Road to the 2024 Esso Cup: Regina Rebels

Two years ago, the Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association (GVMHA) decided
to make growing women’s hockey a priority. Thanks to initiatives like Esso
Fun Days and coaching programs, the growth has been significant.

Let’s put that growth into perspective: Last year, Vernon had U9, U11 and
U15 girls’ teams. This year, the association has girls’ teams in every
division except U18, which will be operating next year once the U15 players
graduate—an estimated growth of 100 more girls lacing up their skates in the
region.

“It’s getting to a point now that the volume of girls really supports an
elite stream of hockey development, which for us is really the first time
we’ve had it,” says Kevin Bathurst, director of hockey operations for the
GVMHA and co-chair of the 2024 Esso Cup.

Thanks to a grant last year, the GVMHA was able to run a women’s coach
development program in the summer, specifically targeting the U15 age group.

“[The U15 group is] a pretty passionate group of pretty good players, and
[we’re trying] to create a pathway for them to stay in the game as long as
possible,” Bathurst says. “We’ve got more women coaching in our community
now than we’ve ever had.”

Several members of the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, host team of this year’s
Esso Cup, are actively coaching younger teams in their region. Lily Roberts,
a four-year veteran of the Lakers, has been coaching for three years and
currently works with a U13 team in Vernon.

“I really wanted to get into coaching just to change perspectives,” Roberts
says. “[Growing up,] if I had that woman to look up to, I would feel much
more comfortable learning and asking questions, and I’d feel more inclined
to do what the coach is saying.”

Roberts decided to pursue coaching for a full season after being invited to
help at a hockey camp over the summer. The 17-year-old reached out to see if
she could coach the upcoming season and it worked out that her younger
sister wanted to start playing.

“At the beginning, she was kind of hesitant listening to her sister as her
coach, but after time, I think she thinks it’s really cool to have me out
there,” Roberts says.

Hailey Sitter has always loved working with kids and got into coaching by
assisting with summer camps. A sophomore member of the Lakers,…