By Mia Ines

As the Lancer women's hockey team looks forward to their upcoming December tournament out west later this month where they will face University of New Brunswick Reds (Dec. 29), University of Alberta Pandas (Dec. 30), and the MacEwan University Griffins (Dec. 31), the tournament also unravels the comradery between the teams' coaches. Lancers head coach Deanna Iwanicka most of all is looking forward to seeing quite a few familiar faces.
 
Iwanicka (former 2008-2018 Northern Alberta Institute of Technology head coach), Lindsay McAlpine (former 2010-2022 MacEwan head coach), Chris Leeming (current MacEwan head coach, former Olds College head coach, and former Lancer assistant coach), and Sarah Hilworth (former head coach of Olds College, and former assistant coach at U of A) went from coaching against each other in the Albert Colleges Athletic Conference. And now through the rivalry of the teams, their shared connections and the game of hockey is what bonds them together again.
 
Iwanicka and former head coach of the MacEwan Griffins women's hockey team Lindsay McAlpine played alongside one another from the age of 13 through to the end of minor hockey, and then at the University of Alberta while both were studying Education. Now as MacEwan's first full-time Associate Director of Athletics, McAlpine is excited for the opportunity to complete against both Windsor and UNB and witness the storied comradery between the coaches.
 
Flashback to the early mid 2000's, Sarah Hilworth and Coach Iwanicka were both part of the University of Alberta Panda's team under head coach Howie Draper. Although in different recruiting classes, Hilworth and Iwanicka don't fall short of sharing similar and unique experiences that have influenced and shaped their coaching careers.
 
Much like any student-athlete, a coaches' influence can be quite impactful in an individual's short varsity athletic career and happened to be something Coach Draper stumbled upon. And luckily for Sarah and Deanna, he made a mark in their understanding of how they can positively influence those around them into their coaching career. Through his years of experience, Howie Draper has accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments including being named a four-time U SPORTS coach of the year and achievement of 13 Canada West titles with the Panda's, and eight national championships, the leading record in U SPORTS women's hockey. 
 
Sarah explains, "Howie coming into my life was one of the best things that could have happened. He has taught me about life and about being a good person. He taught me to be more than just a good hockey player. He was able to transform my game where I had confidence to become a strong player in the program, but he allowed me the opportunity in a safe environment to grow into the person I wanted to become. Howie was always there for me and continues to be – I will be forever grateful for his friendship."
 
"He allowed us to keep our passion for the game, yet perform at our best," Coach Iwanicka praised. "I was fortunate to coach U18 Team Alberta with him in 2008, which allowed me to see the behind the scenes coach. My respect for him grew immensely from that experience and he has been a mentor for me ever since."
 
Away from the attention of hockey fans during games, Coach Draper is not only seen as a coach behind the bench but a mentor to his current and previous athletes behind the scenes. Much like the impact that Coach Hilworth and Coach Iwanicka have had from his ability to connect with athletes on a deeper level, Draper emphasizes their understanding of the game and desire for more information to become better players on and off the ice is not surprising to see them move on to become coaches themselves.
 
"Both Sarah and Deanna were great players," Coach Draper stated. "Deanna upheld a hardworking, gritty, and pride in work ethic that made a significant impact on the ice and Sarah displayed a strong ability to play offensively."
 
When asked about any lessons he could offer, Draper explained how important it is to care about athletes as people and embody humility which he learned from coaching influence, Clare Drake's style of leadership. "The ability to recognize your own limitations and not be afraid to bring people in to help build the program and make it the best are characteristics the most successful ones can do, and the rest becomes easy," Draper discussed. "Sarah and Deanna both display these qualities."
 
Seeing the continued evolution of the coaching profession brings to mind former 2014-2017 Lancer women's hockey assistant coach Chris Leeming who now serves as head coach of the MacEwan Griffins as he explains the opportunity to go head-to-head against the team he began coaching with.
 
"Ultimately, I think that speaks to the fact that the hockey community is one that is strongly interconnected across our country," explains Leeming. "It is something unique to experience as not everyone is presented with an opportunity to face off against the team from back home."
 
Across all coaches, the interrelatedness of each their perspectives to hockey and core beliefs are greatly similar. The appreciation for being part of something bigger than yourself and strive for growth are values each coach has expressed to their own athletes. Or in Coach Iwanicka's own words, "it (the game of hockey) is simply the vehicle to learning and teaching real life stuff."
 
As the blue and gold prepare to play back-to-back games, head coach Iwanicka highlights the importance of the experience when it comes to competing in a national championship and the vision to build a championship program at the University of Windsor.
 
With lots of excitement to see how the Lancers match up against teams from other U SPORTS conferences, Iwanicka explains, "by playing top 10 U SPORTS teams like UNB and Alberta, this opportunity aligns with providing champion student-athlete experiences and sustainable team results at the highest level."