Sharks broadcasts bring female hockey to Q98

Growing interest in women’s hockey, combined with the Sharks’ success, helped bring the conversation back.

“The Sharks have had their own success, which got us thinking maybe the support is there now, maybe now we can recognize females in hockey the way we recognize males in hockey,” Whyte said.

Sponsor support has made the four broadcasts possible, according to Pattison Media station manager Mike Aimoe.

“North Stars broadcasts have been a big part of our local sports coverage, and we’re excited to give fans a chance to follow the Sharks on the radio too,” Aimoe said.

“These players have given our community plenty to cheer about, and thanks to our sponsors, we can help bring their games to a wider audience.”

The inaugural broadcasts are supported by nine local sponsors: Ultra Print, All Out Graphics, Crackmasters, Valley Ford, Century 21 Prairie Elite, WPD Ambulance, Travel More with Les, Comfort Inn & Suites and Synergy Prints.

For Sharks head coach and general manager Nolan Horbach, the opportunity reflects the work of players who helped rebuild the program and those now carrying it forward.

“It’s a huge thing for, obviously, the organization, but for female hockey and all the future Sharks in the area,” Horbach said.

“I want them to be proud of what they do and hopefully that kind of helps push us forward even more.”

The Sharks’ turnaround began with a fresh start in 2023, when the organization reopened every roster spot and invited existing players to try out. Just one returning Shark remained on the team that emerged.

That group went 12-18 in the 2023-24 regular season, setting what was then a franchise record for wins. The following season, the Sharks improved to 25-5, finished first in the league for the first time and came within one game of winning the league final.

Last season brought a 28-2 regular-season record and the team’s first Fedoruk Cup. But Horbach said some of the program’s most meaningful accomplishments have come through the opportunities players have received after leaving the Sharks.

Every graduating player who had spent her third year with the team has gone on to college or university hockey in Canada or the United States, he said.

His approach centres on supporting players’ development both on and off the ice, with clear expectations and an environment where they can be themselves.

“Everything we do on and off the ice has a purpose,” he said. “We hold each other accountable in a respectful way.”

Players have taken ownership of those expectations, helping establish a standard that carries from one roster to the next.

That continuity has mattered this season, with 11 players departing from last year’s team. Despite the turnover, the Sharks reached the final of the Calgary Firestarter showcase and opened their league schedule undefeated.

As the team has grown, so has its following.

Horbach said he began noticing a shift during the playoffs in the first season of the rebuild. Fans were arriving before warm-ups, businesses were offering support and players could feel the excitement building.

“We haven’t taken a step back and the community has done nothing but step up and support us with everything we do,” he said.

That support has included people attending female hockey games for the first time, along with families excited about what the Sharks could mean for their own daughters.

Whyte said the broadcasts offer another way for young players to see female athletes recognized in their community.

“It’s opening the door wider for female athletes, female hockey, and the next generation of girls who deserve to see themselves represented in sports,” she said.

The initiative also builds on Pattison Media’s involvement in women’s hockey through huskieFAN and its coverage of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

For those tuning in to the Sharks for the first time, Horbach said to expect a team that uses its speed and skill to create opportunities throughout the ice.

“We don’t like to sit back,” he said.

Q98’s first broadcast will feature the Sharks visiting the Saskatoon Stars on Nov. 3, followed by another game in Saskatoon on Dec. 1.

North Stars play-by-play announcer Ryan Lambert will lend his voice and expertise to the Sharks broadcasts, which will continue with road games against the Prince Albert Raiders Northern Bears on Jan. 13 and Feb. 2.

—

cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

by battlefordsNOW staff

Sharks broadcasts bring female hockey to Q98

What's Trending