Woodstock pg 9 3-21-19
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Girls' Hockey
Woodstock Academy Centaurs girls’ ice hockey players teamed up with youngsters in the community for the first “WA Girls Play Hockey” night recently. Members of the Woodstock Academy girls’ ice hockey team helped young girls get used to, not only the sport, but just how to skate. Photos contributed by Sean Farrell/The Woodstock Academy.
The Woodstock Academy girls’ ice hockey program is the only one of its kind in northeastern Connecticut.
For that matter, it’s the only one of its kind in just about all of eastern Connecticut.
For that reason, Woodstock Academy co-head coaches Jeff Boshka and Sean Farrell know that they have to help to cultivate players to keep the program going.
That was the thought process behind the “WA Girls Play Hockey” night held recently at the Jahn Ice Rink at Pomfret School.
The Centaurs girls’ ice hockey team came out to try and encourage young girls to get involved with the sport and 32 girls, ages pre-school through eighth grade, took part.
“Fabulous,” Boshka said of the turnout. “We weren’t quite sure what to expect. The prior couple of weeks, we had gone into the (elementary) schools to promote it. There was great enthusiasm there and many said they were interested in coming out. You just never know who will really do it.”
The young girls were broken down into three separate groups; girls who had skated, those who had skated a little and those who were, basically, beginners in both skating and in the game.
“It was just so wonderful to see our players out there. We had grouped them, who to help, and they were engaged and helping the kids. There were lots of smiles on faces. It was just a home run,” Boshka said.
The turnout virtually assured a similar effort will be undertaken prior to next season.
Boshka said he and Farrell only discussed the idea midseason. In hindsight, Boshka thinks it should take place much earlier in the year.
“That would promote our sport and, hopefully, get those girls interested in playing (in the Griffin Youth Hockey League). We worked in conjunction with Griffin so they can get more players and get them interested. Than the girls may say, ‘Oh, there is hockey here’ and they will come out and play. Just continually foster and promote girls’ hockey,” Boshka said.
Some of the participants also received free skates and hockey equipment for attending the event.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy
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