High hopes for a girls’ ice hockey team

Gloucester High School is closer to having a Girls Ice Hockey team than ever before. After a grassroots effort by parents, there will likely be a cooperative Junior Varsity Girls hockey team for the 2016 winter season.

If enough girls sign the commitment letters by June 6, then there will be a JV co-op team with Rockport.

“As of now we have about six girls. We are hoping once we host an open house and kids see the flyers posted that they will come forward and sign up,” said Mandy Milan. “If enough girls sign up, then there will be a team for the 2016/2017 season.”

Talk of formulating the girls hockey team came from a group of U10 Cape Ann Youth Hockey parents. They decided to send out emails and phone calls to see what they needed to do to establish a team for the girls to continue to play after youth hockey.

Mandy Milan and Neil Costa made many appeals to the athletic directors, school committee, principal and superintendent. They had a meeting with them and agreed upon a JV beginners level team for all girls interested in playing hockey.

“It took lots of hard work and dedication reaching out to those in charge to formulate the team,” said Milan. “We would not take no for an answer.”

On April 30th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the afternoon there will be a free Junior Varsity Hockey open house. The open house will be at the Dorothy Talbot Rink at O’Maley Middle School.

All girls interested in playing must be between the ninth and twelfth grades from Gloucester and Rockport. After the free skate there will be pizza, discussion and sign ups.

If you are interested in playing email [email protected] to sign up for free skate.