Making an impression

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The Rocky Mountain Raiders are sitting atop the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League (AMMFHL) standings thanks in large part to four local players – Hailey McCallum, Paige Russell, Libby Wheeler and goaltender Erin Fargey – who have had an impact in different ways this season.
“We’re doing good,” said McCallum. “We have more hard workers this year, maybe a bit less skill, but lots of hard workers. Everybody is together going for the same motive.”
She said the team is faster this year and everybody likes each other more in the dressing room, while getting to know their coach Paul Pozzi has made playing for the team a lot better.
McCallum, being a veteran on the team, hopes she brings a positive attitude to the team every day and has set goals for herself going down the stretch in the season.
“I want to finish Top 10 in scoring in the league and get a scholarship,” said McCallum.
Now, after having participated in the Mac’s Midget Hockey Tournament in Calgary, she felt as though the competition was a bit easier because of the team working closely.
“Last year we weren’t ranked to be good enough at the Mac’s,” she said. “Paul said we were ranked to be .500 last year. This year he’s like ‘you got to go in thinking that we’re going to win every game and have the confidence in ourselves.’ “Everybody is going to want to beat us, we had to get prepared for every game even if other teams haven’t won as much we have.”
Third-year Raider Paige Russell said it feels good to be a leader on the team and she doesn’t mind carrying the weight on her shoulders if it means helping the rookies get through nerves at the Mac’s tournament.
“It’s nice to be able to have a motivation to be a leader for the rookies and show them how to win at the Mac’s,” said Russell. “In my first year I was super anxious then all the nerves were going just because it’s your first year in the Mac’s, there are a lot of people there. Last year, my second year, it got a little better, my nerves settled down a little bit and I was able play better. Third year, it’s pretty similar, all the nerves are still there but as third year you learn to push through them and play your game.”
She added that the biggest change she has seen in her game has been disciplining herself to have a 110 per cent work ethic.
“These teams are good and if you make mistakes then other teams capitalize on them,” said Russell.
Third-year midget and first-year Raider Libby Wheeler’s Mac’s experience has been exciting so far, and she has been adjusting well from the beginning of the season until now in certain areas of her game.
“This is my third year playing triple-A,” said Wheeler. “It’s definitely a lot more competitive this year than it was last year. But having played a higher level this year, I definitely have to push myself. My coach definitely gets on me about my foot speed. It’s something I have to work really hard on and lots of passing, lots of heads-up stuff.”
She added that she wants to have successful year and feel good about her last year of midget.
Goaltender Erin Fargey has played in nine regular season games and boasts a 2.12 goals against average and a sparking 0.92 save percentage.
Pozzi described Russell as a rugged power forward who takes the puck to the net, while putting points on the board as a go to player.
He thinks McCallum is a great skater that’s a playmaker with good hands who shoots well.
Wheeler was described as a stay at home defensemen who plays strong and looks after her own end.
He added that with the characteristics that those players have, they have made a great impact so far this season.
“You need the veteran presence to keep the girls flat-lined and keep their emotions in check because it can get pretty overwhelming with a lot of people,” said Pozzi. “Girls want to take ownership of the dressing room and that’s their place. For girls a lot of it is about the dressing room with the social aspect.
“The older girls that have good personalities are good kids and it makes it easier for me to coach.”