Bowness, who said she overheard one parent say she, "Wished all girls' tournaments could be like this," remarked on the importance of featuring only Tier II teams who often have less opportunities to participate in an event of this magnitude, and Boniecki agreed.
"This group of girls doesn't necessarily get that same attention as the Tier I teams," Boniecki said. "There were a handful of teams that when we were talking to them through the registration process, this was their first tournament all year because no one else focused on a tournament at that age level. So, that was something that was really special and capped off their seasons - the fact that they had somebody pay attention to them and then put all this effort into a tournament like this."
Parents and coaches concurred, including Andy Krueger, manager for the STL Lady Cyclones 14UB2 team. A resident of St. Louis, Krueger and his team saw a side of Nashville they'll never forget.
"This was by far the best tournament experience our group has had, and I heard multiple parents and girls say they want to definitely participate in this event next year," Krueger said. "We have many great memories from this weekend, and that is in no small part to your organization's efforts to host a first-rate event. I also want to compliment the Predators. I am a St. Louis Blues fan and season-ticket holder, and because of the rivalry over the years in the Central Division, I can't say I have held a favorable impression of the Predators. This weekend definitely changed my view. The hospitality, professionalism and generosity your organization showed this weekend was amazing. The event was well planned and organized, and it was obvious that the Predators invested significant resources to make this a great experience for everyone."
That support from the IGF made the whole thing possible, and while Boniecki and Bowness had high hopes for the end result, the feedback they've received exceeded their expectations.
But that's just the way things are done in Smashville, and whether the game involves the NHL or a group of girls who simply love the game, everyone deserves a Golden Moment.
"The little things that we did throughout the weekend - that really made them feel special and feel a part of the Preds family, but also feel a part of the tournament themselves," Boniecki said. "A lot of times when you walk into a tournament, you're just there to play hockey. You don't get to feel anything outside of it, you're just with your team. Everything that we did helped to make it really feel like one big cohesive group and that those girls could build bonds with similar players in different cities in different states.
"It means everything that we have the backing of the NHL and the NHLPA behind us. They believed in the vision we had for this. We pitched a really rough idea, just that we wanted to host a tournament and wanted to bring girls into Nashville. And they said, 'Do it.'"
