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Midget AA tourney finds recipe for top-tier success

For years, organizers of sporting events in Sudbury have battled the geographic realities of being in Northern Ontario — the city's isolated by a four-hour drive from most of the province's top competition.
For years, organizers of sporting events in Sudbury have battled the geographic realities of being in Northern Ontario — the city's isolated by a four-hour drive from most of the province's top competition.

That challenge is even more acute for winter sports, with oft-treacherous driving conditions.

There really is no easy way around the argument that if southern athletes can find ample competition within an hour or two from home, why travel all the way up here?

Organizers of the Snowflake Challenge Girls Hockey Tournament (Feb. 13-15) have heard this argument more often than they would care to remember — and yet, here they are, bucking the trend in the midget AA division.

A six-team grouping that gathered five of the top six teams in the province would catch the attention of anyone who follows girls hockey on a provincial scale.

"Let's face it, one of these teams is probably going to go to nationals," said tournament organizer Mike McGaughey, referencing the prize that awaits the provincial champions come April.

Few who know the Ontario midget AA ranks would likely take issue with that statement. A coach with the Saugeen-Maitland Lightning for more than a decade, Joe Chaffe made his third mid-February trek to Sudbury just a few weeks ago.

"It's nice to have all the top-end teams, and have a chance to play against them," he said.

In a sense, there is very much a snowball effect at play. Attract a couple of top teams, and others have a greater inclination to attend.

The starting point, however, comes from the hometown crew.

"It helps that you have one of the best programs going in Sudbury," McGaughey said. "Long before I, or the current girls were involved, lots of others helped to put us on the map, so that people want to play Sudbury."

He said he hopes to continue the work of Tim Armstrong, who put the showcase together three years ago.

The teams who hit the ice in Sudbury were a who's who of MyHockeyRankings.com top midget AA teams in Ontario: Lady Wolves (#1), the Stoney Creek Sabres (#2), Oakville Hornets (#3), Saugeen-Maitland Lightning (#4), Clarington Flames (#6) and Whitby Wolves (#10).

The fact that the tournament is held roughly six weeks out from provincials provides even more appeal, with all of the contenders trying to fine-tune their game in order to peak at just the right time.

"I think it's good to see where everyone else stands, so that you know what you need to work on before provincials," said McGaughey.

A veteran of the tournament scene, Chaffe certainly did.

"Just to see our compete level against the top teams, and where we all shake out," he said. "And I think we're looking pretty good."

Another unique twist was the decision to skip semifinals or championship games in favour of a straight round robin — everyone heads home after their fifth game of the weekend.

"I think when you get to this level, people just want competition and good hockey," he said.

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