Kimberley-based 19U female team travelled to Vermont for elite tournament

On the evening of October 16, the newly-formed Purcell Hockey Academy (PHA) team gathered at Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC) to begin a travel odyssey that would see them connect to a red-eye flight from Vancouver to Montreal before boarding a charter bus for the final leg of their journey to Burlington, Vermont.

Their destination? The 12th annual Fall Foliage Classic hockey tournament hosted by the Vermont Stars and featuring top female hockey programs from throughout North America.

This high-profile event was PHA’s first opportunity to play against teams in the same 19U age bracket.

Prior to attending the tournament, the PHA team had played against ACHA Division 1 university teams in Fremont, Nebraska and Lynchburg, Virginia.

Despite the academy being brand new and its players being much younger than their college-aged competition, the team performed remarkably well, losing several close games vs. Midland University (4-2, 4-1, 2-0) and Liberty University (4-2, 4-3 in OT) before winning the final game of the three-game set versus the six-time ACHA D1 national champions 3-1.

At the Fall Foliage Classic, PHA built on that success, securing preliminary-round victories against Rice Prep (9-3), Boston Advantage (5-3), and the York Lady Devils (4-2). Those wins advanced PHA to the Tier 1 finals against the New Hampshire Mountain Cats where the upstart academy program based at Purcell Collegiate School (PCS) pulled off a 3-1 victory.

Taken as a whole, the trip was an incredible success for PHA and a great experience for the players. In addition to winning the tournament, they were afforded the opportunity to visit multiple post-secondary campuses including the University of Vermont, Norwich University, and Middlebury College.

Valeriia Machak-Jensen, PHA’s Head Coach, had this to say about the tournament and the trip: “I am incredibly proud of this group and how they have united as a team, despite coming from different countries and backgrounds. Each player has put in a tremendous amount of effort to perform at their best, and I truly believe they deserve every bit of recognition for it.”

Associate Coach Megan Hostasek was similarly pleased with the experience and the outcome: “I was truly impressed with how the girls came together this weekend, both on and off the ice. This was my first opportunity to coach and watch them in action, and I couldn’t be prouder. Their chemistry, determination, and support for each other speak volumes. It’s an exciting beginning, and I believe it sets a strong foundation for a promising season and represents a successful launch for Purcell Hockey Academy.”

For PHA’s International Hockey Advisor, Harry Rosenholtz, that was always the goal: a team from diverse international backgrounds coming together as students and athletes at Purcell Collegiate School (PCS) in Kimberley. In that regard, it was the realization of a vision for a hockey program that was six years in the making: “It was thrilling to watch a team of players from so many different backgrounds and countries come together under the leadership of Val and Megan. The players played with purpose and had great fun in the process. Winning was a bonus, but learning to put team objectives ahead of personal ones is a great formula for the future.”

Next up for PHA is a trip to Colorado to play a two-game set against Denver University. Following that, the academy will be participating in a tournament in Boise, Idaho before breaking for Christmas and IIHF national team training schedules that require several of PHA’s players to return to their home countries as U18 national team members.

PHA still has roster spaces available and invites interested parents/players to reach out for more information via the school’s website at www.purcellcollegiate.ca, on social media at @purcellhockey, or by emailing [email protected].

Photo submitted

Purcell Hockey Academy

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