Girl’s Hockey – Part 2

 

 

Editor’s Note: The following article is the tenth installment of our “Navigating the Frozen Waters” educational series aimed at helping both new and veteran players and parents understand the different levels and pathways of hockey available in Michigan and across the United States. Michigan Hockey will explore other topics in youth hockey in future issues.

We invite you to share your questions and concerns regarding Navigating the Waters by e-mailing us at: mh@michiganhockeyonline.com.

 

By Tim Wilson

 

With numerous levels and teams, boys hockey can be difficult to comprehend for the average parent or player.

But what about girls hockey? Even with fewer players involved, there are multiple levels, teams and programs. So where does a girl learn to play the game and what can she expect?

 

In the past most girls got their first taste of hockey playing on a boy’s team before moving on to a girl’s team as they get older. And while that still happens, more and more girls are playing in all-girls programs across the state.

 

Girls hockey has the familiar Tier I, Tier II and House classifications, but has two-year divisions – 10U, 12U, 14U and 19U - due to the smaller number of players involved. 

 

Tier II girl’s teams in the state begin competing in leagues at the 12U age group. And most associations in the state with a girl’s house team have only one team per age group, so more often than not those teams travel outside their association to play other teams.

 

A unique facet to the girls game is the lack of districts boundaries that govern the boy’s game. With roughly 2,800 girls under 19-years old registered in Michigan, there are no geographic restrictions to where someone can play.

 

And, at this point, there is nothing in Michigan that defines the difference between Tier I and Tier II girl’s hockey. A rule change proposal that clearly lays out the criteria for three levels of girl’s hockey - Tier I 12U -19U, Tier II Competitive 10U -19U and Tier II House Recreational for all ages - will be voted on at the MAHA Summer Meeting in July.

 

 

Building from the bottom

The Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association has run a successful girl’s program for years and currently has two teams, a 10U squad and 12U team, at the girls House level and Tier 2 teams at the 12U and 14U levels.

Most girls go on to play high school hockey after 14U according to AAAHA girl’s director Erik Penhollow, who also coached the first year Tier I Compuware 14U team this season.

 

“In Ann Arbor the number of boys playing has gone down while the number of girls has been around 100-120 over the past seven to eight years,” said Penhollow.

 

Much of that success can be attributed to the association’s commitment to getting girls on the ice at a young age – including “Bring a Friend” skates to attract new players.  The next one is scheduled for March 14 at 1 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

 

“Girls reach out to friends and people at school,” said Penhollow. “A lot of times they immediately fall in the love with the sport. Many times we will end up getting five or six new girls to play.”

 

The AAAHA is also offering a Girls 3-on-3 league this spring that includes cross-ice games and skill development clinics.

 

Suburban Ice - Farmington Hills housed 14 girl’s teams from the 19 and Under level down this season. Like Ann Arbor, the arena has built its girls program by getting players started as early as possible, said Lyle Phair, the coach of both the Michigan Icebreakers 19U Tier 2 and Honeybaked 12U Tier I teams.

 

“The key to sustaining it is the entry level,” he said. “A lot of the teams get together and then move up together. Most places don’t make the investment into having an all-girls team. So they might never have an all-girls team.”

The numbers of girl’s playing started to grow a few years ago at Suburban Ice – Farmington Hills when the arena introduced a beginner program called “It’s a Girl Thing.” The number of players has increased to the point where the arena now has its own in-house league at the 12U level. A Learn to Play program at the arena includes about 20 girls aged 5-8 that could feed into house or travel programs in the future.

 

Having fun is key

The Livonia Hockey Association has five girl’s teams – including House level squads at the 10U and 12U divisions and Tier 2 teams at the 12U, 14U and 16U levels.

 

The 10U girls house team plays in a league with mite boys and the 12U teams competes against squirt boys, according to 10U coach Carrie Sirola. The LHA teams also play against girls teams from metro Detroit communities.

 

“When girls are getting introduced to the game a lot of parents don’t want to travel all over the place for their 6-year old to play,” said Sirola, who has coached for 20 years.  “I really like working with the 10U age group. It’s nice to see the improvement they make at that age level.”

 

A highlight for Sirola’s girl’s team will be a game against the Birmingham 10U squad at Ford Field just days before the college teams take the ice for the NCAA Frozen Four . 

 

At the Mount Clemens Hockey Association, Cassie Jaeckle is the coach of both the Tier II 12U and 14U Wolves teams, and is looking to add a 16U team next season to complete a goal of building three teams in three seasons.

“We try to make it as fun as possible,’ said Jaeckle. “First and foremost the girls are there to have fun. And when we see them progressing and growing, we know we’re doing our part.”

 

Making sure young players at all age groups have a place to play is a goal for girls hockey organizers. Jaeckle’s proudest moments have been seeing a less experienced girl pick up the game and develop into a good player that loves the game.

 

“Someone that is not as skilled right now might be (better) in a year or two,” said Jaeckle. “If they get cut, they may get discouraged and play something else. There are diamonds in the rough everywhere.”

 

 

Part of the community

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula the Marquette Junior Hockey has seen steady growth in its girls program since it began 15 years ago.  The MJH ices girl’s teams at the 10U, 12U, 14U and 19U levels.  With no current 16U squad, a group of 15-year olds are playing up on the U19 team this season.

 

Like Livonia, Marquette’s 10U and 12U teams play against younger boy’s squads in a house league in addition to playing against area girls teams.

 

“We will take a girl at any time that wants to play even if it’s halfway into the season,” said MJH Girls Director Rod Riesland. “We will find a place for them to play.”

 

The association benefits from the community’s attachment to hockey and promotes girls hockey at every opportunity – including weekly radio and TV highlights, fundraisers and “Wear your jersey to school” days.

“Hockey is our life here in the winter,” said Riesland. “When a lot of these kids come out to skate it’s their great escape.”