Nakama and South Green crowned Alberta Challenge champions

By Lethbridge Herald on May 10, 2023.

LIISA NAKAMA PHOTO Kat Nakama won the Alberta Challenge with the South Green team last weekend.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The 2023 Alberta Challenge hockey tournament may be one for the memory books for local defenceman Kat Nakama.

Nakama was not only a part of the tournament-winning team South Green, but she also scored the only goal in Sunday’s final to preserve the 1-0 victory over the North Yellow team in Red Deer.

“I think it was very much like a reward,” said Nakama.

“Super surreal (and) just like a great experience all around. So it was good to win.”

Nakama said it was just crazy, when asked about the final game.

“I think we all played really hard and we all deserved it,” she said.

She thought the team communicated a lot, passes were good, low shots in front of the net and traffic towards the net was good.

“I think we were all just playing together as a team and not trying to do it by ourselves,” said Nakama.

Nakama said it’s a great opportunity to go and show yourself, and show your skill and meet new people.

“The coaches there are amazing,” she said.

“They do a lot for the girls.”

The most important thing she’ll take from the tournament is trusting herself a lot more on the ice.

She was the lone U15AA Southern Express player on South Green.

“I think it just got me to get out my shell a little bit more (and) just be more out there,” said Nakama.

“I’m usually quite a shy person when I don’t know anyone. But as soon as like I start to get to know people, I definitely get out of my shell. So it was a really good experience to not know a lot of people and then come out with really great friends and that I still talk to.”

Nakama had two goals in five games in the tournament.

South Green went 3-1-0-1 on route to the championship.

Nakama’s Express teammates from Lethbridge, Jaylee Skog and Mayson Mattersdorfer, placed third with South White after an 11-1 win over teammate Brooke Dyck from Coaldale and South Black in the third/fourth place game.

Mattersdorfer had an assist in five games, Skog had two assists and Dyck had a goal in five games.

The Alberta Challenge is a core program for female development and allows for players to coaches and referees the chance to discover the great qualities of competitive hockey.

The tournament ran May 4-7.

The tournament also allows for evaluating, identifying and preparation for the Team Alberta program through Hockey Alberta.