Young female hockey players in southeast Saskatchewan got the chance to learn from one of their own this week, as Lampman’s Robin Ulrich returned to coach at the All Girls Hockey Camp in Estevan.
For Ulrich, now a skills development coach with the University of Saskatchewan’s Huskies women’s program, it was more than just another coaching assignment. It was a homecoming on the same ice where she once laced up her skates.
“Originally, being from here, it was very important to me to be able to come back and give back to the hockey community and do things where I grew up, and so I was really excited for the opportunity to be asked,” she said.
Now in its second year, the camp expanded from one week to two this year, welcoming over 150 girls from U9 to U15 divisions eager to improve their skills and confidence. Ulrich said the growth reflects a surge in female hockey participation in the region.
“When I was growing up, maybe you had one team shared between two age groups, and now you’re seeing two, three, four teams in multiple communities in the area,” she said. “The growth of the game has been exponential, and that’s really exciting.”
Ulrich’s hockey journey began when opportunities for female hockey players were fewer. She recalls attending the Bruins Hockey School as one of only a few girls and helping with her family’s Flex Hockey School, which drew more female athletes, but still not enough to form separate groups.
She said while training is similar for all players, the atmosphere in an all-girls camp is unique.
“It’s a totally different dynamic,” she said. “Not that it’s good or bad either way, but for sure brings a whole different element to it.”
That dynamic was evident throughout the week, as players built friendships while sharpening their skills.
“Overall, the whole feeling of the entire week and the kids definitely had a ton of fun and loved all the different things they were going to,” Ulrich said. “To me, being able to see those young girls active and loving the sport of hockey — that part is kind of the highlight to me.”
She said many of her lifelong friendships were built through female hockey, and it has been special to now coach the children of her former teammates.
“For sure, that sisterhood of growth together is huge,” she said.
Ulrich hopes each athlete leaves the camp with lessons they can carry into the season.
“I hope they all have something to take away or there’s going to maybe be a moment in the season like, ‘Oh, that’s something we talked about at the All Girls Hockey Camp.’”
For those with aspirations of high-performance hockey, Ulrich stressed the need for dedication.
“You have to really love the grind. You have to love all parts of it, not just the on-ice and the games. Those are the fun parts, but the practice and the training and all the extra work that you have to do on your own — you have to love doing that,” she said. “And if you do, you’re going to go a long way.”
She also reminded players that there is a place for everyone in hockey, no matter the level.
“I think there’s a place in hockey for everybody, and there’s a place that’s the right fit for you. There is nothing to say that if you’re playing hockey at the community level on a house team that you can love the game just as much as somebody that’s playing in a AA or AAA centre.”
The key, Ulrich said, is to make the most of the experience, build connections and form friendships that last a lifetime.
“Everybody brings something that they can contribute to every situation in every scenario, and everybody has their strengths. Being able to recognize those and let them fly is kind of a fun thing to see.”
As the camp came to an end, Ulrich expressed hope that the players took away lessons they will carry throughout their hockey careers and beyond.