Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

KIBIHT

Kamloops U15 Blazers win first-ever female championship at KIBIHT

Dec 19, 2023 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops U15 Blazers are the first-ever champions in the female division of KIBIHT.

2023 marks the first time in the tournament’s 54-year history that a female division has been offered. The division was named after Kendra Woodland, who is playing her final season of U SPORTS hockey with the University of New Brunswick Reds.

Woodland, who played in the boys’ division when she was in bantam, says she’s honoured to lend her name to the tournament.

“It’s great to see the progression of women’s hockey and women’s sport,” Woodland says, after handing out hardware to the champs. “I’m really just proud to be able to give back to my community and be a name for my community. It’s really awesome.”

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After hoisting the trophy, the players on the U15 Blazers were ecstatic with their accomplishment.

“The whole time we were just battling hard,” Ari Kinaschuk says. “The score kept going back and forth. It was just really nerve-wracking, and I’m just excited we pulled it off.”

“It’s so amazing. It’s such an honour,” Allison Plowe says. “We didn’t really win a lot last year. We got a lot of bronze. This is awesome.”

Head Coach Mike Brown says while his players might not fully appreciate this accomplishment now, it will be one they can look back on fondly.

“This banner, when it gets hung to the rafters, these kids will be able to come back to this rink for years and years and years and see it,” Brown says. “It’s pretty cool.”