A Sooke girls hockey team struck gold at a tournament open to squads on and off the Island.

On Dec. 29, Christmas dinners and snacks didn't slow down the U-13 Thunderbirds, which secured a 2-1 victory over the Surrey Falcons in the Nanaimo Female Coastal Classic finals.

B次元官网网址淚'm really proud of the way they're playing,B次元官网网址� said Thunderbirds head coach Ryan Lesyshen. B次元官网网址淭he girls are doing really well.B次元官网网址� 

The team, which practises twice a week at the SEAPARC Recreation Centre, has seen success outside of tournaments, too, winning the majority of their regular-season games. Lesyshen thinks much of that success stems from the Thunderbirds' rock-solid work ethic.

B次元官网网址淭hey are learning to play together and play the game a little less selfishly,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hey're at the right age to start doing that, to start passing and stuff, and I think that their team play has improved this year, and that's helped us quite a bit.B次元官网网址� 

According to the ThunderbirdB次元官网网址檚 U-11 and U-13 coordinator Stephanie Welters, the Nanaimo win has sparked a stir.

B次元官网网址淭hey're definitely talked about in the female league for how strong they're playing this year,B次元官网网址� she said.

Lesyshen added that the teamB次元官网网址檚 coaches have helped the outfit secure their growing reputation. For example, assistant coach Abbie Lewco B次元官网网址� an 18-year-old Thunderbird alumni B次元官网网址� is a valuable young role model for the squad's even younger players. 

B次元官网网址淭he rest of us are dads,B次元官网网址� said Lesyshen. B次元官网网址淚t's good to have those younger coaches because players will listen to them in a different way.B次元官网网址� 

For the remainder of the season, the head coach hopes the Thunderbirds can face off against teams that exceed their skill level.

"If you're winning all the time, you don't skate quite as hard," he said. "I'd like to see a few more games against teams that can beat us, so that they can grow and see how they play."

Maybe the squad will find the opponents they're looking for when the team travels to the mainland in March to compete in the Richmond Ice Classic B次元官网网址� the largest female house hockey tournament in North America.

Lesyshen, however, stressed that the games there be will less about snagging wins than fostering love for Canada's game.

B次元官网网址淚t's just about making memories,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 could foresee them keep going with this as adult players, which is kind of the goal, to give someone a passion that that they can continue on with."