Will play in Northern league
MANITOULIN—The Manitoulin Panthers hockey organization has announced that it has entered into establishing a new female hockey team that will play in the Ontario Womens Hockey Association (OWHA).
“We will begin the 2023-2024 season with an under 18 (age) team named the Manitoulin Lady Panthers,” a post on the Panthers organizations website May 17 reveals. “We are just as excited to announce that this team will be coached by Kennedy Lanktree. Kennedy brings with her years of coaching experience from house league to AA from boys to girls and many years of playing hockey under the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) and OWHA umbrellas. The Manitoulin Lady Panthers are lucky to have her heading up our first-ever female team.”
“It is very exciting,” stated Ms. Lanktree. “The idea was brought up about having a female team this year and a proposal was made and approved to join the league.”
Tamey Assinewai (president of the Manitoulin Panthers executive) said, “last year we had six girls on an U15 team, and one player had travelled back and forth the year before to North Bay. It has always been hard for young female hockey players on the Island to find a place to play.”
The U15 team girls are moving up this year. “And one of the players’ moms said maybe we should be trying to get a girls team started on the Island. So, we decided to investigate how much interest there was.”
“The interest was huge,” stated Ms. Assinewai. “So we did the work and sent in an application to the OWHA and were approved to join.”
“Kennedy played girls U13 Peewee in Sudbury and with the Lady Wolves so she understands how important this is,” said Ms. Assinewai.
Ms. Assinewai said the Panthers executive will be meeting with OWHA league officials this week. “We will be in the B division, the same division as the (Panther) boys (teams). But Kennedy hopes to have the team in a tournament in early September to see if being in the B division is a good fit for the team. If not, we can apply to join the league A division.”
“It is very exciting,” stated Ms. Assinewai.
“This will be the sixth year I have been coaching,” said Ms. Lanktree. “I have coached in house league, Sudbury one year and now a local girls hockey team. When I was growing up I had to go to Sudbury many years to play hockey, then the Ice Angels team was created.”
“It is huge that we now have a Panthers ladies’ team,” said Ms. Lanktree. She pointed out tryouts for the team were held the last weekend in May, with players from Manitoulin, Espanola and Sudbury taking part. Ms. Lanktree will share the coaching duties with assistant coaches Scott Hughson and Sonya Stencell, while Marcie Hughson will be the team manager.
The team roster includes goalies Izzy Hughson and Ciera Sokolski, and players Aaliyah Osawamick, Hope Eshkibok, Gracie Gibson, Emery Watson, Abbie Heinz, Ali Laginski, Shaye Ominika, Zahara Dube, Tessa Prior, Ava Corbiere, Paungbiisohn Trudeau, Nelly Toulouse Abitong, Zaagaasge Toulouse, and Kara Peltier.
A new team logo is being designed and the logo and team jerseys will be revealed soon.
“We are all super excited; hopefully all goes well and the season will be a success and the team will be in place for many years into the future,” said Ms. Lanktree.
It is anticipated the team will play in the Northern Ontario league.
