Expect the Battlefords AAA Sharks defence to be strong for the 2012-13 season, or at least that was the indication from tryout camp.
The Sharks held their annual camp on the weekend in preparation of Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League season.
The Sharks had seven defencemen, 10 forwards and three goalies suit up for the black and white game. Britt Penner and her coaching staff expect the roster will have several changes once the season begins. A handful of the players in the black and white game had no intentions of playing with the AAA Sharks this season. Two others, who were at the camp earlier on the weekend, suffered food poisoning and were forced to miss the game Sunday. The Sharks also have some players they fully expect to have on their roster who were not able to attend the camp.
In the black and white game, team black skated away with the win as Malory Roy, a veteran forward, who was converted to defence for the camp, and Jetta Derenoski, an affiliated player from last year's roster, provided most of the offence.
Along with Roy, other familiar faces at camp on defence were returning players Taylor Durocher and Rachel Trach and 2011-12 affiliates Taylor Cave, Jostin Oborwsky and Brook Forbes, who all played with the Battlefords Midget A Sharks last season.
Noticeably absent from camp was the Sharks' leading scorer from the past two seasons - Delaney Ross. Ross played for two seasons with the AAA Sharks and turns 15 in September.
The Sharks played with just 10 regulars most of the season last year and graduated five of those skaters.
Penner said there were a few good surprises at camp, as she and her staff and the Battlefords Female Hockey Association board look to build some momentum with the program and move in a positive direction for Sharks hockey. Penner will behind the bench in her first full season as head coach after moving from assistant to head coach halfway through the season.
The Sharks will face the Prince Albert Bears in exhibition action Sunday in Prince Albert.
