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Devils young and improving quickly
Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
The coach of the High Prairie APEX Atom Devils hopes his young team will enjoy the experience of competing at Provincials.
Cannon Cunningham says it’s been a trying year at times but a very enjoyable year as the girls begin to learn to play the game of hockey.
The Devils have had more twists and turns than one could expect during their season. First, they had no Atoms girl’s division to play in so they decided to play in the All Peace Minor Hockey League’s Atom Tier 4 South Division with the boys. The result was a winless year against tough competition but the glass is not entirely empty.
“The girls improved pretty fast,” says Cunningham. “Their puck handling and passing has really improved.”
He is also pleased with the team’s improved understanding of the game.
“If you told them to go somewhere and stand, they’d do exactly that,” says Cunningham.
However, after time, they realized where the play was going and began to get into the flow of things.
“They have a better understanding of the game now,” he says.
Qualifying for Provincials was a bit of a bizarre story. At the beginning of the year, Grande Prairie announced they would not likely enter with the loss of two of their best players from last year. The Devils stepped up to the plate after talking to parents and accepting several novice players on the roster. Therefore, the Devils are an extremely young team.
“For us to have an all-girls team we had to have some novice players,” says Cunningham. “Their parents were all for it. We decided if we had the chance to go to Provincials, we may as well go. It’s a good experience for the girls. The experience of Provincials is special.”
However, the Devils went to a tournament in Dawson Creek where Grande Prairie was. After seeing the Devils play, Cunningham says Grande Prairie changed their mind and entered the Zone 1 playoffs to play High Prairie. Therefore, the automatic bid was out the window and the Devils had to earn their way in.
And win they did! The Devils lost the first game in High Prairie 2-1 but won the second game in Grande Prairie 4-2 to win the two-game total goal series 5-4.
Cunningham says the girls are looking forward to going to Calgary.
“They’re all excited,” he says. “I think they might be a little overwhelmed.”
Cunningham adds the girls especially liked tournament play this season and the home town games against the novice teams, where they were more competitive.
Cunningham is hoping the young team can win a game in Calgary. He is under no illusions they can win the tournament, but says the girls have the right attitude to cope with – what will be for many – their first major tournament action.
“In the end, knowing their mood, they’re a pretty bunch of easy-going girls,” he says.
One thing that concerns Cunningham is that it’s been a long season for the team.
“It’s starting to be a long season for them,” he says. “Hopefully, they will pick up their game.”
Cunningham has tried to scout the other teams with little luck. He expects Lloydminster to be very tough and knows little about the southern teams the Devils will play from Calgary and Airdrie. At press time, he had no information on Spruce Grove.
Cunningham credits the attitude and improvement of the girls to their parents.
“They’ve helped a lot,” he says. “That’s the reason they’ve improved.”
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