Last weekend, the Chelmsford Ice Hockey Academy had an awesome celebration for the strong and driven girls in their setup. It was all part of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend! The academy has girls of all ages, starting from as young as three, and they are actively recruiting through their ‘Learn to Play’ programme. This ensures that their U16s girls team will have a steady stream of players for years to come.
Did you know that almost a third of the academy players are female? Some of these girls are just starting their hockey journey, while others are aiming for the stars and making it to the GB and elite level women’s senior teams. And guess what? They have some amazing female coaches supporting them every step of the way.
Last weekend, something special happened at the academy. The Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Linda Mascot, and her consort Ian Mascot, paid a visit to watch the U16s girls team take on the Swindon TopCats. It was an exciting match! But that’s not all. After the game, there was a house game featuring girls from the U10s and U12s teams. It was an all-female affair, with the U16s girls team taking on the gameday roles like team coaches, penalty box, and referee.
And you won’t believe what happened next. The Mayor herself stepped onto the ice to hand out the post-match awards and chat with the children. How cool is that?
The Chelmsford Ice Hockey Academy said, “It was amazing for our girls to see a woman in such a powerful position, and she was so interactive and enthusiastic about our academy and the sport.”
But wait, there’s more! The celebrations didn’t stop there. Nottingham’s National Ice Centre also joined in on the fun. Last Saturday, over 25 girls hit the ice to learn new skills. And guess what they got to watch? A thrilling 4-4 draw between the Nottingham Vipers and Solway Sharks Ladies in the WNIHL Division 1. It was an action-packed day!
Check out the video from the day below:
🐍🏒 Over 2️⃣5️⃣ girls took to the ice at Nottingham’s @Nat_Ice_Centre on Saturday, as part of the @IIHFHockey’s World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend!
The girls learned new skills before watching a 4-4 draw between the Vipers and @SharksLadies in the WNIHL Division 1.
🎥 @NottmVipers pic.twitter.com/x0qJP5jKCX
So, let’s celebrate the power of girls on the ice! It’s incredible to see so many young girls getting involved in ice hockey and pursuing their dreams. With the support of amazing coaches and the recognition from influential figures like the Mayor, these girls are unstoppable. Who knows, we might see some of them representing their country one day. Keep shining, girls!