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| Kate Ball was a perfect fit with the Prince Albert Northern Bears. |
Kate Ball and the Prince Albert Northern Bears ended up
being a match made in heaven.
Before the season started, the 15-year-old Saskatoon product
was kicking tires looking for a female midget AAA team where she would have a
chance to contribute in an offensive role. On a whim, she decided to attend a
tryout camp with the Bears, and head coach Jeff Willoughby asked if she wanted
to play.
Ball had a choice of playing with either the Saskatoon Stars
in her hometown and the Bears. With the Stars returning almost all of their key
offensive players from the previous campaign, the skilled centre decided to go
play for the Bears.
“It has actually been so exciting,” said Ball. “I love my
team. They are just all like really awesome.
“The room is just filled with like positive. We’re all like
really nice to each other. It is just like really great.”
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| Kate Ball celebrates a goal with Jasper Desmarais and Camryn Amundson. |
With the Bears, Ball, who stands 5-foot-5, had a spectacular
rookie season finishing second in team scoring with 15 goals and 15 assists in
28 regular season games. Prince Albert finished with its best record in team
history going 22-6.
In the post-season, the Bears won their first 11 straight
contests sweeping the Stars in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League
championship series in three games and taking out Hartney, Man., based Westman
Wildcats in a two-game sweep in a Western regional playdown series in Prince
Albert.
Those victories allowed the Bears to earn a berth in the
Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament for the first time
in team history. The Esso Cup started on Sunday and runs to Saturday in Morden,
Man.
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| Kate Ball (#21) battles for the puck behind the net in the offensive zone. |
While big goals were established on personal and team fronts
before the season started, Ball was still a bit awestruck that those goals were
realized.
“I wasn’t expecting myself to do that good,” said Ball. “I
guess just really good teammates just helped me a lot.
“I actually never thought we would like come this far. I am
just so proud of my team coming this far. It is just an amazing feeling.”
Willoughby said the Bears were fortunate Ball decided to
come to Prince Albert to play.
“She’s been playing very consistent for us,” said
Willoughby. “We’ve asked her to play an offensive role, and she jumped right
into that.
“She is always around the puck. She definitely knows where
the net is. Her effort she has given is second to none.
“Getting a point a game as a rookie is a pretty outstanding
feet.”
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| Kate Ball, left, enjoys the Bears SFMAAAHL title win. |
Willoughby said it was cool seeing Ball improve on the ice
and off the ice. Away from the game, the bench boss was impressed with how
quickly Ball found a high comfort level with the rest of her Bears teammate.
“At the start of the year, I think she was maybe a little
bit to herself and shy like a lot of rookies would be,” said Willoughby. “I
think she’s come along.
“She’s really opened up. I think she is no different than
the rest of them. They are all such good teammates, and they care about each
other, and they care about what the other person is doing.
“They want to help each other out, and that is exactly what
Kate (Ball) has been doing.”
Ball’s move to the Bears was also made easier by the fact
nine other players from the Saskatoon area were also on the team. The Bears
roster contains fellow Saskatoon products Jadyn Kushniruk, Kassidy Kicia, Kate
Wagner, Sierra Parenteau, Hannah Koroll and Miranda Heidt.
Also on the team are Warman products Jordan Ashe and Jasper
Desmarais and Martensville’s Story Navrot.
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| Kate Ball cuts into the offensive zone for the Bears. |
Ball said she actually knew more players on the Bears than
she did on the Stars due a lot to her experiences playing spring hockey. On the
ice, she found magic playing on a line with Desmarais and speedy Debden product
Camryn Amundson.
“I’ve played with Jasper for four years, so we have like
good chemistry,” said Ball. “Camryn, me and her just like clicked right away,
so it was really great.”
As for her start in the sport, Ball followed in the
footsteps of her two older brothers Daylon and Justin. Daylon, who is now 21,
finished his competitive playing days at age 16.
Justin was with the Saskatoon Contacts last season, who
played in the Telus Cup midget AAA national championship tournament, and he
recently finished his 18-year-old rookie season in junior A with the Melfort
Mustangs of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Kate’s brothers weren’t her only family members that made
waves as competitive athletes. Her uncle Sheldon was a star quarterback first
with the Saskatoon Hilltops and then the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He
has been the offensive coordinator of the Hilltops for the past 11 seasons.
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| Kate Ball piled up 30 points in 28 regular season games with the Bears. |
While she has had a lot of good influences to help her along
in hockey, Ball found her own love for the sport.
“I love skating,” said Ball. “Skating is my passion. I just
love it.
“I like the playmaking. It is just really fun.”
Ball admitted beating the Stars in the SFMAAAHL championship
series was a big highlight this season along with winning the Western regional
over the Wildcats with a thrilling come-from-behind 7-6 series clinching
victory in Game 2. The Bears were down 6-3 with 13:24 to play in the third
period and closed the contest with four unanswered goals.
She was pumped to go to Esso Cup and is also looking forward
to playing two more seasons with the Bears.
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| Kate Ball, left, and her teammates enjoy the Bears Western regional win. |
This season she continued to live
in Saskatoon, and her parents drove to her to Prince Albert for practices and
her games.
Next season, Ball is planning to live with a billet family
in Prince Albert.
“I’m actually real excited to think about two more years,”
said Ball. “I just love this group of girls and just being here. I think it
will be good.”
After her midget AAA playing days are done, Ball has a wish
of where she would like to play on the post-secondary front.
“Hopefully, I get to play with University of Saskatchewan,
because it is like a mile from my house,” said Ball. “That would be really
convenient.
“If that doesn’t work out, then NCAA or college in the
States that would be really good too.”
Bears pick up first win at Esso Cup
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| Camryn Amundson (#9) scored twice for the Bears on Tuesday at Esso Cup. |
On Tuesday in Morden, Man., the Bears picked up their first
win at Esso Cup dumping the Summerside, P.E.I., based Mid-Isle Wildcats 6-1 at
the Access Events Centre.
Camryn Amundson and Jadyn Kushniruk both scored twice for
the Bears, while Story Navrot and Miranda Heidt each netted singles. Ryan
Fontaine turned away 13 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Bears.
Madison Vincent had the lone reply for the Wildcats. Maggie
Johnson turned away 57 shots to take the loss in goal for the Wildcats.
The win allowed the Bears to improve to 1-2, while the
Wildcats fell to 0-3.
The Bears opened the Esso Cup on Sunday falling 2-1 to the
host and Manitoba champion Pembina Valley Hawks. On Monday, the Bears dropped a
5-1 decision to the Pickering, Ont., based Durham West Lightning.
Prince Albert returns to action on Wednesday taking on the
Alberta-based St. Albert Slash. The Bears close their round robin schedule at
Esso Cup on Thursday, when they face the Sherbrooke, Que., based Harfangs du
Triolet.
The top four teams in the round robin standings qualify for
the playoff round. The semifinal round for the Esso Cup is set for Friday. The bronze
and gold medal games will be held on Saturday.
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