Pair of Sharks represent Sask at the National Ball Hockey Championships

Aug 17, 2026 | 5:37 PM

Two players from the Battlefords Sharks swapped skates for running shoes earlier last week.

Sarah McNabb and former Shark Ayden Kehrig were in Calgary for the national ball hockey championships with the Saskatchewan Sabers. The Sabers fell 2-1 to Newfoundland United in the quarterfinals, but it was still a valuable experience for McNabb and Kehrig.

“It was a really awesome experience. The first two games we played Newfoundland and B.C., which are two of the top teams there, so it was hard,” McNabb said. “It’s awesome to play a different version of hockey. It gets my fitness so much better and my stickhandling.”

McNabb said stickhandling translates most effectively from ball hockey to ice hockey. She said controlling a ball is more difficult than controlling a puck, and that challenge helps when players lace up their skates again.

“Most people don’t realize how hard it is to stickhandle a ball. It’s much harder than a puck. So then, eventually, when you get better at stickhandling a ball, it’ll be so easy when you go back to ice hockey.”

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For Kehrig, the conditioning from ball hockey is what helps the game on the ice the most.

“Got to work hard every shift and keep them short so that you’re fresh and can keep going because the games are very hard on your body.”

“It’s definitely a good way to get summer conditioning in, for sure.”

Both players said the Sabers are a young squad, adding motivation to make the team again next year and advance further at nationals with more chemistry.

“It’s really fun, and I had a really good time. I find every year I’ve already learned and grown so much from it, and I’m excited to keep going and keep playing with all the girls and hopefully we get a good run next year,” Kehrig said.

After nationals, Kehrig will return to the ice with Mount Royal University for the 2026-27, while McNabb will be back with the Sharks.

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ryan.lambert@pattisonmedia.com

by Ryan Lambert

Pair of Sharks represent Sask at the National Ball Hockey Championships

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