Four ringette players from Lacombe will be joining the Ringette Senior National Team for the 2019 World Ringette Championships.
Gillian Dreger, Dailyn Bell, Jamie Bell, Melissa Misutka were all selected to compete on the biggest stage from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 in Burnaby, B.C.
Dailyn Bell, one of the athletes selected, said she is thrilled to put on the maple leaf and respresent her country.
“I am so proud of all the Central Alberta girls for putting in all the years of time, effort and hard work. It has paid off. Playing along side my sister and living our dream together will always bring tears to my eyes,” she said.
The 22 athletes named were selected following a selection camp that was held in Edmonton, Alberta from July 25-28.
Dailyn said she has been thinking of playing for Canada since she started playing ringette when she was six years old.
“Since first making it in 2013 the program has continued to evolve cycle after cycle and I am so happy and honoured to be a part of it,” she said.
Barb Bautista, coach of the national team, is ready to take on the world with this roster
“We have an incredible group of athletes that are game changers, who complement each other on and off the ice and who individually have the passion and desire to be better at every opportunity,” said Bautista.
The following are the 22 athletes who will represent Canada on the senior national team:
- Brea Beck – Red Deer, AB
- Dailyn Bell – Lacombe, AB
- Jamie Bell – Lacombe, AB
- Allison Biewald – Ottawa, ON
- Shaundra Bruvall – Calgary, AB
- Amy Clarkson – St. Andrews, MB
- Annie Debaji – Edmonton, AB
- Gillian Dreger – Lacombe, AB
- Chantal Gauthier – Pickering, ON
- Erika Kiviaho – Whitefish, ON
- Paige Lanteigne (Nosal) – St. Clements, ON
- Laurence Larocque – Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, QC
- Jasmine LeBlanc – Dieppe, NB
- Erin Markle – Waterloo, ON
- Melissa Misutka – Lacombe, AB
- Jenny Snowdon – Moncton, NB
- Chantal St-Laurent – Charlesbourg, QC
- Laurie St-Pierre – Boucherville, QC
- Rachel Ung – Calgary, AB
- Christianne Varty – Calgary, AB
- Erica Voss – Toronto, ON
- Kaitlyn Youldon – Nepean, ON
Dailyn is excited to wear the red and white with so many central Albertans.
“These girls have worked and dedicated so many hours to this sport, they deserve this. Our hometown is small and this highlights the amazing associations and coaches that have helped lead us to these moments,” she said.
Barb Bautista (Ottawa, ON) leads the senior national team as head coach, along with assistant coaches Carly Ross (Edmonton, AB), Alexis Snowdon (Edmonton, AB), Sharolyn Wouters (Port Perry, ON) and Keely Brown (Kitchener, ON). Carl Nienhuis (Chilliwack, BC) is the team’s mental performance consultant, Connie Klassen (Victoria, BC) is the head athletic therapist and Jocelyn MacLeod (Winnipeg, MB) is the team manager.
Dailyn said the expectation for this team is to take home the gold.
”We have a youthful roster full of talent and chemistry. Our bench staff is full of experience. We have been hungry for that gold for too many years,” she said.
-With Files from Ringette Canada
