THE CATOWA COMMUNICATOR

By TYLER KULA, SPECIAL TO SUN MEDIA

Courtesy of the London Free Press

Monday, April 7, 2008

Their hair dyed pink, playing like a team possessed, the Embro Edge won a big one for Carolyn yesterday.

The midget girls' hockey team won the championship game in a season-ending tournament in Vaughn, a tournament they entered despite the tragic death a week ago of their assistant coach, Carolyn Piett, in a car crash in Oxford County.

"We played like we were possessed for (the final) game," said Dave Baker, another assistant coach for the team. "Every girl gave 100 per cent out there for the win tonight."

They were coached in the final game by Carolyn's father, Ron Piett, although he had difficulty at first and stayed in the background in the preliminary games.

"When Ron came back behind the bench, I think it inspired them," said Baker. "They had to win it for Carolyn and they had to win it for Ron, too. The end of . . . the championship game, I think it was pretty emotional. It was emotional for the girls, but also emotional for what we lost in the last week."

Piett, 23, was killed March 31 when her car was crushed by a transport truck at Oxford County Road 119 and Zorra Road 74.

Team members struggled over whether to go on to the tournament without her, but they decided Piett would have wanted them to.

"We had a meeting and we asked Carolyn's dad," said Michelle Crandall, whose daughter plays on the team, usually coached by Ron.

"He said she'd want them to play so the girls said, 'OK, we'll go out and play for Carolyn.' "

Attending the tournament wasn't easy for Ron Piett, Baker said.

"He came down to the game but he stayed back as a spectator," he said. "He didn't approach the girls or anything. I guess he didn't want to upset them."

But Baker convinced Piett to coach both games yesterday and his presence seemed to motivate the team.

In a tribute to Carolyn, the players had their hair dyed pink. That's the colour Carolyn's hair came out in a hairdo a week before her death. It was supposed to be burgundy.

"The girls teased her," Crandall said.

The Edge won yesterday's final game against Wilmont 5-0. The team competes in the provincial championships next week in the Vaughn area

TEAM WINS TOURNEY IN COACH'S MEMORY