Katie Brickman
Playing hockey on the outdoor rink was a rite of passage for Callie Dach. Now she gets to continue another Dach tradition—hockey at the highest level.
The 17-year-old is looking to help the Edmonton Jr. Oilers to an Esso Cup championship this week in Vernon, B.C.
“Going through this experience has been awesome and sharing it with all these girls is special,” Dach says.
Dach is a 5-foot-9 defender from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, and is the younger sister to Kirby and Colton Dach, who both wore the Maple Leaf at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Kirby now plays for the Montreal Canadiens, while Colton—a Chicago Blackhawks prospect—spent this season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
Hockey has always been an important bonding opportunity for the Dach siblings, and the trio has spent hours on the backyard rink and the outdoor rink at the lake.
“Hockey helps me connect with my brothers and be a part of something together. It’s nice always having a shared interest with them,” Dach says. “Seeing them make it is a super proud moment for me and my family, to know they’ve made their dreams come true after all the hours they put into working for it.”
Dach first laced up her skates at a young age, playing organized hockey when she was five years old. Like many younger siblings, she wanted to be just like her older brothers.
“Always going to the rink and watching my brothers, it made me want to follow in their footsteps and be almost as good as them and compete against them in any way I could,” she says.
For parents Dale and Hillary, seeing their children have these experiences is a highlight, but it’s more than that—it's about the bigger picture of how hockey enriches their lives.
“It’s about belonging to a group that is working together for something. The accomplishments, the highs and the lows ... it gives you a lot of ways to learn later in life how to handle adversity and success in life,” Dale says. “Hockey has given them a lot of great avenues for meeting people. I played the game when I was younger and the connections and contacts that I have are lifelong, so it was a big part of my life and a big part of our family.”
The Edmonton Jr. Oilers are back at the Esso Cup after nearly a decade-long absence, having previously won three bronze medals as the Thunder. Dach and her teammates finished second in the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) with a 21-7-2 record with strong goaltending leading the way.
“I think we are very well-balanced, and everyone is there for the right reasons. We’ve done a really good job of buying into what we all believe in, and we have lots of culture and identity within the room—we share a special bond,” Dach says. “Playing hockey with all these girls has given me another family and is an outlet for me.”
Callie’s parents will be making the nine-hour trek to Vernon to cheer on the Jr. Oilers and would love to see the team have success after all the hard work their daughter has put into her craft.
“We are very proud of Callie and very excited to see how she and the team do at the Esso Cup,” Dale says. “You don’t get these opportunities every day—many families don’t get these opportunities—so the biggest thing is just to sit back and enjoy the ride and do the best you can and make sure you have fun with it.”
Playing hockey and being competitive come naturally to the Dach parents—both Dale and Hillary played sports competitively growing up. Dale played hockey and Hillary skied. Having their children grow up around sport wasn’t always about reaching the highest level, but more about effort.
“We’ve always taught our kids that no matter what you’re doing—whether it’s schoolwork, sports or working—you always put in the best effort,” Dale says.
Over the years, Dach has focused on improving her game and feels like she has made strides on both sides of the puck.
“I am very strong defensively. I like to go to work in the corners and get pucks outs,” she said. “On the offensive side, I like my shot.”
Callie is committed to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology next season and the Dach family will be there to support her in the next transition of her game.
“She’s very driven and we're just very proud of her and excited to watch what all things hold for her,” Dale says.