Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA



The Manitoba Female Hockey League U 18 'AAA' (MFMHLU18AAA) is a female U18 'AAA' hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The league plays under the sanction of Hockey Manitoba, in affiliation with Hockey Canada. Starting with the 2011-12 season, the League was granted 'AAA' status, and now it’s champion represents Manitoba in Esso Cup play for the Canadian Championship.

About the League
The MFMHL was founded in 2008 after an Ad-hoc committee was struck by Hockey Manitoba to develop a Constitution for Regional Female Midget Hockey that would provide an elite level for female players within Hockey Manitoba's 10 Regions to aspire to. The Committee worked for several months to develop the constitution and after a final meeting in Portage la Prairie where all Regions were invited to review and endorse the new constitution. It was ratified by Hockey Manitoba in the Spring of 2008.

The first season (2008-09) saw 5 teams compete within the league and 2 teams Eastman and Central Plains played an interlocking schedule with the Female Midget 'AA' teams from Winnipeg Minor Hockey Association.

The 2009-10 season again saw a 5 team league as Norman joined the circuit however Eastman dropped out of the league. The WMHA did not wish to establish an interlocking schedule in 2009-10 with the MFMHL however a Showcase event was developed by the WMHA where MFMHL and WMHA Midget 'AA' Female teams played each other over Christmas break. The first 2 years saw Pembina Valley win back to back MFMHL Championships.

The MFMHL has shown it is a very competitive league for elite Midget Females to play hockey and has seen several graduating players move onto Canadian or United States University Hockey as well as Manitoba Women's Junior Hockey League.

It is the MFMHL's goal to promote elite female midget hockey within Hockey Manitoba's designated Regions and provide the players with an opportunity to improve their skills by participating in a competitive league where they receive strong coaching that will allow them to move onto higher opportunities within female hockey.

Championship
Since the 2011-12 season, the league championship has doubled as the Provincial Female Midget 'AAA' championship. Each year, the Manitoba champion competes in an interprovincial playoff series against the champion from the Saskatchewan Female Midget 'AAA' Hockey League. The winner of that series earns a berth in the Esso Cup, the National Female Midget Championship tournament.

The Pembina Valley Hawks were national champions in 2012, while the Westman Wildcats won the inaugural Esso Cup in 2009, prior to joining the league. Pembina Valley hosted the 2017 Esso Cup in Morden.

League Champions
Note: Pembina Valley hosted 2017 Esso Cup, Westman advance to Esso Cup West Regional