Field Hockey in February you say? Damn, that must be cold!
Actually, the Dinos’ indoor tournament was held in the Red Gym on the Feb. 9-11 weekend. It featured teams from all over Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan against squads from as far away as Sydney University in Australia.
Our hometown heroes were divvied up into two squads–Red and White–to give the ladies more playing time due to the smaller playing surface for indoor field hockey.
"The (indoor) season is for skill development," explained Head Coach Anne Kromm. "When we play on grass it’s more a game of hit and run, but the turf (at McMahon Stadium) demands more precision and stick work. This is a perfect opportunity to work on that."
There aren’t any winners at the annual event, just a series of round-robin games although coach Kromm is considering implementing a final for next year’s tilt. Our ladies held their own, compiling records of 2-2 (Red) and 3-1 (White). These favourable results came as no surprise to Kromm, considering the team’s extra-curricular athletic endeavours.
"They play in a men’s league, seeing as how they are too strong for the competition in the women’s leagues," said Kromm. "The fact that they’re in first doesn’t sit too well with the men behind them."
The tournament marks the last games for fifth-year fan favourites Teresa McLachlan and Allison Johnson, as well as the Dinos’ last contest before tryouts and the 2001/02 Canada West season gets underway in late August.