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| The Wild Academy Under 16s in action against Aberdeen at the Kilmarnock tournament (Photo by Karin Gilmore / KJIHC) |
The Widnes Wild Academy Under 12 and Under 16 teams travelled north of the border at the weekend to take part in the annual Ensign Ewart Tournament that was staged by Kilmarnock Junior Ice Hockey club.
The Wild Academy have forged links with the Kilmarnock club this season which has brought benefits for both sides in terms of training and playing opportunities, and the invitation to take part in the tournament for the first time was an extension of this arrangement.
The Widnes players travelled up to Scotland on Friday and were able to join in some training sessions with the local players before the tournament got under way on Saturday.
The Under 16s team had quite a tough time in their group matches, losing to Kirkcaldy 0-3, Aberdeen 2-3, North Ayrshire 1-4 and Kilmarnock 0-4, meaning that they finished bottom of the table.
The Under 12s fared better, beating Murrayfield 5-3 and North Ayrshire 5-0 to qualify for the semi final. They played against Aberdeen for a place in the final but conceded two goals early on and, despite mounting a late fightback, eventually lost out 2-1.
The Wild Academy are looking to recruit new players for the 2024/2025 season across all age groups from Under 10 to Under 18 and have been holding a series of welcome sessions at the Planet Ice rink during May and June.
Separate “Learn To Play” sessions are also available for anybody new who would like to take up the sport. For more information, contact Academy Head Coach mike.gilbert@wildacademy.co.uk
