Flyerettes were local women’s hockey champions in ‘72

By C. Scott Holland

While sifting through some older hockey photos, the one that caught my eye was that of the 1971-72 Leamington Flyerettes.

The team had played in an all-girls hockey league for several seasons and showed their abilities in ’71-72 by winning the Four-Star Ladies Hockey League regular season title and then taking the playoff crown, all while only suffering one loss.

With skill and perseverance, the Flyerettes swept rival Tilbury Kinettes for the championship, taking the series 3-0. But the last two games were close and could have gone to either team.

The 1971-72 Leamington Flyerettes won the Four-Star Ladies Hockey League regular season title and playoff crown. Team members were, front row (seated), left to right: Trudy Wheeler, Pat Mifflin, Marie Riley, Mary Jane Whittle. Middle row: Judy Pepper, GM Henry Wheeler, Jill McMullin, Nora Pinch, Barb Impens, Jackie Taggart. Back row: Val Mills, Janie Quick, Diane Drummond, Ev Impens. Trudy Hall.

Photo from C. Scott Holland collection.

The Flyerettes won game two by a 1-0 score. The heroine of that contest was Leamington’s Pat Mifflin, who broke a scoreless deadlock at 12:56 of the third period when she drilled a Marie Riley pass into the Tilbury net.

In the final game, Tilbury surged ahead 1-0 in the opening period on a deflected shot by Cathy Goodreau that eluded Flyerettes goalie Jackie Taggart. The club rebounded in the second when Mary Jane Whittle pumped a slapshot which knotted the score. Shortly thereafter, Trudy Wheeler connected on a similar slapshot and made it 2-1.

The two teams battled the rest of the way, however, when the final buzzer sounded, the Flyerettes had won the game 2-1 and along with it, the Four-Star Ladies Hockey League playoff championship.