Hockey girls to take over arena

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For about eight hours on Saturday, Nov. 2, the girls will be dominating the ice at Uxbridge arena as the North Durham Blades stage a series of games on Blades Day.

Submitted photo

All teams, from the Under 9s to the Under 18s, will be taking part in the event, designed to increase awareness and support for girls hockey. The Under 9s will play on a half-rink surface, with periods of 10 minutes, 10 minutes and 12 minutes.

The day will start at 10:45 a.m., with the last game scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m. MVPs for each team will be named after every game.

Brandy Wotten, a member of the Blades committee, said "girls hockey is gaining momentum." The North Durham Blades, with teams accommodating girls from age six to 18, have grown from a handful of players to over 100, including a number of Uxbridge skaters.

Wotten said admission to the day-long event will be free and there will be fan give-aways and a silent auction.

"We want to try and pack the rink," she said.