Jenna Himer is back for another stab at making Hockey Alberta’s U18 Female team.
Peace Country Players (L to R) Camryn Wallan (Beaverlodge), Jenna Himer (Peace River) and Celine Chailler (Grande Prairie) from the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs. Himer recently made the final tryouts for the Alberta U18 Female Hockey Team. (Photo/Facebook)
Himer, who was born and raised in Falher before her family moved to Peace River, hopes the second time’s a charm when the fall camp happens on September 29 to October 1, 2017. It is there that 20 of the 29 hopefuls will comprise the team that will play in Hockey Canada’s National Women’s U18 Championship in Quebec City from November 1 to 5.
The 17-year-old told the Trending 55 Newsroom that it takes a lot of hard work to get to where she is.
“It’s really competitive this year,” she said. “I made it there last year too, but I got cut. And this is the last year I’m eligible to try out as well.”
This year’s invitations were extended to athletes born between the years 2000 to 2002. Each play was selected based on their performances at the Team Alberta U18 spring camp in May, as well as at the Provincial Camp in Camrose, where the number of players were whittled down from 46 down to the current 29.
Himer is one of nine players on the defence line trying out, which also includes three goaltenders and 17 forwards.
“Being the only player from the Peace Country to make it this year can be a challenge,” said Himer. “For this year, I think if I work really hard, and play to the best of my abilities and play my game, I think I have a really good shot of making the roster this year.”
For the 2016-17 hockey season, Himer played for the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs in the Alberta Female Hockey League’s (AFHL) Midget AAA category, and will also be playing for them again this coming season as well.
Before that, she played at the novice and 1st year peewee levels for the Peace River Colts. For her second year of peewee, she moved on to the Peace Country Storm, and then played for the Warner School Warriors during the 2015-16 year.
She says any girls out there wanting to get into hockey should just give it a try.
“I tried out when I was younger, when I didn’t know what to expect,” she continued. “And I loved it. There are a lot more opportunities nowadays for girls to get scholarships and go to university to play there. There are even opportunities to play for Team Canada.”
Himer speculated that one day, maybe they’ll even start allowing women to play in the NHL.
“That would be nice,” she said. “But for now, I hope to get as far as I possibly can within the sport.”
Himer’s also a past winner of our Tim Horton’s Athlete of the Month, having won the honour in June 2016.
– Posted by BET
