The London Ball Hockey Association has caught storm over the last few seasons, and it’s not just on the men’s side. The Ladies division, which started in 2010, features one to two games a week depending on the season. Since the inaugural season, the ladies division has adapted all of the same rules as the men’s division, though the men’s side is still a little more aggressive.
The LBHA ladies division started out with only four teams and has since expanded to at least 10 teams year-round. Like on the men’s side, the ladies’ league features two divisions, Tier one and Tier 2. Tier one is for teams with more experienced players with a stronger skill set, while Tier two features players at a lower skill level.
The LBHA starts with Dick Price, the man in charge of running the league. Teams find him to be fair, patient and organized. Price manages to juggle all of the LBHA proprieties’ opinions and needs. He always seems to be out at the games keeping an eye on the action, and making sure the league he helped grow is always competitive and fun.
“Our London League has been a force to be reckoned with at the provincial level in each of the past three seasons,” said Price. “I think that speaks volumes about our ladies and their growth in this sport as we are not quite five years old as an organized program.”
One of the teams in the Ladies division is the ‘Birds N The Beavs,’ a team that has been with the ladies division since the beginning. The team has always maintained a fairly consistent squad, one that plays off of the strengths and weaknesses of each player. The Birds N The Beavs have also steadily improved each season, and this past summer they moved from the Tier 2 division to Tier 1. The ladies didn’t know what to expect with the jump, but they held their own and were proud of where they finished in the standings.
The BNB features Ashley McManus, who has been a standout player and at the top of all league scoring stats for the past three seasons. Andrea Walters, meanwhile, who has played for both the Ringers and Norstar Ladies clubs (two seasons with each team), has been the ladies’ undisputed scoring champion during the league’s first four summer seasons.
The team’s greatest strength is the players’ passion for the sport. Team member Leslie Pye says, “We have a great spirit of camaraderie and supportiveness on our team, and we also have a healthy desire to win.”
The team features players of all skill levels, but they all share the same positive attitude. As Angelia Wilson says, “We have really built a great dynamic over the years, and we have a real tight group of girls on this team.”
The Ladies say they really like the organization of the league, plus they say it’s a great workout. Their goals for next season include working on breakouts, improving their communication, and finishing higher in the standings.
