MANITOBA WOMEN’S JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
more years in the league, Esquivel will only
be back if Hockey Manitoba accepts a tempo-
rary proposal to add a fifth-year to a player’s
career. Regardless, the Western Predators
star had a terrific season.
“I think I had a big year, mainly because I
was the oldest in my draft year,” she said. “All
the girls I started with were gone so I was
the oldest on the team. My coach gave me
the C which, of course, indicates leadership
of the team and we had 10 rookies join our
team this year. So me, along with the other
captains and other vets really had to step
up and lead the way because the new girls
hadn’t played this type of hockey before.
It was mainly just having to take that lead-
ership role and push myself to be a better
player.
“We didn’t have the greatest season. We
were about .500, but we really came togeth-
er as a team this year.”
While Anderson is training to become an
athletic therapist, Esquivel, a U of W Kinesi-
ology student, wants to be a teacher.
“Yeah, I want to be a Phys Ed teacher,” she
said. “My mom’s the vice-principal at Laval-
lee School so I hang out there with the kids
and while growing up, gym was my favourite
class. I grew up in gym and the last few years
I’ve been coaching at hockey camps. Being
with kids, playing games with them, that’s
I started playing hockey
because both my brothers played
and they kind of got me into it.
I started playing in Warren and
I started going to the rink when
I was about four
HOPE ANDERSON
110 GAME ON
2017 CHAMPIONS EDITION
when I’m happiest. I love it and that’s where I
want to be. That’s the end goal.”
While it was a superb year for both Esquiv-
el and Anderson, it was also a terrific season
for the MWJHL. League president Kirk Kup-
pers could not be happier.
“It’s been a year of growth and change and
has been successful in a lot of ways,” Kup-
pers said. “The girls are loving the opportu-
nity.”
The league celebrated its 13th season in