For most athletes who play their respective sports at a high level, it can be a long road to reach that end goal.
And for a small group of 15-year-olds from 91原创, it is not just a figurative long road they are taking 鈥� they are actually racking up the kilometres in their athletic pursuits.
All season long, it has been one extended road trip for the four teenage ringette players and the journey wraps up this week in Fredericton, N.B., site of the U16 Canadian national ringette championships.
Three or four times a week 鈥� depending on the practice schedule 鈥� Rachel Gauthier, Tiana Ollive, Sarah MacDonald and Sydney Schwartz would meet at a gas station on 200 Street and 72 Avenue.
What follows is the hour or so long 鈥� depending on traffic 鈥� ride into Vancouver or Delta in what the players affectionately call the 鈥楩raser Valley Bus,鈥� a mini-van driven by one of the players鈥� fathers, Mitch Schwartz. In addition to being the team chauffeur, Schwartz is also the team鈥檚 assistant coach.
The players are part of the Lower Mainland Ringette League U16 AA team, which is representing B.C. at the national championships this week. The event wraps up on Saturday (April 6).
Gauthier plays centre for the team while MacDonald is in goal.
Ollive and Schwartz are on defence.
The 91原创 foursome chose to join the Lower Mainland Ringette Association for the higher competition level, playing AA instead of A ringette.
The season has had plenty of challenges, largely due to the time constraints resulting from the hectic travel to and from the ice rink.
It has meant rushing home to do homework, or having to due their class work while travelling to and from practice.
鈥淚t is a little challenging,鈥� admitted Schwartz.
鈥淵ou are trying to get your homework done and then be ready to meet to leave on time (for practice.鈥�
鈥淚t can be quite busy,鈥� said MacDonald, adding that the toughest part is catching up on their school work.
鈥淏ut it is all worthwhile.鈥�
鈥淲e are gone from home for at least four hours because we have to be at the rink at least an hour early,鈥� said Ollive.
鈥淎nd then it takes an hour to get home.鈥�
Add up all that time away from home 鈥� whether it is in the car or at practice or a game 鈥� and it takes its toll.
Gauthier says it can be a challenge spending so much time on the road.
鈥淪ometimes it is exhausting, but my team always brings me up,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e are just happy to see each other so it makes it worth it.鈥�
鈥淚t is definitely worth any sacrifice,鈥� added Ollive. 
And after a season of countless hours sitting in a vehicle going to and from practice, the players have only one goal in mind: winning gold at nationals.
They have previously won a pair of tournaments in Edmonton and Richmond, as well as finishing third in Ottawa.
And the players head into the tournament focused, following their season-long motto:
鈥業f you look good, then you feel good. If you feel good, you play good.鈥�
