BALMORAL HALL BLAZERS
sibilities around the house that they maintain throughout the season. Megan has two cows named Mike and Ika that she takes care of and then Corinne is charge of the chickens. So they have regular hockey-teenage life on top of their responsibilities on the family farm.“ But they never skip a beat,” Zacharias continued.“ Both of them have the highest grade point averages on our team. They are two of the most elite athletes right across the board. They’ re the fastest athletes on the team and they shut down the rest of our team in the weight room. Little Schroeds can do 14 chin ups. They are incredible athletes.” And they’ re pretty good hockey players, too. Corinne, the Grade 12 student, is also a member of Canada’ s National Women’ s U-18 team and development program. She attended the 2016 IIHF Women’ s High Performance Camp in Vierumäki, Finland and her future with the national team is bright. This season, she played 13 JWHL games and went 4-4-5 with a 2.78 goals against average and a. 922 save percentage.“ I became a goaltender when I was around 11 or 12,” said Corinne, who handles every question with a determined pause.“ I just found that’ s where I fit. I wasn’ t afraid of the puck.” She’ ll take a big step next season as she leaves the family farm in Elm Creek and moves to Boston to play with the highly-regarded Boston U. Terriers.“ Yeah, I’ m really excited,” she said.“ It’ s a long way from Elm Creek to Boston. It’ ll be a change, but it’ ll be pretty exciting, I think. I’ ve visited and I really like it. I’ ve talked to the coaches and I expect to go in there and work really hard to get better and to work my way up. Maybe not, first year, but second year definitely, I should be able to play at that level.” Megan will be back with the Blazers next year after a solid rookie season in 2016-17. She finished the JWHL campaign with 12 starts and a record of 6-3-2. She had a save percentage of. 884 and a goals against average of 3.29. At BH, she has a bright future. She started playing hockey at five, but didn’ t become a full-time goalie until her first year of Atom.“ It’ s an amazing story, but Little Schroeds has had two surgeries on her hips,” said Zacharias.“ The rotator on her hips had to be shaved down so she was out for her entire Grade 9 season. She didn’ t lace up the pads once. She had two hip surgeries and still made a full recovery, knowing that we were committed to her even though she didn’ t play her whole Grade 9 season. We stayed committed, of course, because we knew she had so much potential. It was a bit of a risk, but looking back at the end of this season now, we’ re glad we took that risk. She exceeded our expectations.” In the meantime, with the off-season coming, it will be back to the farm and a summer of chores. Or maybe not.“ We have 2,000 acres of grain and some laying hens,” said Rob.“ They( Corinne and Megan) don’ t do their chores too often. They should do more of that. Corinne doesn’ t have time. She gets home and does her homework. Corinne does a little bit in the summer time. She’ s often driving the combine when we’ re busy. Megan has two cows, Mike and Ika. I think they’ re just real big pets, not farm animals. They’ re fun but they’ re frustrating.” It’ s interesting, but as Corinne( who will enroll in the rehabilitation science program at Boston U.), prepares to go away to university, her younger sister admits that Big Schroeds will be missed.“ She( Corinne) might not realize this, but I’ ve found it really helpful to have her on the team,” said Megan.“ She’ s always there to help me out when I’ m not sure I’ m doing something right. Or if I’ m struggling a little bit, she’ s there and she’ s someone I can look up to. I know that if I work really hard, I can make it to where she is now.“ She has much more of an influence on me than I do on her and while she might not know it, it’ s been great having her around this season. I’ ll miss her.” n
Balmoral Hall Blazers head coach Gerry Wilson assesses the skills and character of the Schroeder sisters:
Wilson talks about Corinne Schroeder:
“ Corrine is a big Strong Goaltender that plays an NHL-style game. She uses her size very well and has learned when to be aggressive. She’ s technically strong and very quick and has been a force in the JWHL for two years now. Corrine really developed into an elite goaltender at the midway point of last season. Since then she has been selected to both Team Manitoba and Team Canada. Corrine is a true student athlete in every sense of the term. She’ s very strong academically as well being a gifted athlete.”
Wilson talks about Megan Schroeder:
“ It can be tough playing goal in big sister’ s shadow but Megan is living up to the challenge. A young talented and very athletic goaltender, she faced some very high pressure games this year and performed remarkably well. Megan’ s work ethic, attitude and strength of character will ensure a bright future. Megan is also an excellent student which will make her an even more attractive player to college scouts.”
132 GAME ON 2017 PLAYOFF EDITION