The Richmond Devils senior "A" women's hockey team will be hosting its second annual charity game Sunday, April 1 in the memory of a former coach.
It was in February of last year when Samantha Wong lost her battle with lupus.
Wong was a long-time player and advocate for female ice hockey. She played through the minor hockey system and eventually the Vancouver Griffins of the National Women's Hockey League. She also assisted in developing female hockey in Hong Kong, where the sport is still relatively unknown. In addition, Wong was selected by VANOC for the 2010 Winter Olympics as the team host for the women's China ice hockey team.
In September 2010, her evident passion for hockey led her to take on the role as one of the coaches for the Richmond Devils Senior A team. Dav Szeto, the Devils head coach, remembers Wong as a key member of the coaching group and instrumental in helping the team set the coaching direction and player selection in the club's inaugural year.
"Her professionalism and dedication to the team will be missed, but for each one of us at RDHC, we will always carry a piece of her in our hearts forever," he said. "She was a very positive influence to me and the team and the energy she put into the team will be carried through the players and we are all much better for that."
The Devils will be playing the Richmond Ravens Midget AA team, coached by AJ Sander. The game will take place at Minoru Arena with the puck dropping at 5 p.m. All funds raised will be donated to B.C. Lupus Society.
This includes the contribution of the referees' fees and the proceeds from the 50/50 and raffle draws.
Individuals interested in participating in this event can contact Pat Korenic, registrar of the Richmond Devils Hockey Club at (604) 275-1968 or email [email protected] or visit www.richmonddevilshockey.com.
Icing...
The Devils enjoyed an impressive regular season in the South Coast Female Hockey League's "A" Division, finishing with a 9-5 record. They will face the Kamloops Vibe for the provincial championship, March 24-25 at Logan Lake.
