Lecavalier makes Top 46

Times Reporter    

 

Strathmore’s Sarah Lecavalier showed off her skills at Team Alberta’s U18 Women’s Top 80 tryouts from May 8-11 in Spruce Grove, impressing the coaching staff to make the Top 46 camp in Camrose come July.

“It was good, but I don’t think I did the best that I could,” Lecavalier said. “It’s tough to play with new people. In a short-term competition, it’s performance on demand. I think I put a lot more pressure on myself than I should have. Next time, I’ll just skate with the puck more and use my abilities to play the best that I can.”

Lecavalier was told to crash the net and shoot the puck more at previous camps.

“I drove the net as much as I could. They do preach that, and they told me that they liked it (when I did it). I have to just keep doing what they say.”

Lecavalier was one of the only few returning to tryouts from last year’s U18 team, where she was also one of the few 1998-born 15-year-olds.

“I did hear a lot of girls say that the pace of the play is higher than it was last year,” she said. “I think I was comparable (to the other girls). The 1998 group, I’ve heard for Alberta at least, is supposed to be unreal – really good and really high. That’s kind of how hockey works. There’s years where the players are good and others where the players are weaker.”

Lecavalier will be moving to ice training soon, but has still been pushing hard with dry-land training.

“I think I’ll be the best that I can be. I’m training quite a bit – five times a week,” Lecavalier said. “I think just being in touch with the coaches and knowing what they’re looking for will definitely help me play a lot better.”

The final squad will compete in the 2015 Canada Winter Games from Feb. 14-20 in Prince George, British Columbia. Lecavalier’s coaching staff is led by University of Alberta’s bench boss Howie Draper.