ABOVE: Front row, from left: Coach Mickey McDonough, Ilana Moeller, Charli Clow, Mariel Parish, Francesca Martin, Avery Kurt, Haper Artz, Kennedy Murphy, Maya Earhart, Corinn Wells, Brittany Lopau, Kate Hagen, Alexis Sundeen. Back row, from left: : Coach Aaron Haycraft, Alvin Clow, Aspen Wickert, Abigail Sundeen, Kynlee Beemer, Lauren Bettin, Addison Folkerts, Maia Goerndt, Joslyn Meyer, Alexis Haycraft, Halyn Haycraft, Carly Gustafson, Talyor Truesdell, Giulia Severa, Kylie Flanagan, Madison Sokoloski, Coach Josh Meyer. Not Pictured: Paige Hartwig, Hayden Olson, Nani Rosario, Coach Ryan Parish, Adylen Laven (manager), Piper Crookston (manager), Evie Folkerts (manager), and Lily Truesdell (manager).

FAIRMONT – The Fairmont Cardinals girl’s hockey team is back in action, currently sitting at 1-1 and coming off of a 7-18 record from last season. The coaching staff’s primary focus is on player development and making sure everyone they can reach falls in love with the sport of hockey.

Hosting a team of 30 girls, there is a bit of a new-team feel, with 11 of the 30 being returning players. Of those 11 players, four are now seniors in Abigail Sundeen, IIana Moeller, Brittany Lopau and Charli Clow.

“These girls are going to go out there, and have as much fun as they possibly can,” said Fairmont head coach Aaron Haycraft. “We’re going to work as hard as we possibly can and we’re going to be the best teammates we possibly can.”

The Cardinals’ have versatility at every position, allowing them to give different looks at different situations. The team is putting in the effort every practice to aid in player development and overall performance.

“I want everyone to get better every single day,” said Haycraft. “Every day is a chance to get better, and we put in a ton of effort, a ton of hard work every practice so that we’ll meet that goal.”

The squad is off to a solid start after shutting down New Prague 3-0 and putting in a hard-fought battle against Mankato West where they fell 5-3. This Cardinal team does not give up, instead continuing to fight until the buzzer sounds in the final period.

By fostering a love for the game, the program continues to see growth, and that has become a mantra for Haycraft.

“My expectation for this year is for each one of these players and families to have a positive hockey experience this year,” said Haycraft.

In that desire to have fun and build the program also comes a lot of hard work which the team is more than up for.

“They’re working really, really hard,” said Haycraft. “We’re very impressed with how the tempo of practice, the intensity of practice, already the formation of a team, of being good teammates. I’m so very proud of them.”

Though the coaches are not focused on the win-loss column, the Cardinals are poised to have a solid year with talent and progress of the 11 returning players. The Cardinals are looking to the 19 new players joining the high school program coupled with the hard work they put in everyday to show results on and off the ice.

Heading into their third game of the season, the Cardinals are taking on Waseca at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the home opener.