Duhaime had a tough season
May 12, 2010 - Regina Leader-Post
By Ian Hamilton
Crystal Duhaime hopes her first season with the University of Regina Cougars goes better than her last season with the Notre Dame Hounds.
Duhaime, one of four players who have agreed to join the U of R women's hockey team starting in the 2010-11 Canada West season, is coming off a 2009-10 campaign with the midget AAA Hounds that was derailed by a battle with H1N1.
"It affected three people on our hockey team, and I had it the worst," the 17-year-old product of Geraldton, Ont., recalled Tuesday. "I wasn't back on my feet playing hockey for probably 21/2 months ...
"It really affected my respiratory system. I had problems breathing from before (due to asthma, which was diagnosed in March), too. I was really tired and I didn't have much of an appetite. They say it's like the regular flu, but I thought it was much worse. I've never felt like that before."
As she regained her health, Duhaime had to regain her conditioning. The 5-foot-2 forward had to do a lot of off-ice training before returning to practice, and then a lot of practising before returning to the Hounds' lineup in mid-February.
"It wasn't easy sitting and watching the team play," said Duhaime, who was the Hounds' captain. "But that's part of Notre Dame: Struggle and emerge. I just took it day by day."
After returning, Duhaime helped the Hounds capture the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League crown. Notre Dame then played in the Esso Cup national championship tournament and won a silver medal.
As her Grade 12 season slipped by, Duhaime was concerned her bout with H1N1 had hurt her chance of attracting attention from university teams.
"I really thought it was gone," she admitted. "I missed out on two major tournaments Notre Dame had played in (one in Minnesota and one in Wilcox) and that really affected my scouting. Thankfully, the U of R saw me at the Esso Cup, so it all worked out for me."
"She's sound at both ends of the ice," noted Cougars head coach Sarah Howald. "She's a good team player, which is something you don't always get with kids coming out of midget."
Joining Duhaime in the Cougars' recruiting class are forward Chantel Hildebrand and defencemen Laura Olsen and Triston Riemer.
Hildebrand, who hails from Gouldtown, is a product of the SFMAAAHL's Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats.
"She's not really a flashy forward, but she's going to work all the time and she has some grit," Howald said. "She's somebody that could play a variety of different roles for us."
Olsen is a graduate of her hometown Calgary Chaos of the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League. Riemer, a product of White Fox, played for the SFMAAAHL's Prince Albert A&W Bears.
"They can both come in and play right away," Howald said. "(Riemer) has been well-coached. A lot of times, defencemen haven't been taught the defensive skills that they need at this level. We think she's got a lot of those things.
"Laura has more offensive skills right now, but I don't think it'll take her much time to learn the (defensive) skills she'll need."
Because the Cougars had just six defencemen last season -- including converted forward Gina Campbell -- Howald was happy to add two defenders. Up front, the Cougars lost only Kelsie Graham to graduation after the '09-10 season, but have added two forwards.
The math works well for Howald.
"I don't think we have too many," she said. "We had one extra last year. It's not like we had seven kids in the stands. We'll have more options up front and be a little bit deeper.
"We'll miss Kelsie, but I'm pretty excited. We have 12 (forwards) back who are a year older and we're adding two young kids who will push those 12."