TISDALE, NIPAWIN, CARROT RIVER — Three area products have earned the opportunity to play at the highest level of U18 AAA hockey in the province.
Tisdale’s Erin Kirkland, 17, is in her third and final season with the Prince Albert Northern Bears of the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League. Also in the league are Carrot River’s Taylor Enns, 16, and Nipawin’s Maci Nowosad, 15. Both are in their first seasons competing for the Battlefords Sharks.
“I have liked getting to play against the best players in Saskatchewan. I have been lucky enough to play in four different cities in the past five years, so I have been able to meet a lot of great people and made lifelong friends,” said Nowosad, whose hockey journey has also included time in Nipawin, Tisdale, and Prince Albert the past few years.
The players are pleased to be back on the ice. The COVID-19 pandemic severely shorted the competitive 2020-21 season to a handful of games.
“I have appreciated the opportunity to work on all aspects of my game as well as the opportunity to become a better person on and off the ice,” Enns said of playing for the Sharks.
In her three seasons in the province’s top female U18 league, Kirkland has competed in many games. However, she said the most memorable part of AAA hockey is the friendships made.
“I made many new and great friendships in Prince Albert,” she said. “I had tons of great memories with my team, and I am really going to miss the girls. Also, the staff, coaches and our trainer Christina [Vis], she helps a lot and puts a lot into the team.”
Taylor Enns
A goaltender, Enns played U18 AA hockey last season for the Notre Dame Hounds. She has had fun this winter with the Sharks. “I have enjoyed the atmosphere of the team and the ability to play a higher level of hockey with strong coaching,” the daughter of Marcel and Charlene Enns said.
This season she has a 3.97 goals against average and a .889 save percentage. In November, Enns posted her first shutout in the league as he backstopped her squad to a 1-0 victory over the Weyburn Gold Wings.
“Taylor is confident in net, she moves well, anticipates the play, and really is a well-rounded goaltender,” Sharks head coach Ricci Girolami said. “With our two goalies we find ourselves in a great position where we can rely on each of them to make our team better no matter the game or the opponent. Taylor brings strength to the team and our team plays hard in front of her.”
Erin Kirkland
The daughter of Sherrie and Brad Kirkland has been an important contributor up front this season for the Northern Bears. As of Sunday, the power forward was third on the team in points with 16 and goals with eight in 22 games.
“She plays a rough, tough game and gets pucks to the net,” said Prince Albert head coach Steve Young. “She is someone who is very valuable to us on the ice and she also wears a letter as an assistant captain. She demonstrates leadership.”
Kirkland is definitely a leader on and off the ice for the team.
“Off the ice, Erin is the type of player that every team needs,” Young said. “She has the ability to make people feel good about what they’re doing. She’s the type of girl that she can sing, she can dance, she can jump, she can do anything and the players seem to gravitate around her and her energy off the ice.”
A standout athlete, Kirkland’s sporting future lies on the softball diamond. She is committed to playing for the Iowa Western Community College Reivers. At the Council Bluffs, Iowa school she plans to study sociology with the goal of becoming a police officer in the future.
Maci Nowosad
Playing with the Sharks at the AAA level has meant the daughter of Ryan and Kari Nowosad has had to make various adjustments on and off the ice.
“I had to adjust moving away from home at 14, and going to a new school,” she said. “As well, the speed at the AAA level is very fast so I have had to adjust to the speed.”
Playing defence, Nowosad has recorded a goal through 26 games this season.
“For the youngest member of the team, we are excited to see her grow into a team leader for our program,” Girolami said. “Maci plays with confidence, is calm with the puck and sees the ice very well. We predict that in her third year, Maci will be one of the top prospects in the league.”
