By Kristi Patton /

Female hockey players looking to make the transition from post-secondary hockey will have to look no further than the Manitoba Maple Leafs.

The organization’s senior women’s national level program will be competing in the Western Women’s Hockey League this season as an exhibition team with plans to join the league full-time in 2010/11 season.

The WWHL features the best female players with teams drawing their rosters from women who have previously played in the NCAA, CIS, ACAC, National and Olympic teams.

The Maple Leafs are spearheaded by former Team Canada player Jocelyne Larocque and her sister Chantal Larocque.

The program not only focuses on league play but off-ice training for developing young female players, based on the Team Canada model.

The goal of the Maple Leafs organization is to promote a balanced lifestyle for all its athletes, where introduction to university is a high priority.

Athletes will be encouraged to compete at the university level and upon graduation can participate in the Senior Women’s national Level Program in the WWHL.

This year, there are three core teams in the league, including the Strathmore Rockies, Minnesota Whitecaps and Edmonton 
Chimos.

With new owners for the reigning champions, the Calgary X-Treme, they have decided that in order to make the necessary transition, they will also be classified as an exhibition team this year with plans to return to a full-time member of the league the 
following season.

“Basically we are trying to get things together and figure out where we are with everything. We are looking at long range planning for the league, so there will be a strong future and not just going season by season,” said Byron Stephens, the new chairman of 
the WWHL.

The teams commence their season in November 2009 and play through March 2010.

They will take a mandated league break for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.

The league will culminate their season with the Clarkson Cup — the national championship of women’s hockey when the strongest team from the WWHL faces the strongest team from the CWHL in the east.

Last year, the CWHL Montreal Stars defeated the WWHL Whitecaps in the inagaural Clarkson Cup final.