I could tell you all about our great week at a cottage in Canada on a beautiful lake, but I suspect that's not what you came here to find out about. Of course, I should tell you HOCKEY related activites. Well, that was very eventful this summer as well.

Century Girls Saga: As you may know, last spring, it was announced that Century girls were not going to have a hockey program this fall due to lack of interest. Well, through some very active promotion and recruting by the returning girls, it appears that Century will have a team this fall. My hat's off the incredible job the girls did saving their program. And a double tip of the hat to the new girls who are adventuresome enough to take up hockey for the first time and will be members of the first 'Century-only' girls varsity hockey team!

51 Girls!: RYHA ran a three day camp for girls who have never played hockey before and what a blast it was. The energy and enthusiasm of these girls was fantastic and quickly rubbed off on all the high school girls and coaches who helped with the camp. No question that any previous record of 'smiles per hour' while playing hockey was smashed!! The great thing is that you'll see many of these new girls skating for our high school teams in years to come.

Getting Ready: Though there are plenty of good sun tanning days left this summer, thoughts are slowly turning toward the upcoming hockey season. What can you do before the season to be at your best? The fall hockey schools are starting next week and run through early October. Also, there is Sunday Faceoff which is the best value for your dollar - because not only is it very good for your game, but it's FREE! Signup on this site now.

I plan to do this again next year so if you don't hear from me by the end of January you should contact me via email or on my cell phone (202-5019). We had approximately 50 girls registered in the spring and 40 for the summer scrimmages. I am thinking about changing the spring session to have two groups with some overlap time between groups. I will be looking to see if the ice time is available to work this out.

I would like some feedback from the families. Will you participate again? What did you like? What did you not like? What would you like to see changed? Should we add dryland training? Would you pay extra for a higher quality jersey or that not important?

I would like to thank the high school girls, Sinead, Nicky and Nara for their help. Go and watch them play this winter. Thanks also to Scott, Tim, Steve, Tom, Steve and Charlie for their help on the ice (maybe go watch them play this winter too :~)

Remember that registration for the winter season begins on September 12th. The Sunday Faceoff dryland training sessions start this Sunday Aug 20th and are free. Register on www.gottaplayhockey.com . Stickhandling and shooting off-ice is the simplest and most cost effective way to improve your game. If you want to have the most FUN on the rink you need to be in control of the puck. You can be a playmaker, a goal scorer or a holy terror on defense if you have the confidence to go after the puck and keep it. If you can stickhandle well you will be a great passer too. Don't forget the fall hockey school too (see attachment). There is a new group set up just for beginning hockey players.

Some of you new families also participated in the GIH - girls intro to hockey. I hope you enjoyed yourself and can see how much you progressed from the first time you skated in the spring group.

See you at the rink,

Mike McCormack

The season was a first-year expirement where the 10UA girls played in the local squirt B league. The concern was that the competition would be appropriate and not overwhelm the team. On that note, we were a smashing success. Every league game except for 2 losses, were within one goal - like 'pull the goalie' close every time! The competition was great and every game was very intense (if you can imagine how fired up 4th and 5th grade boys would be to play well against same aged girls!)

Also, the girls did great in 10UA tournaments including a third place showing and also a first ever win over girls powerhouse Edina - in a shootout no less!

Gabby and Sam lead in scoring. Star defensemen Tessa and KellyB had the amazing feat of playing an ENTIRE game without leaving the ice. (Yes, that means just what it sounds like - and we won that game too!). We'll miss Tessa, Gabby, Sam, Markayle, and KellyB a lot next year. We have some big shoes to fill in their departure to U12.

Thanks to all the girls for the priviledge of being their coach. It was an honor to work with such great young people.

So often girls are influenced by society to be so 'good' and 'proper', etc. Then, put some of these same girls on a hockey rink and the transformation is unbelievable. Many times, you see some normally pretty shy and reserved and ‘proper’ girls don a helmet and facemask, and suddenly, the anonymity of it seems to unleash them and their self-confidence and outgoingness soars! Parent report that this newfound confidence has an incredibly positive affect on the girls away from the rink ask well! As a coach, seeing kids get this sort of thing out of sports is what we live for.

Body image is another neat thing about girls hockey. When the girls get the equipment on, there is no pressure to be too skinny, to big, etc. And unlike basketball, volleyball, etc, size is not an automatic asset. In fact, the best female hockey players in the world average about 5’5”, while, in contrast, the top 10 female tennis players in the world average almost six feet!

The style of play has also grown on me. Taking the hitting out of the game leaves you with a beautiful flowing game of skating, passing, finess, and thinking. I thought I'd really miss the big hits of boys hockey, but it turns out that I didn't. This girls game is flowing, infinitely safer for our children, and can be played for a lifetime.

So, in conclusion, I definitely still enjoy some hard hitting hockey, but at the same time, I very much enjoy, and have a deep appreciation for the very different game that our daughters play as well.