A busy weekend at Stride Place saw 13 Women's U18 teams play a total of 26 games at the Central Plains Capitals U18 Showcase. The Caps' Head Coach, Ferdi Nelissen, who was also the Showcase Coordinator, says he was impressed with how the event went.
"The showcase went really well. We had teams from Saskatchewan, and all the way from British Columbia, we had two teams. So, we were really pleased, we had 13 total teams, and the competition was really good. It went off without a hitch; it's a great facility to host it in, and it was an excellent weekend."
Nelissen notes that while his team didn't get the results they wanted, it was a good test for the girls as they prepare for their season.
"We didn't win a game. We're young, but there were times where we showed what we were capable of, but there were also times where we, obviously, found out what we're lacking and what we need to work on," Nelissen continues. "I think our talent level is there, we just need to get the girls focused on playing the game we want them to play on the right side of the puck, battling and getting some confidence. In all, you always want to win games, but you want to learn in preseason what you have to progress with, and we did that, and I think it was a great weekend for us."
Nelissen also touches on the support they received for the weekend.
"It's always great when we get people into our community and showcase our facilities and our community. The teams were awesome. At the triple-AAA level, their well-coached, they're respectful, they're disciplined. The competition was hard, it was good hockey to watch. We had a few scouts out, but lots of them were watching online because we streamed the games. So, I thank everyone for their participation and wanting to come to our showcase, and hopefully they'll return."
Nelissen adds that this was their fourteenth showcase, and that they're proud of the fact the event has continued to run to this point.