For 16 year old Courtney Toney; a grade 11 student at Chestermere High School, playing in the Female Division of the Macs AAA Midget Tournament for the second year in a row was no less exciting as it was the first year.
The young goalie was thrilled that her team, the Highwood Raiders were the host team for Pool 6 in the tournament meaning their feature game against the Kootenay Wildcats was televised. “It was so cool to feel that much support, the crowd was incredible” says Toney. The Raiders were successful in winning that game 5-0 and went on to win all the games in their pool.
As The Mac’s marked its 36th year, the tournament paid tribute to the resiliency of Calgary’s people and spirit following extensive flooding in June. “The Spirit of Calgary” was a recurring theme throughout the tournament. As a way of showing support for High River; hometown for some of the players, the Raiders had #HighRiverStrong sewn onto the back of their jerseys.
Winning all four games in their pool put them in first place and moved them into the semi-finals at the Max Bell Arena where they were defeated by the Fraser Valley Phantoms with a score of 6-1, bumping them out of the finals.
Despite the loss, Toney says that the chance to play in such a high calibre tournament is not only an honor, it is a time for growth, “We learned about our team and we all improved as hockey players through the experience.”
The Highwood Raiders are a team based between Okotoks and Cochrane and include players from draw zones that extend beyond Banff to Strathmore and Airdrie to High River. Currently, they sit in 1st place in their division and 2nd in the entire league which makes up Alberta.
Playing for the Raiders means an incredible commitment from Toney and her family as well as the other teammates. With 2 practices a week in Okotoks and Cochrane, the Chestermere family faces a lot of time on the highway. Games are every weekend and located all across Southern Alberta – but Toney admits that she loves it. Her goal is to eventually play University hockey while pursuing an education.
The Highwood Raiders are currently selling raffle tickets as a fundraiser. WestJet tickets for two as well as a condo in Hawaii are up for grabs. Tickets are still available for only $20 each and the draw will be held Feb.13. The odds of winning are pretty good, with only 500 tickets printed. Email Yvonne Toney at Yvonne.toney@shaw.ca to purchase a ticket and support the Highwood Raiders.
