OLDS — After a long offseason, the Olds College Broncos women’s hockey team is ready to get back on the ice.
The Broncos opened their 2023-24 campaign against the defending ACAC champions, the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens, Friday, Oct. 6 at the Olds Sportsplex.
It was the start of a four-game homestand that includes a Sunday matchup with the Lakeland College Rustlers at 2 p.m.
Third-year Bronco and team captain Sydney Jack (Stettler) believes this year’s edition of the Broncos will be ready to go for their home opener.
“It's essential for the team to bring a high level of compete against the defending ACAC champions,” Jack said.
“It's all about determination, resilience, and showing up to compete each shift. If we focus on these things, we will have a great game.”
The Broncos are coming off a 7-9-4 season in 2022-23, good for fourth in the regular season before being eliminated by the NAIT Ooks in the semifinals.
For second-year head coach Matt McKnight, building positive momentum on home ice will be key in setting the tone for the rest of the upcoming season.
“You can't guarantee results, but we can control the process we play with,” McKnight said. “If we play the way we know we have to, we can hopefully start the season off on the right foot.”
For the 2023-24 season, the ACAC women’s hockey schedule has expanded to 25 games with the addition of the Medicine Hat College Rattlers, whom the Broncos will host on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.
“Players want to play games, so any time there are five more added to the schedule, they are happy to see that,” McKnight said of the conference’s expansion. “It is also very exciting to have a sixth team coming into the league.”
With the extra games, Jack believes it will add more excitement to the season on the ice.
“The team's preparation has been focusing on competing hard for and against each other to prepare us for the upcoming season,” she said.
“We are excited to tackle the challenges of the extended season and to stay strong throughout the grind.”
Jack is one of a number of third-year Broncos this season, along with goaltender Cienna Kinghorn (Okotoks), forwards Ireland Greenhough (Sooke, B.C.), Tessa Knisely (Leduc) and Jerika Pashniak (Bonnyville), while defenceman Keera Tiringer (Leoville, Sask.), is back for her fourth season in Bronco colours.
Another third-year Bronco, forward Maeve Van’t Klooster (Olds), will miss the start of the season due to injury.
But the team is otherwise relatively healthy, with McKnight noting that first and second-year players will have opportunities to make immediate contributions.
With a relatively even mix of youth and experience, Jack believes the Broncos have already become a tight-knit group.
“We’ve been working hard, supporting each other, and building chemistry both on and off the ice,” she said.
“As we have learnt from previous years, it is crucial in the beginning to work on getting close as a group to be successful. I think we are ready to take on the challenges of the season together.”
Displaying a strong work ethic will be crucial to the Broncos’ success this season, according to McKnight.
“I feel we are a quicker, better-skating team than we were last season,” he said. “We will continue to work on the details in our game throughout the season as we go.”
With the season underway, Jack believes the Broncos can take a step forward by bringing intensity and desire to every game and practice.
“We want to push each other every day to be the best version of ourselves, and focus on the tiny details that will make us successful within the season,” she said.
This article, edited by the Albertan, was written by Olds College sports Information and Esports coordinator Geordie Carragher.
