In this past off-season, the Northwood Girls’ hockey team moved to the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL), the premier ‘Junior-style’ ice hockey league for girls in North America. The JWHL’s U19 Division has seven teams, including four from Canada. The teams include:
- Balmoral Hall School (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
- Mount Academy (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada)
- North American Hockey Academy (Wellesley, MA)
- Northwood School (Lake Placid, NY)
- Pacific Steelers (Richmond, British Columbia, Canada)
- Stanstead College (Stanstead, Quebec, Canada)
- The Washington Pride (Washington, DC)
The Mirror sat down with Head Coach and Athletic Director Mr. Trevor Gilligan to learn more about this big decision.
Gilligan said the JWHL is the best league for the Northwood Girls’ hockey team because “the girls will be able to play a much better set of competition and develop rivalries with teams in the JWHL like Balmoral Hall and especially Stanstead College. These teams are some of the best in North America.”
Gilligan also spoke highly of the travel and exposure opportunities the JWHL would bring. “The team can now travel the country and play these league games in reputable Division I Arenas. Our league games take place in college arenas such as the University of Minnesota, Boston University, Boston College, Providence, and many more,” Gilligan said.
The JWHL League games are also three 20-minute periods. Gilligan states that this was also a crucial factor for the girls because it prepares his players for college games. All the games are streamed live, making it an accessible platform for college recruiters.
The JWHL also has a significant effect on the training of his team. “The 60-minute games are long, and it has altered our training and preparation for games. They stay more conscious of sleep and diet in the days leading up to the games,” Gilligan said.
Joining the JWHL was an excellent decision for Northwood. The girls are having a great season and mixing well with the new competition. Good luck this year!!!
