Rustlers a second family to new recruit

The first-year Lakeland College King's Energy Group Rustlers forward is attempting to impart four generations of chuckwagon racing work ethic onto her women's hockey team peers this season. She notes the mentality athletes on the chuckwagon circuit adopt to create success in their careers can also be held by those looking to achieve momentum on the ice.

"I relate it, the hard work, to my hockey play," said Bensmiller, 18, who works as a barnhand getting horses ready for race time during the early April to late August chuckwagon season. "You should take pride in what you do and wagons are the same way. The horses need to be fed and they need water. That's your job, so you better do it. And, you better do it good."

Bensmiller is the niece of legendary chuckwagon drivers Kurt and Chance Bensmiller. Her stepfather Vern Nolin and brother Cruise Bensmiller also drive wagons, while her stepbrother Brendan Nolin is an outrider.

The Dewberry, Alta., native grew up doctoring and feeding horses alongside her family members. She said the days can be long stretching from seven in the morning to midnight, but the reliance they share with one another feels more like companionship than toiling at a job.

"We eat together," said Bensmiller. "We help each other. If my brother is looking for a horse, my step-dad or my uncle will send him one. How we try and stay successful is helping each other out and working as a team."

Despite never lining up alongside her new Rustlers teammates before this campaign, Bensmiller notes they have welcomed her in as a member of the family. She is finding ice time on the left side of a line with Hailey Carothers and Asha Petrie recording a regular shift in the team's final contest of a three-game exhibition set against the University of Regina Cougars at the Russ Robertson Arena on Sunday afternoon.

"We played really well," she said, noting the Cougars are a top USports club. "We just gave it our all every game. There wasn't one person who didn't try. We could see that in our game-play. It's 100 per cent all the time."

The Rustlers will take to the ice against the MacEwan University Griffins at the Russ Robertson Arena this Friday and Saturday with puck-drop at 7 and 5 p.m., respectively. The club will then play host to the Barrie U22 Junior Sharks on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. in their final exhibition tilt before the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference season starts on Oct. 14.

The team is holding an equipment drive over the weekend collecting new and gently used hockey gear for area youth in need. Equipment can be dropped off at the Russ Robertson Arena foyer before and during the Friday, Saturday and Sunday games.

Story provided by: Jamie Harkins