Never back down from a challenge

The Collins Canadian English Dictionary defines resilience as recovering quickly from a shock.

It is a word on the lips of all the Lakeland College King's Energy Group Rustlers women's hockey players as they enter their inaugural Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) season. Rustlers first-year centre Hailey Carothers is testament to how far resilience can take you.

Carothers, 18, rose from playing midget B hockey for her hometown Lac La Biche Clippers two winters ago to placing second in goals scored for the Fort Saskatchewan Fury of the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League (AJFHL) last year. She rode that success to a coveted spot on the Rustlers roster and placement in University Transfer studies at Lakeland College this fall.

"Our first game against them, (Rustlers head coach Morgan Mann) called out my name during warm ups," said Carothers, about her initial recruitment to post-secondary sport. "I went over to their bench and he said 'how would you like to play

college hockey.' I said 'I'll think about it' and went back to warm up."

That initial call led to after-game meetings between Mann and Carothers whenever the clubs would meet and, finally, a commitment to play following the Rustlers defeat of the Fury in the first round of the AJFHL playoffs this past spring.

Carothers noted it was embracing the challenge of playing junior hockey that most likely contributed to her success. She said coming in from a disrupted season at midget B due to Covid restrictions and the eventual folding of her Lac La Biche team sparked a drive to keep playing and excel whenever given the chance.

"I just get tunnel vision," she said about her view when on the ice. "I don't even remember half the time. I just play in the moment."

A set line or wings haven't materialized for the pivot during preseason action. But, that seems to suit the shooter just fine as she carries the coach's expectations into their first ACAC regular season contest against the Red Deer College Queens at the Russ Robertson Arena this Friday evening.

"He just wants to see us all succeed," said Carothers. "There isn't really a pinpoint of what we need to do individually. It's how we should all do this season and collectively building up to that."

Story provided by:  Jamie Harkins