With six kids and a mom who all play, the Noels are one of the most dedicated hockey families of Maple Ridge.
Angie and Claude never planned to be able to ice a full line, including the goaltender. They already had two skaters and a goalie, and were just trying for a fourth child. They got a fifth and sixth in the bargain, as Angie had triplets.
They are fraternal triplets, not identical.
“It was a shock having triplets, obviously, but I had five kids growing up in my family, and my husband had nine,” she said.
The couple was already into the rhythm of parenting, and they just cranked it up to playoff intensity.
“They were good babies – no colic and they slept through the night pretty young.”
Their oldest Yanika, who plays at the midget level with the Barracudas Meadow Ridge Female Hockey Association, was the first to fall in love with the game.
“Everyone else followed suit, and they all love it,” said Angie.
Joshua is a goaltender in Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey at the bantam level, Mikayla is a pee wee and the triplets –Lyla, Summer and Kiana – are all at the atom level.
Angie has also played at the recreational women’s level in Coquitlam.
Claude is the odd man out. He is both the only family member who doesn’t play, and the only die-hard Canucks fan, while the rest of the family either cheers for the Canadiens, or are undecided.
Angie has had to put her own hockey career on ice for the time being. It is hectic having six kids in hockey, but the Barracuda parents are happy to help them get kids to the games.
“And it is obviously expensive, but the kids all love it,” said Angie. “There’s not a thought of them not playing.”
The Barracudas also help out there – the third or more child from the same family are enrolled for half price.
Yanika said she has always enjoyed the social aspect of playing hockey, and the camaraderie of her teammates.
The triplets have grown up and the rink, and Yanika likes watching her sisters get after the puck.
“They try a lot – they’re hard workers, and for their age they’re really good,” she said. “Everyone loves hockey in our family.”
The Barracudas could use more families like the Noels to bolster their registration, but they are out to boost the association’s numbers through Try Hockey events.
Club president Liam Mostrenko said they ran free skates in March and April, and will have the last one of the year on May 7 at Pitt Meadows Arena at 4:45 p.m. They are for all girls between the ages of five and 15. Players can just drop in on the day.
“We show them what hockey is all about, and run a bit of a practice,” he said.
The Barracudas provide sticks, skates and helmets, but players are advised to bring some protective gloves, even if they are not hockey gloves.
The club has reached 158 girls, and would like to get up to 180. They would like to be able to run two tyke, four novice, two each of atom, pee wee and bantam and a midget and juvenile teams.
“We can’t really grow any more than that, because we can’t get any more ice time,” said Mostrenko.
A handful of families like the Noels would put them over the top.
“The triplets have been coming to the hockey with their sisters since day one. They’re a true hockey family.”
• Registration for girls hockey opened on May 1. See barracudashockey.ca.