“This was the moment in time where word finally got out and I was flooded with all of these females from other teams wanting to play,” Ball said. “You basically come from your home warrior team and choose to be rostered with us to play a tournament. We really want to play with other females and we already decided that we’re doing the Warrior Classic every year. We’re already talking about St. Louis next year.”
A total of 35 teams participated in this year’s Warrior Classic, representing 12 states. Ball and her teammates met one another for the first time at the event, and had about an hour of practice before playing their first game. The tournament featured a round-robin format for the preliminary round and then the teams were divided into eight different playoff divisions.
“I’m a firm believer in what the warrior division is all about,” Ball said. “And the more teams you have, the more opportunities you have to meet new people and play different teams. It’s a really great program.”
It’s not just the on-ice component that excites Ball; the long-lasting friendships and memories that are made off the ice are a huge part of the experience.
“I’ve never had as much fun playing as I have with the warriors,” Ball said. “There’s something about it that’s just amazing.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
