{"id":17888,"date":"2025-02-22T05:24:08","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T05:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/22\/st-marys-academy-u18-prep-hockey-team-crushed-after-program-gets-slashed-winnipeg\/"},"modified":"2025-02-22T05:24:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T05:24:08","slug":"st-marys-academy-u18-prep-hockey-team-crushed-after-program-gets-slashed-winnipeg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/22\/st-marys-academy-u18-prep-hockey-team-crushed-after-program-gets-slashed-winnipeg\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Mary\u2019s Academy U18 prep hockey team crushed after program gets slashed – Winnipeg"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The St. Mary\u2019s Academy Flames prep team is getting ready for playoffs, despite it being a very emotional time.<\/p>\n

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The all-girls private Catholic school is cutting the program and this will be the final season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took everybody by complete surprise,\u201d Jamie Bettens, who has a daughter on the team, said.<\/p>\n

This elite sports program prepares girls to play at the highest level, with many going off to play university hockey. The Flames are part of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) and are often travelling to play other teams.<\/p>\n

Bettens says St. Mary\u2019s Academy knew they would shutter the program last May, but the team wasn\u2019t told until November.<\/p>\n

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\u201cDue to the notification so late, we passed deadlines that were crucial to the CSSHL, which handcuffed our ability to get this off the ground and and has essentially killed the program at this point,\u201d Bettens said.<\/p>\n

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The athletes are left scrambling, trying to find high-level hockey teams to play on next season.<\/p>\n

St. Mary\u2019s Academy refused an interview but did provide a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a difficult decision for the school to make, and one that was not made lightly. The decision was driven by several factors, including significant operational and resource requirements, as well as program costs that are not sustainable for our non-profit institution,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdditionally, it reflects our commitment to prioritizing academics and resources that support our broader student body.\u201d<\/p>\n