barn for the Senior Women’s Sabres.
The SSWHL began to take shape last spring, when Megan Leblanc of Estevan and her colleague Jenna Merk put out a call on social media to gauge the interest in creating a senior league for women.
The response, according to Leblanc in an interview with the Gazette in August, was overwhelming.
“We had over 200 people from across the province respond very quickly, asking how they can get involved and establish a team,” said Leblanc. “There’s so many girls across Saskatchewan that want to make this happen, it took shape pretty quickly.”
There are currently 14 senior men’s hockey leagues in Saskatchewan.
“But as far as I am aware, this is the first one for women,” said Leblanc. “The guys I’ve talked to here are all really supportive. They can’t believe it’s taken this long to get something going.”