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By Nathan Stone,
Trident staff
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After coming within a game of winning a national championship last year, the Halifax Mariners women’s hockey team is preparing for another shot at the title. This year’s squad seeks to finish the job with the addition of new talent alongside established veterans.
One of those fresh faces is Sub-Lieutenant (SLt) Emma Baines, who has entered into a whirlwind of competitive hockey since joining the Halifax Mariners women’s team in January.
A lifelong hockey player, SLt Baines was convinced by friends to connect with the team. Now, just a couple of months later, she’s preparing to play in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) National Women’s Hockey Championship.
The tournament runs from March 21-27 at CFB Trenton. The Mariners will face teams from Quebec, Ontario, and Western Canada.
SLt Baines says despite joining the team late in the season, her new teammates quickly helped her feel comfortable and ready to play.
“It can be intimidating coming into a team halfway through, everybody already knows each other, they’ve already been playing together,” she said.
“But the girls have been nothing but welcoming and super friendly. They have really just embraced me into the team.”
She’s been playing defense for the Mariners in the highly competitive Nova Scotia Women’s Hockey League (NSWHL) Division A. The Mariners log plenty of ice time, including two practices and one or two games per week. SLt Baines says the busy schedule keeps the players’ skills sharp and helps them bond.
In February, they won the CAF Atlantic Regional Hockey Championship after facing a combined team from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown and 14 Wing Greenwood.
The regional tournament was organized as a best-of-three format. The Mariners won two in a row to take the championship, but the wins didn’t come easy.
“They had us on our toes,” added SLt Baines.
Lieutenant (Lt) Megan Kelly, this year’s Mariners team captain, says “the regional championship really allowed us to identify our weaker points and gave us something to work towards during the lead up to nationals.”
She described a “strong culture of teamwork,” that keeps them focused on the tournament ahead.
Following regionals, the Mariners invited several players off the combined Gagetown and Greenwood team to join them for nationals, along with a call-up from the Kraken, the CFB Halifax women’s developmental team.
The team will fly to CFB Trenton for the national tournament on March 21. In the meantime, they’re focused on upcoming NSWHL games. Last year the Mariners took home silver after falling to Valcartier in the final. They are looking to avenge that loss.
“Although we were proud to bring home the regional championship, I think there was a collective consensus among the team that our job isn’t yet done,” says Lt Kelly.
While in Ontario, the team aims to watch some hockey when they’re not on the ice themselves. They’re planning to visit Ottawa to take in a Professional Women’s Hockey League game and a CAF Hockey All-star game.
Lt Kelly says that this year’s Mariners team is highly skilled and motivated.
“I have had the absolute privilege to play beside some very talented hockey players this season. Each person on the team holds a lot of pride every time they wear the Mariners jersey. The team has been successful in past years at Nationals, coming just short of gold last year against Valcartier. Our team is poised and determined to ensure whoever we compete against is forced to bring their best. It should be a good tournament.”
