The IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship Pre-Tournament begins today in St. Catherines Ontario.

MacGregor's Sheridan Oswald of the Central Plains Capitals Female Midget team was selected to the team, and Caps' Head Coach Ferdi Nelissen says she deserves it.

"You know what, that kid has worked for everything she's got. She came here as a bantam, and her first practice you could see how hard she practiced. Probably when she came here as a bantam she thought she had something to prove because people thought what is she doing out there. She practices as hard now, as she did then."

Nelissen says it's been a long road for Sheridan to get where she is.

"She could've got very discouraged. She has been to two Hockey Canada Camps, and they've never let her play with the maple leaf on her chest, and she just kept plugging away, and hoping that if she had a good U-18 in November that maybe they would. And sure enough, she's a good example that you can earn that opportunity."

Team Canada opens their tournament against Russia today at 6:30 p.m.