Summer is over and the Courtenay Whalers are ready to begin their third full season. The team started back on the ice about a month ago and the extremely well organized practices are more than intense. Coaches Jordan Butcher, Keanan Egeland and Cody are focusing on skating drills and one on one play, always demanding more from one session to the next.
The 2010 – 2011 edition of the team is comprised of many returning players. There is a feel in the air that the team will be quite a bit more competitive this season. In goal, Jamie Banham comes back for her second year after a summer of playing in the men’s league. She is sharper than ever. She is backed up by newcomer Katrin Bizier who makes her debut in goal. Assistant captains Jody Fink and Jan Dafoe are back at the centre positions. Hoping to stimulate the Whalers goal production, Captain Tera Kasubushi is bringing her many years of experience back to the forward line. On the wings, Lee McGeore, Josée Bureau, Kelly Roloff, Sky Zimmerman and Chanace VanderHeide will be looking to find chemistry once again while defensively, the Whalers are happy to welcome two well experienced players in Allison Abraham and Lacey Mortensen to the full time roster. They will be joining current defenders Shirlee Carver and Roberta Churchill. Defender Sky Niskasari will be away a few more weeks on a maternity break.
The Whalers will play their first game in Port Alberni on Sunday, October 3rd at 5pm. As in the last few years, they expect the Alberni crew to be physical and technically well prepared. Games against Alberni are always enjoyable and very intense.
The Whalers first home game will be in November.
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