Every December 26 to January 1, Calgary hosts the Mac’s Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament which is a prestigious ice hockey tournament for midget aged players. First held in 1978 as the CP Challenge Cup, the tournament features 25 male and 15 female teams from across Canada, the United States and Europe. With the tournament drawing as many as 100,000 spectators over seven days, it’s fair to say that all eyes are focused on these young hockey players.
For fifteen year old Kate Lloyd and seventeen year old Courtney Toney, participating in the tournament is a huge honor. With Courtney playing hockey since she was seven and just completing her tenth season and Jill switching from ringette to hockey at age twelve, both girls have moved up quickly in the AAA hockey league.
As this was Lloyd’s first trip to the tournament, she had this to say, “Anyone that follows hockey knows that the Mac’s Midget AAA Tournament is recognized as one of the top tournaments in the world. To get the opportunity to play in it, especially as a first year midget player, is such an honour. The highlight of this year’s Mac’s tournament had to be our first game. We really pulled together as a team, and I ended up getting a 26 save shutout to beat the Battlefords Sharks 2-0. I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience at the Mac’s tournament than what I had.”
As Toney is a high school senior, her sights are set on life after high school. She is focused on enjoying her final season as an AAA Rocky Mountain Raider and hopes to find a team to play with next season that will work with her university schedule. “I love hockey because it’s about being a team. It’s about going out on the ice and battling for one another, knowing the girl next to you has your back just as much as you have theirs. It’s about standing there together after the buzzer sounds, completely exhausted, and knowing that you did everything in your power to help the team win, not just yourself. I love hockey because it proves to me why we’re better together, and why it’s important to stick together.”
Toney went on to say, “I would like to thank the Rocky Mountain Raiders organization, my coaches, my parents and all individuals who have helped in their own way to allow me to play a game I love.”
With Lloyd still having a few years left of high school, she would like to continue playing hockey at an elite level, and would eventually like to play university hockey in the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport). “I love being a part of the team that I’m playing on this year because everyone is so competitive and dedicated. We all have the same goals, and it’s great to be surrounded by a group of people who share the same mindset. The best days of the week are the ones when I get to wake up and go to the rink.”
With the drive and passion that both of these young ladies have for the sport they love so much, who knows, maybe one day we’ll be cheering them on as they take Canada to Olympic gold.
