“Winning the Challenge Cup, they are honestly two of the best memories I have as a coach,”
Sheffield Steelers associate coach Carter Beston-Will admits the Challenge Cup holds a special place in his career, and he would love nothing more than to lift it for a third time this season.
Beston-Will has been alongside head coach Aaron Fox since the start of the 2019-20 campaign and has already enjoyed two memorable successes in the competition.
The first came in 2020, when the Steelers defeated Cardiff Devils in the final, the last game played before Covid brought the season to an abrupt halt.
Four years later, Sheffield lifted the trophy again, this time on home ice, as part of the club’s historic Grand Slam season.
For Beston-Will, both victories remain among his favourite moments in coaching.
“They are honestly two of the best memories I have as a coach,” he said.
“The first one was the first trophy I won here in Sheffield, so that was obviously special for that reason alone.
“Then you have the whole experience of winning it in Cardiff, driving four hours back to Sheffield and having a couple of thousand Steelers fans waiting for us at two o’clock in the morning.
“To come back to the Arena and see everyone there waiting for us on the balcony was pretty eye-opening. It was a surreal feeling.”
The 2024 success carried a different significance.
“That was my first time winning a trophy on home ice,” he said.
“It was the first of the three trophies we won that year and the atmosphere was incredible.
“There were around 9,000 Steelers fans in the building and you could feel the energy before the game even started.
“Everyone knew we were potentially 60 minutes away from lifting a trophy.
“That was an amazing feeling and something I will always remember.”
The Challenge Cup can sometimes be overshadowed by the Elite League title race, but Beston-Will insists there is no question how seriously the Steelers take the competition.
“Every year we come in with the goal of winning three trophies,” he said.
“The league is obviously a huge one, but the Challenge Cup is the first trophy you get the chance to compete for.
“You start playing those group games in September and October and, for me, it almost feels like another opportunity to play playoff hockey early in the season.
“You are playing games that matter because you don’t want to get eliminated.
“It is another opportunity to put silverware in the cabinet and that is always exciting.”
Beston-Will also believes a strong Challenge Cup run can provide momentum for the rest of the season.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“If you get on a roll early, that can carry over into the league as well.
“It gives the group confidence and belief and gets everyone used to playing important games.”
Steelers kick off their EIHL campaign this Saturday with a home fixture against Coventry Blaze with the face off at 7.00pm