It's become a tradition of the Cochrane Chaos to include girls' team of the Cochrane Minor Hockey in their season opener. It will be no different in the junior female hockey team's home opener this Sunday (Sept. 29) at 1:45 p.m. against the Calgary Jag.

The minor hockey players will be escorting the juniors on to the ice and participate in the opening ceremony. Then during the first intermission, the budding hockey stars will play a mini-game.

Chaos head coach Derek Loomer believes the competition will be stiffer this season in the league's south division. The Chaos have played four exhibition games so far and lost one to the Calgary Jag, 1-0.

They play one final exhibition game on Friday night against the Olds College Broncos before the season opener.

"What I've found from the exhibition games we've had so far this year is that all the teams seem to be improved. I expect it will be a very competitive season and a very strong playoffs," says Loomer. "It's going to be a real challenge to get out of the south this year."

That said, the Chaos have dominated the south division for the last two seasons and gone on to win the divisional championship twice, only to be foiled by two different northern opponents in the league championship.

Only two players from last year's roster aged out and they have a solid core of returnees. Audrey Buston, the team's top scorer last season, veteran goalie Jenna Weseen, Faith Gette, Summer Gibbons, Shelby Kirkpatrick, Ryann Altwasser, Autumn Kehler are among the veterans who will anchor the team.

He's impressed with some of the talent they have added to their roster, including Cochrane's Sarah Nusl, who comes to them after playing with the Airdrie AA Midget Lighting.

Also joining the Chaos are former SAIT Trojan players Shea Dolan, Kaley Mueller and Colbi Brown. Forward Nicole Johnson, who played with Calgary Fire Red in midgets, has returned to Alberta from Quebec and is now with the Chaos. Goaltender Kate Kowalchuk has joined the team full-time. Living in Edmonton last season, she played a few games with the club on their northern swings.

"We've made some really good additions and I'm looking forward to the season to see how we compare to last year and if we've made some good strides with our veteran players and new additions."

Unfortunately, the Chaos will only be seeing their arch-rivals twice in the regular season. The Central Alberta Amazons, who play out of Penhold, have been moved to the north division. In the past season, the teams have met five times each season and most have come down to the wire. 

Cochrane Minor Hockey's girls' program continues to grow in numbers, says female director Lorne Bremner. There are now 168 players registered in their full complement of teams from atom to midget.