YORKTON — Female Hockey Weekend is upcoming in Yorkton with three university games as the highlight.
But organizing committee member Derek Serdachny said the three-day event is more than the hockey.
“The big thing is to encourage girls to play hockey,” he told Yorkton This Week.
To that end 130 girls across hockey divisions from U7 to U18 have registered to participate over the three days. A number up some 30 from 2024 which Serdachny said is encouraging to see.
The regional youth participants will have dryland and on-ice sessions with university players, to help hone hockey skills, and also have off ice connections with players, all to build interest in participation in the sport.
“It’s an opportunity to not only get better (as a player), but to learn about the joy of the game,” he said.
Serdachny said creating connections between the youth participants and university players has benefits for the university players too. He said when you play at a high level you can forget the joy of the sport you once felt, and that is what the youth can rekindle – “to build that fun atmosphere”.
Of course it will be an opportunity to see some high level university hockey with the universities of Saskatchewan, Regina and Brandon sending teams which will play three games – Sept. 13 at 7 p.m., Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m. and Sept. 15 at 1 p.m.
Serdachny said with the Professional Women’s Hockey League now in place “some of these players will be playing professional hockey when they’re done university,” which speaks to the level of play which will be on display.
As the father of a young female player Serdachny said the PWHL is huge. It allows young players to aspire to something much bigger.
“They can look at hockey and see a future,” he said.
Tickets for the public are only $5 and proceeds will go to future programming for female hockey, said Serdachny. He added the event would not have been possible without a number of sponsors the three major ones being City of Yorkton, Cornerstone Credit Union, and Royal Ford.
Other sponsors include; Meal Sponsor is Yorkton Concrete, Hockey Camp Sponsor Soak Zone Auto Spa, Ref Sponsor is SHP Hockey, Richardson Pioneer, Zapshalla/Rusnak, Guaranteed 50/50- Source Embroidery and Stoney Creek Ag, and Jersey Sponsor Hometown Source for Sports.
The Female University Hockey Weekend committee consists of Derek and Brittany Serdachny, Lana Popowich, Olivia Dereniwsky, Shanley Allard, Nicole Korpusik, and Cara Vandane.
