The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Opportunities continue to grow forfemale hockey players of all agesContinued from page 16While the NHL never came calling, Bonhomme didleave the dream of being the first overall draft pick,Provincial Womens Hockey League was established in going first to Toronto in the inaugural CWHL draft in2004, providing an opportunity for the best junior-the summer. Saturday, she missed her own game to beaged players to play in a higher caliber league and a part of the girls hockey clinic but said it is worth itshowcase their skills for U.S. colleges.for the good of the womens game.When Vicky Sunohara was growing up, she dreamed I still remember a father that came up to meof playing in the NHL. But really, she just loved play-and said, Because of what you girls did (winninging the game.the Olympic gold), my daughter has started playingI played road hockey all the time, I played in my hockey, she said. Its a small sacrifice to helpbasement, said Sunohara. We didnt have Olympics promote our sport and help players develop theiror the world championships. Now that stuff is just a skills.bonus.And players like 12-year-old Brittany Taylor wereSunohara, now the director of womens hockey at thrilled to have their Olympic heroes help them withThe Hill Academy in Vaughan, represented Canada at their game.the first womens world championships in 1990, win-I really wanted to know how to skate as fast asning her first of seven world titles and later adding them, she said. Ive been practicing at home on ourthree Olympic medals, two golds and a silver. Saturday, backyard rink because I didnt want to mess upshe was on the ice teaching what she learned during (today). They showed us a lot of stuff. Im going to gether career to the next generation of players in the pylons out at practice more at home.Oakville.??Sunohara and national team member Tessa Though not every player is going to make it to theBonhomme, along with members of the CWHLs Olympics, Sunohara believes the sport still has soBurlington Barracudas and the PWHLs Oakville much to offer. Hornets, led a skills camp for 300 Oakville Hornet I think its so important. It doesnt matter whatplayers at the Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest, part of the you want to accomplish. If you get involved playingnation-wide Hockey Day in Canada celebration.the sport, its going to help you health-wise, youreBonhommes first role models in the sport were going to learn teamwork, life skills, youll makealso from the NHL.ERIC RIEHL / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVERfriends.I looked up to Wayne Gretzky, the 25-year-old TESTING TESSA: Goalie Nadia Rupoli does her best to stop Olympic gold When Sunohara reflects back on her gold-medaldefenceman said, and I dreamed about being drafted medalist Tessa Bonhomme during Saturday's skills clinic that was held as part of victories at the Olympics, its not the last seconds tick-No. 1 in the NHL.Hockey Day in Canada. ing off the clock she remembers, Watching Sunohara and her teammates play in the its what it took to get to that world championships, Bonhommes father asked her, point.Is that something you would like to do?INFORMATION Its the camaraderie, the Around the same time, national team member month-long training camp Geraldine Heaney came to a hockey camp in SESSIONbefore, she said. I learned things Bonhommes hometown of Sudbury.about myself. I found out I could She was a great role model for us, Bonhomme ldo things I didnt think I could said.lado.Bonhommes focus began shifting toward the bAndt the game is there for opportunities in the womens game. Like Sunohara, oeveryone to discover and enjoy, Bonhomme would earn an NCAA scholarship, playing ofwhether its a daughter dreaming for Ohio State. She helped Canada win a gold medal at goffor boys and playing in the Olympics or a athe world championship in 2007 and then capture lmom who scores her first goal.fgold in Vancouver last February.girls ages 6-17RUNS MAY TO JUNE EXCELLENT FITNESS PROGRAM Hornets take a break, prepareFOR OFF-SEASON TRAINING!Burlington Seniors Centre to meet Bluewater in playoffs2285 New St., Burlington, Ontario The(in Central Park adjacent to the Oakville intermediate AA Hornets Oakvilles goals against the Thunder, which will have plenty of time to prepare for their pulled its goalie for an extra attacker in over-Central Library and Arena)opening-round playoff series with the time and scored the winner with eight sec-Sunday February 20, 2011Bluewater Hawks.onds to go. Hannah Moher and Drop in between 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.After concluding its regular sea-Tricia Kirik had the Hornets son last weekend, the Provincial markers against Southwest.TYKE (players born 2003-2005)Womens Hockey League now Oakville finished the season ATOM(players born 2001-2002)shuts down for a couple weeks with a 9-19-3-5 record, good for PEEWEE(players born 1999-2000)thbecause of the Canada Winter 15 place. The Hornets draw the BANTAM (players born 1997-1998)Games. The league opens its post-second-ranked Hawks (26-5-4-1) JUNIOR VARSITY(players born 1994-1996)season March 1.in the opening round.The Hornets lost their final Despite the disparity in the REGISTRATION two games of the regular sea-clubs records, Oakville was com-FEE: $229ac.llson last weekend, 4-2 Friday against the petitive in its two losses against Bluewater abtoofroSouthwest Wildcats and 3-2 in overtime this year. The Hornets dropped a 3-0 deci-nimnotgnSunday against the Brampton Thunder.sion Oct. 16 in Bluewater, then fell 4-2 Nov. ilrub.wAlex Chwisholm and Breanne Bennett had 20 in Oakville.w17 Wednesday, February 16, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com