NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
South Alberta Hockey Academy forward Téa Pearce admires a shot on net in the first period of SAHA's 6-4 win over St. Mary's Academy on Sunday at the Big Marble Go Centre.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
After two-plus months of anticipation, Kendal Davidson and Téa Pearce are only hours away from taking part in the Canada Winter Games.
The South Alberta Hockey Academy duo is set to represent Team Alberta in the women’s hockey tournament, which gets underway Monday, as the men’s side wraps up Saturday.
While neither were able to watch the opening ceremonies on Feb. 18, they’ve watched some of the men’s games which has only built the anticipation.
“It makes you really excited to be there and to start this adventure,” Davidson said. “I’m getting a little more nervous, it’s feeling a lot more real than it did (in December).”
Pearce says she’s noticed the atmosphere while watching games and gets excited thinking about herself there.
“It’s really cool to watch and I just cannot wait to play,” Pearce said.
Alberta opens their tournament with a 4:30 p.m. game on Monday against Nova Scotia. They face Manitoba on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and wrap up the preliminary round against Ontario on Wednesday, also at 4:30 p.m.
They’re not the only members of SAHA going from the academy’s blue and white to Alberta’s blue and white, their head coach Evan Vossen is part of the bench staff for the provincial team. He is looking forward to the experience now that it’s here and SAHA is off.
amount “It’s a pretty exciting experience, and getting the chance to go and have a couple girls from here as well is a nice piece,” Vossen said.
The trio flys out early Sunday morning and Davidson and Pearce have been in contact with their SAHA counterparts playing on Team Alberta’s men’s team. Davidson says they’ve already been advised to pack an extra blanket and ear plugs for the dormitory experience.
While the duo is solely focused on hockey, there is some bubbling interest about the unofficial sport of the Canada Games, pin trading.
Each athlete gets a set of their own province’s and it has become a big part of the experience to trade with other provinces to get the full set, with Nunavut being the most sought out as well as the other territories.
“We want the puzzle piece territories,” Davidson exclaimed.
Davidson says athletes make these trades in the dining hall and other hangout spots, and that provincial clothing is also part of deals. But they’re not looking to give up their Alberta blue gear, that trade is off the table.
