Barrhead’s Corissa Blake continues to shine on the ice, having recently been named a member of the Zone 5 female hockey team for the upcoming Alberta Winter Games Feb. 9-12 in Parkland County.
Tryouts were held in Leduc Dec. 9-11, where Blake and 130 other female hockey players gathered to strut their stuff and show that they were worthy of being added to the team.
When she received the call Dec. 12 that she had made the team, Blake said it made the effort worth it.
“It actually feels really good,” she said. “There’s so many people trying out and you’re really nervous and you want to try your best because you want to make it.”
In addition, she said it was good to be there regardless of the outcome.
“It was a good experience and I got to see different people with different skill levels,” she said.
As for if she’s excited to have the chance to compete against other female hockey players from across Alberta, Blake left no doubt.
“Definitely,” she said. “I’m really excited.”
While she’s not preparing for the Winter Games experience, Blake is criss-crossing the province as a member of the Bantam ‘AAA’ St. Albert Raiders, who play in the Alberta Major Bantam Female Hockey League.
The league includes teams from as far away as Grande Prairie and Lethbridge, which requires some long hours on the road, she said. But, like many experiences, there are ups and downs.
“The driving I don’t like as much, but it’s kind of fun because we all go on a bus and the whole team’s together the whole ride,” she said.
So far this season, Blake has helped the Raiders to first place in the league with a 13-2-3 record for 29 points through Jan. 7. She currently sits fifth on the team in scoring through 18 games, with six goals and five assists for 11 points.
For a team filled with 13- and 14-year-olds, Blake said there is not much drama in the dressing room.
“The whole team gets along,” she said. “There’s not any cliques or anything. It’s like a whole team.”
In order to play with the Raiders, Blake said she has to travel to St. Albert every Monday and Wednesday for practices, as well as a once-a-month trip for dry land workouts.
While it may be a lot of travel, Blake said she wants to keep playing hockey as long as she can and continue to improve.
