If familiarity breeds contempt, then it stands to reason that being total strangers will suit defenders Camryn Wong and Stefanie Wallace just fine ahead of their latest puck pursuits.
The two hockey standouts are the lone Vancouver-born players on Team B.C.’s roster at this week’s under-18 national championship in Regina.
Although the team was named in September, they’ll only have four days on skates together in Saskatchewan to get tournament-ready ahead of their opening contest tomorrow (Nov. 9).
Looking forward to Game 1 tomorrow at 8:00am PST against Manitoba! #WeAreBC #nootherreason #TeamBC pic.twitter.com/jyBukKqvJC
— BC Hockey Female (@BCHockey_Female) November 8, 2016
While the players had some experience together at summer training camps, this week is the first time they’ll first play for keeps under the B.C. banner.
“It’s going to be some of the hardest competition that I’ve ever had,” said Wallace, a 15-year-old student Point Grey secondary. “I don’t really know what to expect and I don’t really know many of my teammates. From what I’ve heard, it’s going to be a big jump.”
Young gun
Although she stands five-foot-eight, Wallace is one of only three players under the age of 16 on the 20-player roster. This week will be the highest calibre of play she’s faced in her 10 years as a hockey player.
Her coach isn’t worried since Wallace’s calling card is poise under pressure, coupled with all-out go.
“She has absolutely wowed us with her intensity and her physicality,” said Team B.C. coach Christina Sharun. “She’s a young kid but she’s very strong against bigger, older players.”
A defender with the Greater Vancouver Comets, this year represents another first for Wallace: playing with girls exclusively.
Prior to 2016, she plied her trade among the boys, a process she likened to watching paint dry largely because of the body contact and systems-oriented focus that slowed the action.
“It’s not as fast of game. With the girls, you have more time to skate with the puck and be more creative,” she said.
That lack of speed wasn’t all bad, though. It ended up helping Wallace better process the game and keep her head in check when the chips weren’t falling her way.
“Whenever I’m in a bad situation, my first thought is always to calm down and not overreact,” she said. “I think with a lot of girls, that’s one of their main issues — they’re not able to focus mentally on the game. If I come off from bad shift, I think about what I shouldn’t do the next time I’m out on the ice.”
Small and mighty
Wong’s travels to Team B.C. are two years in the making and follow a similar path of her fellow Vancouver blueliner. Last year she was an “under ager” and didn’t make the grade out of camp. A year older and a year wiser, she’ll now be leaned on for her defensive prowess on the penalty kill in particular.
“Last year when I got cut, I looked at that as a good experience,” said Wong, who plays with the Pacific Steelers and attends York House School. “This year I had to mentally focus myself a lot more to make the team. When I was named to the team I was jumping for joy.”
Standing at five-foot three, Wong is the shortest defender on Team B.C. No other defender on her team is under five-foot-eight. But what Wong may lack in size, she makes up for in speed, an asset she’ll have to use in making a crisp first pass, along with her specialty teams duties.
“She’s a great skater with a phenomenal attitude and she works hard on both sides of the puck. She’s very versatile for us,” said the head coach. “ She doesn’t have any sort of lack of go. She’s got an incredible work ethic and really stood out in the evaluation process because of that.”
Team B.C. opens play Wednesday, Nov. 9 against Manitoba and faces Quebec on Thursday, Nov. 10. Playoffs and final placement games get underway on Saturday, Nov. 12.
Follow the full schedule here.
WATCH | We asked a few members of @HC_Women for their best piece of advice to a young female player. What did they say? pic.twitter.com/8CQ5alQiKt
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) November 5, 2016
Twitter: @JohnKurucz
