'Grateful': Charge head coach MacLeod reflects on season of adversity after Walter Cup loss

By all accounts, Carla MacLeod didn't need to be behind the Ottawa Charge bench this season.

No one would have blamed the head coach for wanting to step away after sharing she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in late November, but MacLeod is not one to step away from a challenge.

Aside from taking two brief hiatuses to undergo treatment, the Charge head coach was on hand for games and practices with her trademark smile and upbeat attitude. But there's no denying the toll this season had on the 43-year-old.

The Charge's season came to an end Wednesday night with a 4-0 loss to the Montreal Victoire, who captured the Walter Cup in four games.

"We all have stuff, we all have things on the side, we all have variables that can challenge us," admitted MacLeod. "And I said it in the room, I've had more variables than I'm used to. I had bigger challenges this year than I ever anticipated."

An emotional Carla MacLeod took a few moments to gather herself, then spoke about this season and the love she's received amid her battle with breast cancer. <a href="https://t.co/oiqhkBKKxB">pic.twitter.com/oiqhkBKKxB</a>

Following the loss of numerous players due to last year's expansion draft, many did not expect the Charge to be back in the Walter Cup final. But McLeod believed in what they were capable of and consistently spoke about her team's resilience.

But Wednesday night, Charge captain Brianne Jenner, who has spent all three seasons with MacLeod, spoke about her coach's resilience and the impact she had on the team.

"It's pretty unbelievable when the leader of your program comes in every day the same way, the same energy, the same positivity, the same passion to be there at the rink, and that just was infectious