Debden Roadrunners become first Sask. women’s team to win U20 national broomball championship

By Ian Gustafson

The Saskatchewan sports community witnessed a historic moment this past weekend as the Debden Roadrunners broomball team became the first female squad from the province to win the Broomball Canada Juvenile National Championships.

On Saturday, they won gold in Cornwall, Ont. after defeating the Eastern Thunder 3-0. Head coach of the Roadrunners Dean Demers said they prepared a long time for that moment.

“I don’t know if it’s sunk in to all the girls and the coaches yet because it’s a huge accomplishment, but we prepared so hard for it,” he told paNOW. “All year we were so focused on it and even when that last game was over and it was finally real, we were the national champs, I don’t know if the girls realized what they accomplished yet at the moment. I think it’ll sink in later this week.”

Their triumph comes two years after the 2020 U20 national championships were to take place at the same location. However, it was cancelled due to COVID-19, and they were never able to go.

From Wednesday to Saturday last week, the Roadrunners played in the 29th edition of the tournament posting a 6-1 record and a gold medal against teams from all over Canada. Demers explained they had a tough schedule but rose above the competition defeating the defending champions in the first game.

“Our first line drew a penalty 20 seconds into the game, we scored six seconds in to that powerplay and that set the tone for the whole tournament,” he said.

Team and tournament MVP was awarded to Marissa Skavlebo who scored a team-leading eight goals in the tournament and had 11 points, tied with teammate Rhyan Amundson. Skavlebo also won game MVP in the gold medal match after she scored twice.

The Village of Debden, according to the 2016 census, has 337 people. Despite the size of the community, they were able to come out victorious against teams from larger areas in Quebec and Ontario.

Demers explained the Roadrunners program started in the 80s’ before he was with the team. He explained their success over the years has come from many girls coming through the community to play. This year they had three girls join from Big River, three from Balgonie and they all bought into the system the coaches implemented.

“The defence, the forwards, the goalie, everybody was there to play a team game and once we all got together there really was no better team in the whole nation,” Demers said. “These girls just got together, and every single girl was willing to take instruction, learn, be part of the system, and it meshed together so perfectly.”

From the beginning of the season, he admitted they had the national championships on their mind, everything they did was in preparation for it, and it was the main focus.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the sports world the last two years and Demers explained there were only three towns that were able to form broomball teams in the province — the Aberdeen Attackers and the Bruno Axemen being the other two — after there used to be six or seven. He hopes his team winning it all will help grow the game in Saskatchewan.

“I’ve been coaching broomball since about the year 2000 and every time a kid comes in and plays broomball, they fall in love with it. It’s such a fun sport to play. It is difficult because you do need to have ice available and there is a shortage of rinks in the province.”

Next year’s Broomball Canada Juvenile National Championships will happen in Saskatoon where the Debden Roadrunners will play as defending champions. He said they will be bringing back most of the same roster with only two girls leaving due to age restrictions.

“In my mind we’re going back with 90 per cent of the same team. We’re going to have a very, very good chance of winning again next year.”

Previously the only gold medals for Saskatchewan at the U20 tournament came on the men’s side, with the Balgonie Clippers (2010), Odessa Bandits (2009), and the Bruno Jr. Axemen (2003, 2002) winning the top prize.