Davis Smith, Emily Woodhouse and April Clark received notification on Friday, Dec. 16 that their efforts back in August at the Ontario Winter Games hockey tryouts had paid off.
All three local girls received letters that they will be competing in the provincial event, which is held every other year.
The summer tryouts ran for two days, with games each day. The team rosters were announced just before the tryouts, so the girls had no idea who they would be playing with until that time.
They all had hats on of different team colours with their numbers on them to be easily identifiable. This enabled the evaluators to study the girls’ actions, both on and off the ice. The OWHA is not interested in rewarding girls with the opportunity to participate in the Winter Games if they don’t follow the guidelines of fair play and attitude.
Four tryout locations
There were four different tryout locations in Ontario—Sarnia, Ottawa and two in Toronto. In total, there were over 400 of the top 1997 and ‘98 birth-year females trying out for the 160 spots for the OWG.
The same evaluators travelled to all four tryout camps to make sure that the process was fair and that no tryout had an advantage over another.
Early next year, the Ontario Winter Games will be held in Collingwood, the week of March 5-12. The girls will have no idea who will be on their team until right before they arrive in Collingwood. The coaches are also in the dark about their roster until then as well.
The players will arrive in Collingwood on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 6 for a pre-games camp. The coaches will see some of the girls for the first time and have to blend the team together over the following two days.
During this time, the girls will be working together, on and off the ice, to put the best team effort forward when the tournament starts on Friday, March 9. The final is Sunday, March 11.
The girls each stay with their own team for the whole time during the pre-camp and tournament. They will have very little contact with their families during the Winter Games.
All members of the Bluewater Bantams
Smith, Woodhouse and Clark are all 14 and play for the Bluewater Hawks Bantam ‘AA’ hockey team this year. Hawks are currently ranked 10th in the province, although on any given day the top 15 teams can beat each other.
Woodhouse is a strong, gritty, hard-working left winger who is able to power down the wing and cut in to score or see the player and make the pass into the centre. Emily is a DCVI student and was a member of the Junior basketball team, which had an amazing season—going 10-0 in the regular season. She currently plays for the school’s Jr. volleyball team.
To date with 13 goals and eight assists, Woodhouse sits third in points and second in goals on the Hawks. She has an impressive plus 19.
Woodhouse would like to thank those businesses that have helped her out this year: Robson Scrap Metal and Demetres Family Eatery.
Emily is the daughter of Tammy Woodhouse Maddock and Rick Woodhouse.
Clark is a smart, tenacious centre, who has a great win percentage at face-offs. She controls the play very well and makes great plays around the net.
April is a DCVI student and was also a member of the successful Junior basketball team and is currently on the Nordic ski team at the school.
In hockey, Clark has a team high of 17 assists and eight goals that puts her second in points. Putting up these numbers makes her plus 24, which is second on the team.
Clark would like to thank those businesses that have helped her out this year: TRS (Thorndale Roof Systems), St. Marys Foodland, Lynnhurst Variety, River Valley golf and tube slide and Heritage Renovations.
April is the daughter of Stan and Darlene Clark.
Smith is on the defending end of the team, and with her tremendous skating ability not many forwards get around her. The hard shot she has from the point allows her to put some points on the board as well.
As a defenceman, Davis sits first in points and fifth overall with five goals and eight assists. Her record of plus 22 is first among blue-liners and third overall on the team.
Davis is a St. Michael student and was a member of the Warriors’ cross-country team and is currently on the school’s Nordic ski and hockey teams.
The Warriors’ hockey team is 6-0 in league and they won a silver in their one tournament. The team is currently ranked second in the WOSSAA division behind Mother Teresa of London.
Smith would also like to thank those businesses that have helped her out this year: Thorndale Roof Systems, Hutton Transport, New Horizon Energy (and the Aarts family), Heal Appeal, Toyota Canada, and Styles By Sam.
Davis is the daughter of Steve and Sandra Smith.
Ten Hawks heading to Collingwood
The Bluewater team boasts an impressive 10 Bantam ‘AA’ girls heading to the Ontario Winter Games. Hawks’ coach Gary Kukoly is very proud of the team and the Bluewater organization for developing these players to the point where so many could be part of such an exciting opportunity.
Emily, April and Davis are all a big part of the success of the Bluewater Bantam team, and will make an impression at the Ontario Winter Games in March.
Good luck girls!