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Women-in-Hockey Digest Thursday, April 9 1998 Volume 01 : Number 182
In this issue:
GOPHER WOMEN'S HOCKEY RECRUITS
Re: Hockey in Crisis in Canada article.
Re: Hockey in Crisis in Canada article.
"Women's Hockey is Timeless"
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Date: Wed, 8 Apr 98 22:27:09 -0500
From: "Craig Roberts"
Subject: GOPHER WOMEN'S HOCKEY RECRUITS
For Immediate Release April 8, 1998
Contact: Craig Roberts (612/624-0522)
HALLDORSON INKS FIVE FOR GOPHER WOMENÍS HOCKEY SQUAD
University of Minnesota womenÍs hockey coach Laura Halldorson announced that
forwards Laura Slominski (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) and Tracy Engstrom
(Willmar, Minn./Willmar) and goalie Crystal Nicholas (Tulsa, Okla./Union) have
signed national letters of intent to play for the Golden Gophers next season.
The trio will join last yearÍs first signee, Jenny Schmidgall (Edina,
Minn./Edina) who spent the 1997-98 season with Team USA, in the frosh class of
1998 at Minnesota.
In addition, Halldorson announced that Shannon and Courtney Kennedy will
transfer from Colby College to Minnesota for the start of fall classes and be
eligible immediately.
Slominski was named MinnesotaÍs Ms. Hockey this season at the stateÍs top
senior high school player while Engstrom led the Minnesota Thoroughbreds to the
semifinals of the USA Hockey national championships this past weekend.
Nicholas played for three teams during the 1997-98 season, competing for boys
varsity team at Union High School as well as playing for the Tulsa Junior Oilers
boys team and the girls midget Herricanes.
Schmidgall was a member of the gold-medal winning Team USA at the 1998 Olympics
this past season and concluded the season by playing for the Thoroughbreds.
The Kennedy sisters played together at Colby during the 1997-98 season.
Courtney, who plays defense and will be a sophomore, earned first-team Eastern
Collegiate Athletic Conference and WomenÍs Hockey News All-American honors this
past season. Shannon, a forward who will be a junior, was originally recruited
to Colby by Halldorson. Both finished in the top 20 nationally in
goals-per-game.
The Gophers concluded their inaugural season in 1997-98 with a 21-7-3 record
and finished fourth at the American WomenÍs College Hockey Association national
championships. The teamÍs captain, Julie Otto, was the lone senior among 23
players.
Laura Slominski, 5-3, Forward, Burnsville, Minn. (Burnsville High School)
Earned 1998 Ms. Hockey Award as the top senior high school player in
Minnesota...A three-time all-conference player who earned honorable mention
all-metro and all-state honors as a junior before gaining first-team honors
this season...Set school records this season for goals (44) and, points (72) and
hat tricks (8) in a season...Also set school career marks for goals and
points...Earned four varsity letters in hockey at Burnsville and also played
soccer...Parents are David and Judy Slominski...Birthdate is June 28,
1980...Intended field of study is business...Shoots right.
Tracy Engstrom, 5-6, Forward, Willmar, Minn. (Willmar High School)
Minnesota ThoroughbredsÍ captain in 1997-98, leading the team to the semifinals
of the midget national championships after helping them to a second-place finish
in 1997...Scored 18 goals and 48 points in 36 games for the Thoroughbreds in
1996-97...Finished fourth in team scoring (48) and was second in assists
(30)...Also played volleyball and softball at Willmar High School...A two-time
all-area and all-conference selection in softball...Attended 1997 USA Hockey
Development Camp...Parents are Dale and Robbie Engstrom...Birthdate is Feb. 17,
1980...Undecided on a major...Shoots right.
Crystal Nicholas, 5-7, Goalie, Tulsa, Okla. (Union High School)
Played for three teams this past season, including Union HighÍs varsity boys
team, Tulsa Junior Oilers midget A boys teams and the Dallas Herricanes girls
midget team...UHS assistant captain the past four seasons...Concluded her fifth
varsity season Tuesday and posted a 2.4 goals against average and a .930 save
percentage...Named most valuable player of high school team in 1997...First
female to play for Junior Oilers all-star team...Helped lead team to Texas
Amateur Hockey Association title in 1998, posting a 2.2 GAA and a .910 save
percentage...Attended USA National Goalie Camp at the Olympic Center in Colorado
Springs, Colo...Attended district Olympic Development Camp the last three years
and was named the top goalie in 1997...Parents are Jeff and Connie
Nicholas...Birthdate is July 15, 1980...Intended major is undecided...Catches
left.
Jenny Schmidgall, 5-3, Forward, Edina, Minn. (Edina High School)
Was the first student-athlete to sign a national letter-of-intent for the Gopher
womenÍs hockey program in November, 1996...Passed up playing with the Gophers in
1997-98 when she was selected for Team USA...Won a gold medal with the team at
the 1998 Olympics...Scored nine goals and 21 points in 30 games for team
USA...Had two goals and five points in six games during the Olympics...Made her
only Minnesota appearance with Team USA a memorable one, assisting on two goals
and setting up the game-winner in a 3-1 win over Team Canada, Dec. 4, at
Mariucci Arena...Two-time U.S. Junior National team member...Played on 1996 team
with current Gophers Ambria Thomas and Brittny Ralph...Finished the 1998 season
with the Minnesota Thoroughbreds, helping the team get to the semifinals of the
national midget tournament...Led 1997 Thoroughbred squad to runner-up finish at
nationals, scoring 52 goals and 91 points in 41 games...Parents are Dwayne and
Terri Schmidgall...Birthdate is Jan. 12, 1979...Intends to major in business
management...Shoots left.
Courtney Kennedy, 5-9, Defense, Woburn, Mass. (Buckingham Browne & Nichols)
Earned first team All-ECAC and first team WomenÍs Hockey News All-American
honors at Colby this season...Was one of 11 finalists for Patty Kazmaier Award
as the national player of the year...NationÍs top goal-scorer on defense (18)
and ranked fourth nationally in power-play goals (8)...Tied for 10th in goals
per game nationally, was 15th in points per game (1.29) and tied for 17th in
goals (18)...In all, she tallied 18 goals and 31 points in 24 games for the
White Mules...Attended USA Hockey Development Camp 1994 to 1997...Two-time U.S.
Junior National team member who played with current Gophers Ambria Thomas and
Brittny Ralph in 1996...A 1997 graduate of BB&N, she played varsity hockey for
the Knights as well as midget hockey for the Chelmsford Lions...Also played
hockey and softball at BB&N...Parents are Paul and Shirley Kennedy...Birthdate
is March 29, 1979...Major is undecided...Shoots left.
Shannon Kennedy, 5-10, Forward, Woburn, Mass. (Buckingham Browne & Nichols)
Will be MinnesotaÍs lone junior and the teamÍs most experienced player after two
seasons at Colby...Scored 15 goals and 27 points for the White Mules this
season...Finished 17th nationally in goals per game (0.63) and tied for fourth
with two short-handed goals...Attended USA Hockey Development Camp in 1993,1994
and 1995...Three-sport athlete at BB&N, participating in ice hockey, field
hockey and softball...Captained all three teams her senior season...Earned
all-league honors in ice hockey twice and softball one, and was an honorable
mention pick in field hockey...Also captained Chelmsford Lions midget team two
years, leading the team to a pair of state titles and one national
championship...Parents are Paul and Shirley Kennedy...Birthdate is Nov. 14,
1977...Majoring in human development...Shoots left.
- --------------------------------------
Craig Roberts, University of Minnesota
Women's Sports Information Assistant
Check out the Gophers on the Web at http://www.gophersports.com
Or call the Diet Coke Gopher Sports Hotline at (612) 626-STAT
GO GOPHERS!
Women's National Collegiate Ice Hockey Stats are at:
www.gophersports.com/sportsNews/press_release.asp?news_id=273
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Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 09:31:45, -0500
From: email@hidden (BOBBIE STANFILL)
Subject: Re: Hockey in Crisis in Canada article.
We'd love 100 ice times in North Texas!
House teams at Dallas Star Center got 15 games and 25 practices this
season. Approximately 1 game and 1 practice per weekend, with occasional
weekday practices. Easier on me since we had to drive 45 miles to get
there, but rough on keeping up the momentum and skill level from week to
week. The high school teams in Dallas <20> get 1 game and 1-2 practice
weekly. The FtWorth teams (8) get 1 game and maybe 1 on ice practice. HS
season is Jan-April. As we get more ice in the metroplex, it will actually
get worse, as more kids want to play. As it is, the 4 ice sheets are
booked from 5am-2am already.
bobbie
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Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 12:09:33 -0500
From: email@hidden
Subject: Re: Hockey in Crisis in Canada article.
Practices?? Ha!! Adult teams here don't get practice times. Our
current season is 16 weeks long, and you either have one or two games
every Sunday morning. My college team has to fight for ice time to
practice, and we're lucky if we get it twice a week at midnight.
JJ
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Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 13:24:10 -0700
From: "Phil & Debbie Cottrell"
Subject: "Women's Hockey is Timeless"
Article by Sharie Epp in this morning's Times-Colonist:
WOMEN'S HOCKEY IS TIMELESS
Their ages cross four decades, but crossing blue-lines is far more important
than years to players on the Saanich Braves women's hockey team. The Braves
are on ice this weekend at Pearkes Arena in their own second annual Saanich
Spring Thaw tournament, featuring teams from Esquimalt, Port Coquitlam,
Whistler, North Delta and Langley.
With ages ranging from 16 to 44 years, Saanich is one of the only teams on
the Island- Sooke Thunderbirds is another- playing at the competitive AA
level, compared to the recreation level. Players must try out for the team,
but many are long-term members.
"In 12 years (as coach) probably a third to a quarter of our team has stayed
the same" said Bruce Tuck, who coaches with his dad Al Tuck.
"It's beyond (recreational)" Tuck said of the level of play. "They really
get into the competitive nature.". Some former players have gone on to
Eastern universities or moved up to the AAA level like Jennifer Price, who
recently goaltended her way to the national championships with the New
Westminster Lightning.
Jackie Behrens is one of the newer players on the Braves. Now 37, she's
played on and off since she was 11.
"I've been around a long time", she said. "I'm sort of called the fossil on
the team.". Behrens played back in the '80's when body contact was part and
parcel of the women's game.
"There were goons then, just like (in the men's game) now", she said,
recalling broken bones and particularly, the Sweetheart Tournament in North
Battleford, Sask.
"Lots of times you'd see people taken out on stretchers", Behrens said. "I
don't miss it...it's a rough game still. You still fall, you still get hit,
it's still an aggressive sport without the blood and gore kind of thing.".
As far as fans wanting to see fights: "I don't want to play for them
anyway.".
The body contact was taken out of the rule book, Behrens said, because it
was too hard for people to get up in the morning and go to work nursing
breaks and bruises (and here I thought it was hangovers-Phil). Now it's more
a speed and finesse game that's developing rapidly at the youth levels,
despite the ongoing struggle for ice time.
In the Saanich Minor Hockey Association, for example, as kids come off the
waiting list they are moved onto the first available team. For girls, that
usually means a boy's team. Tuck, also referee in chief of Saanich hockey,
is hoping the increasing numbers of girls and extra sheets of ice planned
for the Victoria area will result in more all-girls teams.
"If girls want to play on a girl's team, that's one of our top priorities",
said Tuck. "It takes a lot of courage to be the only girl if there are 15
boys on a team.".
The Spring Thaw tournament begins tonight. Women who have hankered for the
rush of a breakaway or the flick of a wrist shot should head down and have a
look. Behrens said there's a level of women's hockey for everyone. "Even if
you've never played a day", she said, "you can join a rec team.".
Phil, Victoria, BC
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End of Women-in-Hockey Digest V1 #182
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