By Graham Perkins /
The Thunderbirds Peewee A1 team has been struggling to find its identity all season in Tier 2, but lately it has been finding some inspiration from one of the team’s defenceman.
The team is one of the few in the league to have a girl on their roster. Mikayla Ogrodniczuk is playing her first year of rep hockey, but has quickly adjusted to the pace and physicality of the game. So much so that she is becoming a go-to player on the team’s blueline.
“The dryland training is really helping her,” said coach Ted Everton. “She’s a good skater and really defensively oriented. She got her first goal in our Portland tournament and everybody was really excited for her. She has a great shot and has all the tools to play at this level.”
If opposing forwards think they’re going to get off easy playing against a ‘soft’ female player, then they better think twice. In a 7-4 defeat against Burnaby, Ogrodniczuk took a checking-from-behind penalty.
“It was a hard hit and the guy was turning, so it was unfortunate. She’s not that kind of player,” Everton said.
With the club searching for consistency in a 3-10 season, Ogrodniczuk’s tenaciousness could be invaluable with the playoffs looming. The team is set to face off against Ridge Meadows and Coquitlam before the Christmas break. |