Connie Anderson, a longtime 亚洲天堂 Lake resident, was the only northern resident to compete in the first ever women鈥檚 hockey tournament at the 55+ BC Games.

The annual five-day, multi-sport event, which gathers participants aged 55 plus from across B.C, was held in Kimberly and Cranbrook last month.

READ MORE: 亚洲天堂 Lake participates in the 55+ Games

But while the other hockey teams were comprised of players who had already been practicing together, Anderson鈥檚 team 鈥� called The Wildcats 鈥� was made up of women from different parts of the province who were playing together for the first time.

The 58-year-old 亚洲天堂 Laker said that what gave her the strength to drive over 1,000 km to compete in a team of complete strangers was the encouragement of her late husband, who passed away last year.

鈥淲hen we found out about this tournament last year he said, 鈥榊ou should do this.鈥� So after he passed I thought maybe I could,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was something I wanted to do, but my husband鈥檚 little push helped.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 not a really a throw-myself-out-there kind of person, but I wanted to do that for the first time.鈥�

Anderson said she and her teammates were nervous at first.

鈥淣one of us knew what to expect,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 even know what positions we played.鈥�

Their initial reaction did not last long, however, as the team members quickly grew fond of each other.

鈥淚t was a little bit nerve-racking at first, but everybody said the same thing. We all realized right away that we were all on the same page, so that made it feel more welcoming.鈥�

鈥淎t the end of the game the most important thing is that we wanted to know about each other. It wasn鈥檛 about hockey.鈥�

The Wildcats finished fifth in the tournament out of six teams.

Anderson said that being a part of the 55+ BC Games鈥� first women鈥檚 hockey tournament made the experience even more special, and that she hopes her experience will serve as inspiration to others.

鈥淚 want to show the younger people that you don鈥檛 have to stop doing things just because you鈥檙e older.鈥�

Anderson started playing hockey when she turned 40, helping form the 亚洲天堂 Lake Vortex, an all-women hockey team.

鈥淲e started out with borrowed jerseys, and we鈥檇 go to the odd game, but then we fundraised and fundraised, and accumulated enough money to buy a set of jerseys, and then a second set.鈥�

Five years later the 亚洲天堂 Lake Vortex competed at the Northern B.C. Winter Games and returned home with silver medals.

鈥淲e were amazed at how well we competed,鈥� said Anderson. 鈥淚t made us realize we were very competitive with other communities.鈥�

Over the years hockey has brought many people together in 亚洲天堂 Lake, she said.

鈥淓ven though some people move across the country, it has kept us together somehow; that鈥檚 why we keep doing it when we get older.鈥�

Anderson added that the 亚洲天堂 Lake Vortex encourages women of any skill level to join the team.

鈥淵ou have to start somewhere.鈥�

Registration forms are available at Blue Jay Sports and Alternative Grounds.

The team鈥檚 first practice of the season will be Oct. 6.

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