The girls’ hockey team gathers before a game. Photo provided.
With the season kicking into play, I would like to introduce the Northwood Girls Hockey team. With 12 newcomers and 10 college commitments, this team has begun their journey to success. Long days and hard practices might sound like a drag to most, but to the girls’ hockey team, every moment is a chance to get better and train with a group of people you only get one season with. As Sophia DeAnzeris ‘25 says, “We are so lucky to be here.” Although the jokes come out of it, she points out something we all need to appreciate every day. This year’s team is diverse, with players coming from South Korea and Japan, to Arizona and Montana, to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and of course, New York State.
Coming from diverse backgrounds, we embrace the differences in the game’s characteristics and strive to learn from each other every day. Coach Gilligan states, “It is a neat variable that our kids get to learn from their teammates about different experiences and how they came up. Everyone’s path is different and seeing how different people move into different chapters of their lives is something that every kid can benefit from learning about one another.”
Coach Gerardi says, “It is beneficial for the team because we have a different identity than we have been in the past. We have learned a lot about what each girl brings and aim to maximize each girl’s skill set to enhance our style of play.”
Starting off the season, we had 7 college commitments, and going into our 5th week, we are proud to announce that we can add 3 to that list. Gracie Hurlbut ‘25 will attend Castleton in the fall, Eliza Quackenbush ‘25 committed to Long Island University, and Oceanne Thiffault-Michel ‘26 committed to Rochester Institute of Technology. Along with these accomplishments, all the returners from the years before welcome the new girls to the team and its culture.
One big weekend is always the height of attention to the girls’ hockey community, not only for the players but their families too. In January, we will all gather in Lake Placid to compete in the annual Northwood tournament and aim to raise the trophy for the third year in a row. Ella Malloy ‘25 states, “As a newcomer, I am excited to defend the title and play in our house in front of family and friends”. Many new girls share this same opinion. Anna Monette ‘26, a second-year junior, states: “The tournament brings our community together in the light of competition, and that’s something everyone should look forward to”. This weekend is a chance to bring together family and friends while celebrating the seniors who will be heading into the new chapters of their lives in the fall. So welcome, everyone. The girls’ hockey team is encouraged and excited to share with you the potential this group holds. There is no better support than this community that we are so proud to represent. Go huskies.
