Another Tournament In The Books

With another edition of the Female World Sport School Challenge wrapped up after yesterday's gold medal and bronze medal games, that puts the final touches an outstanding event once again. The hockey was awesome as the women from the twelve teams that participated all deserve a round of applause from me as I was treated to some incredible teamwork, fantastic individual efforts, and some of the best hockey action I've seen all year. That's where I'll start because there's a lot of people to thank!

To the players, you all deserve some serious kudos as we were witness to your athletic abilities and dedication to the game. Whether it was Mullen MacIntyre going bar-down on a rush up the ice, Isabella Mann capping off a two-on-one in overtime, or Ivy Perkin dancing between defenders, these were just three of the plays that were most memorable on the PCL Rink at the Hockey For All Centre. And there were so many more incredible plays! To the twelve teams and all the players who took part, thank you for your outstanding skill and play this weekend! I can't wait to see what you do next!

To the coaches and trainers who are preparing these women for the next steps in their lives and careers, thank you for your dedication to the craft and your ability to keep these players reaching higher. The players certainly put on a show for the four days of play, and they executed systems, adjusted to opponents, and played their best thanks to your coaching and direction. Players found ways to suit up for games we thought they'd never see thanks to the trainers and medical staffs, and it's because of everyone on those benches that a lot of these women will move on to bigger and better, even if it's not on the ice. Thank you for your commitment, your time, and your work in helping these women find that next level!

To the parents of the players who made the trek to the Hockey For All Centre for the Female World Sports School Challenge, thank you for your support of the players, the teams, and the tournament. While it's true that there can be only one team who prevails, I saw more smiles, more high-fives, and more cheering this weekend from the stands than I can remember. Crowds were loud, lively, and engaged, and it made the games that much more fun to call on the radio. Thank you for all you do in keeping your daughters striving for excellence with your support at home and in the stands!

To the players and the coaches of the Flames Prep Hockey team, thank you for allowing us to work with you, to chat with you about your lives and team, and to be proud to partner with you in broadcasting this tournament. Things may not have ended up how you wanted, but you finished the weekend with a win while playing extremely hard in the other three games. There is nothing over which anyone should hang their heads as the effort, the grit, and the tenacity was on display all weekend. I'm proud of the partnership and the friendships we've forged, and I hope we can continue that moving forward. Thank you for being so welcoming to me, to UMFM, and to our craziness. We're excited to see the next chapter!

To the parents and volunteers who committed so much time to the tournament to make it run smoothly, you are the heart and lifeblood of the Female World Sport School Challenge. From all the nutritious snacks that go to the players to the great food featured in the tournament office, from the stats and standings on the website to the Player of the Game presentations, from welcoming each and every person who came through the doors to simply allowing a couple of goofy radio guys have some laughs with you, we cannot say "thank you" loud enough or often enough. It's not often two goofballs are welcomed into a family as you have done for us, but we are beyond grateful for your hospitality, your generosity, your warmth, and your friendship. Thank you so much for everything!

To our newest radio star, Gene Pelland, thank you for jumping into the broadcast seat and absolutely knocking the play-by-play out of the park as the "Voice of the Flames"! Gene had been calling games while filming the action for Flames fans all season long on his Facebook feed, but his jump over to the UMFM airwaves was seamless! Gene will certainly be welcomed back in future tournaments assuming he wants to wear the headset again, but we want to thank him for his knowledge, expertise, and call at this year's tournament! We'll need to sign him before Sportsnet does!

Of course, this tournament is resurrected every year thanks to the efforts of Larry and Kathy Bumstead who spent countless hours leading up to, during, and after the tournament making sure that every player, every team, every coach, and every volunteer feels like he or she is the star of the show. Every single volunteer has clear directions from Kathy, every coach knows Larry or Kathy can be reached at any time, every player is celebrated, and every team is welcomed as they extend that warmth to all who attend.

Beyond that, these two have consistently welcomed UMFM and myself as the radio broadcasters of the tournament each and every year for a number of years now, and we are always grateful that we're welcomed back as we realize how important it is for parents to be able to hear their girls' teams play while at a major tournament like Female World Sport School Challenge. We hold that responsibility in high regard, and we're grateful to be the radio partner of the tournament. Thank you, Larry and Kathy, for allowing us to call some incredible hockey, be part of an incredible crew of volunteers, and having us back this year. We're already looking forward to next year!

Tomorrow, it's back to work and back to life as we count down the days to next season's tournament. If you're reading this, get out and support your local AAA and CSSHL female teams because these women are the next generation of stars at the university level and beyond! We can certainly attest to that after the amazing talent and plays we watched this past weekend, so do yourself a favour and catch these women showing off their skills before they're playing in some other corner of the continent!

If nothing else, we'll see you at next year's tournament!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!