Delta players and coaches had a big part in the B.C.
U16 Thunder making history at the Canadian Ringette Championships in Fredericton NB last weekend.
The Thunder became the first B.C. team to win gold at the nationals U16AA or U19AA levels- defeating the Calgary Strive 8-4 in last Saturday's final. The sport has typically been dominated by teams from Alberta and Ontario.
The Thunder line-up features seven players from Delta - forwards Ingrid Bakke, Dana Dunstan, Arisa Cadeau; centre Taylor McIntosh, defenders Monica Salt and Jenna Suzuki and goalie Cassie Dercaloustian. The all-Delta coaching staff includes Harold Bakke, Lisa Cadeau and Doug Salt.
The 16-team tournament saw the Thunder go 5-2 in round-robin play to quietly earn the fourth seed for the championship round.
The two losses were against eventual finalist Calgary Strive (4-3 in overtime) and a later playoff opponent the Guelph Predators (4-2).
The girls then defeated top seed Calgary CREW 2-0 in the quarter-finals, before knocking off Guelph by the identical score in the semis.
The final saw B.C. score just 10 seconds into the game and enjoy a commanding 6-1 lead after a hard-fought first period. The turning point was the Thunder killing off a two-man short situation while clinging to a 2-1 advantage.
Bakke and Dunstan each scored twice in the final, while McIntosh added a goal and was named the defensive player of the game. Cadeau was one of three B.C. players named to the tournament all-star team.
Thunder tryouts were held in August and team events started in September. The players practiced four times a week which included power skating and dry land sessions. Some training days involved multiple sessions which paid off for overall team fitness. Along the road to national gold, the Thunder travelled to Edmonton - winning the Woods Tournament and then followed that up with a victory at the Pacific Ring Tournament in Richmond.
The Delta Ringette Association, despite being a small community, has traditionally had a large contingent of players. The commitment of DRA's coaches and volunteers have helped their young athletes to succeed at the highest levels.
