Teammates and Friends
B Y S C O T T TAY L O R
Photos by Ray Peters
MORDEN – Kaila Powell and
Makenzie McCallum are not
only teammates but friends.
And it just happens that they
also have a lot in common.
Both play for the Manitoba
Female Midget Hockey
League’s Pembina Valley
Hawks, both have older
brothers they look up to
and admire, both are leaders
on one of the best teams in
the province and soon, both
are Grade 11 students in
Morden and both will play
for head coach Dale Bear
at the National Aboriginal
Hockey Championship.
And while Powell is going
back to the NAHC as a
member of the defending gold
medalists from Manitoba,
McCallum will play for the
first time – thanks to Powell.
“Kaila Powell, one of my best
friends on the Hawks, told me
about it,” said McCallum. “She
said it’s a great experience and
I should take advantage of my
Metis card. So I talked to Dale
Bear and now I’m going.”
While Bear was thrilled to
have Powell on the team last
year – she was named Player of
the Game in one of the playoff
games at the NAHC last year
in Cowichan Valley, B.C. – he is
even more excited to have both
of them together this year.
Ask the coach to provide
a scouting report of the two
Hawks, and you’ll get quite
a glowing assessment.
“Makenzie is a complete
200-foot player who works
hard every shift,” said
Bear. “Her speed, shot and
playmaking abilities make
her a threat against any team.
Makenzie’s hard work and
scoring ability definitely shows
in the MFMHL scoring list. She
is leading the league in goals
and she’s second in points.
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