The Cochrane Chaos Junior Female Hockey team is preparing to build upon their successful inaugural season and are hosting two exhibition games this weekend.

The Chaos will be taking on the Calgary Titans on Saturday at 4 p.m. then face the Lethbridge Eagles on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Both games are at the Cochrane Arena, although their regular season games are being played at Totem One in the SLS Family Sport Centre.

A further exhibition home game is scheduled for Sept. 23 against Calgary Fire, also at the Cochrane Arena. 

About 32 players have been trying out for the team and head coach Derek Loomer is pleased with the growing interest in the team, who made the south final last year.

"We worked really hard at our recruiting this year. At our spring camp, we identified a number of girls and we have a good core of returning girls," says Loomer.

The camp includes some midget-aged players the team wants to keep in mind for the future.

"Having the success we had last season, I think the girls out there looking for a place to play see us as a very viable alternative for them and a place they can play, have fun and be part of a pretty solid hockey team."

There's a growing number of Cochrane players at the camp this year. Kyla Kruger was the lone player from Cochrane in their first season and league veteran Lynelle Twoyoungmen, of Morley, came over from the Amazons.

"We're starting to see that growth and development and the talent that is available looking to play for us rather than looking into Calgary or somewhere else across Alberta."

In the end, the team will be carrying a roster of 20-22 to help ensure all players get ice time.

The team is currently planning for an exciting regular season opener against the Calgary Warriors on Sept. 29 on their home ice of Totem One in the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sport Centre. Coach Loomer says they plan to make it another memorable start to the season that will include Cochrane Minor Hockey female hockey players playing min-games during the intermissions. Game time is 7 p.m.

"I thought it was quite a successful start to our first year in the league and we want to do something again for our first game this year."

There are nine teams in the provincewide league, four in the north and five in the south. Last season, the Chaos swept the Titans in the south semifinals before losing to the Central Alberta Amazons. It was the powerhouse Sherwood Park Steel who won the provincial title.