First All-Female Minor Hockey Team Are Season Champions

The Lloydminster Female U13 Blazers from Alberta have made history as the first all-female minor hockey team to become season champions. The Blazers are also the season six winners of The Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup, Chevrolet said today.

The team will donate the $100,000 grand prize provided by Chevrolet Canada to Inclusion Lloydminster. The donation will be used to create better accessibility in their new local rinks allowing more community members of varying abilities to play, volunteer and access the ice.

In a season dedicated to making hockey more inclusive than ever, The Lloydminster Female U13 Blazers were one of twelve Regional Finalists from across the country competing to be the 2022 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup Champions. In the team’s video submission, the team described how a fully accessible rink would allow better access for individuals with different abilities including a parent who was not able to access the box to help keep time.

“The team also hosted an inclusive hockey event and advocated for a barrier-free bi-provincial Para-Ice Hockey Arena. The team was selected as a Regional Finalist based on established judging criteria which in part looked at the creativity in demonstrating the Good Deed and its inclusivity, as well as the feasibility and overall impact it has on the community, Chevrolet said in a release.

The team received national recognition during Saturday’s broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada to celebrate their achievement. Players were surprised at Russ Robertson Arena where they were presented with the grand prize and were able to hoist the cup and celebrate their championship together. While at the celebration, Ross Ulmer of local dealership Ulmer Chevrolet, surprised the team by matching the $100,000 grand prize with a donation to support Inclusion Canada, Inclusion Lloydminster’s national chapter.

Also onsite were members of Inclusion Lloydminster, Chevrolet Canada and Hockey Canada as well as national broadcaster, Anthony Stewart, six-time Women’s World Champion and four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Caroline Ouellette, Women’s World Champion and Team Canada Gold Medalist, Sarah Nurse, and Two-Time World Champion and Paralympic Medalist, Tyler McGregor. Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers was also onsite to congratulate the team.