July 2010
The Western Washington Female Hockey Association (WWFHA) Newsletter is a monthly communication to members and those interested in the growth and development of female ice hockey.

REMINDER: FINAL CALL FOR 2010-2011 REGISTRATION

WWFHA Registration has past and we urge you to contact us immediately if you haven't secured your spot for the 2010-2011 season. Teams are being formed and we need final numbers.

Steps for registration are:

1. Notify WWFHA via email of your intent to register asap by emailing jsarco@comcast.net
   
   
2. Download the appropriate registration forms from the association website (www.wwfha.com):

Registration fee for Wild 1 and Wild 2 is $250 and $100 for the Phoenix.

WWFHA'S FREE CLINIC A GREAT SUCCESS!

As part of WWFHA's goal to provide a place for girls to learn, play and grow, in conjuntion with our mission to promote the sport of ice hockey for females, the association hosted two Free Clinics on June 26 and July 17 at Kingsgate arena.

The sessions attracted girls from across the state, from Bellingham to Spokane and everywhere in-between, for a variety of drills that both challenged and improved each players' skill. Players ages 8 to 18 years old enjoyed the skate, learned a lot, and made new friends!

Contact info@wwfha.com to be put on the list to be notified of the next FREE Clinic.

WWFHA CONSIDERING GIRLS' SQUIRT TEAM

WWFHA is evaluating the possibility of starting a girls' Squirt / Beginner ice hockey team called the Hawks. If you are interested please contact WWFHA asap so we can determine if there are enough girls to start a team for the U12 age group or young beginner players.

Call today: (425) 641-3265 or email info@wwfha.com

MONTHLY HOCKEY TIP:
~ Shot Accuracy & Strength

Players can improve their shot accuracy and power by shooting pucks off-ice at a backboard or into a net in their backyard -- this is an everyday, year-round activity and only takes 20 - 30 minutes!

First, establish a specific and measurable performance goal for shooting off-ice that is written down, shared with coaches / parents, and revised on a regular basis to promote development.

Example: "I will shoot 10 pucks everyday (of each type: wrist, snap, slap and backhand shots) for two weeks and then increase by 10 more pucks every two weeks until I reach 120 pucks per day; I will be able to execute accurate shots for each shot type."

It is important to have the correct stick length when shooting off-ice. You should adjust your stick length down appropriately to take into consideration that you are in shoes vs. skates.

Once you get started don't rush your shot, but take time to make sure your technique is correct. Off-ice shooting can improve your accuracy and strength for your wrist, snap, slap and backhand shots and give you an edge all year-round!

Have fun and enjoy!

COLLEGIATE HOCKEY PREPARATION ZONE

Females have more opportunities to play collegiate ice hockey than ten years ago. While more schools have teams now there are also various collegiate alternatives offered as well.

The NCAA offers Division I and III Women's Hockey, which are varsity programs supported by the university (paid staff and you don't have to pay to play). NCAA Division I teams practice on and off ice every day, offer full and partial scholarships (Ivy League schools offer grants), and the time commitment for student-atheletes is like working a full-time job (hockey) while going to school; players participate less in other collegiate activities.

There is also non-varsity (club) hockey within the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), which was established in 2000. The national association boasts 50 teams in Women's Division I and II, alongside three men's divisions and over 1,000 teams. Players pay to play (much like youth association dues), coaches and staff tend to be volunteers, practices are less often (depending on the team), and it is like working a part-time job while going to school. However, ACHA hockey is highly competitive, teams vie for a National Championship, as well as national hockey and scholastic awards, and players participate in other collegiate activities more often.

Much more preparation and self-marketing needs to take place to be recruited by a NCAA program and student-athletes should begin early both on and off the ice, including academically. For more information visit: www.ncaa.com

For ACHA teams, tryouts occur once you get to school; however, more and more ACHA coaches are recruiting players early, so if you know the college that you plan to attend has an ACHA team, then contact the coach immediately to let them know of your interest. The more competitive teams have pre-season off- and on-ice training workouts before you arrive at school. For more information and a list of schools visit: www.achahockey.org

You may have the skill to play NCAA varsity hockey at the Division I or III level, or regardless of having that skill or not, you may choose to play ACHA non-varsity hockey because of your interested in a particular school; however, note that there are players in the ACHA that could have played at the NCAA varsity level, but chose to play non-varsity instead because their first interest was the school, or they wanted to have a hockey-college experience that was more balanced. The choice is up to you and you shouldn't limit your options but select many schools and hockey programs and get to know them well to help make your decision.

The bottom line is that it is important to go to college for the education and the degree that you are interested in -- select the school with respect to degrees offered, academic caliber, school size, type of campus, and various other characteristics and then see what hockey program they offer. It is okay to first select the NCAA varsity program that you want to play for, but ensure the school meets your needs in the other areas as well; then find out if you have the skill to be recruited both academically and hockey-wise.

PLAYER PERSPECTIVE -- Alyssa Brandland

Each newsletter we hope to interview one of the players in the association and ask them about a hockey or non-hockey experience that impacted their life. This month's interview is with Alyssa Brandland and her first experience at two collegiate hockey camps this summer.

Alyssa plays for the Wild 1 and has a goal of playing NCAA Division I hockey. Alyssa chose to participate in two collegiate hockey camps: 1. Total Female Hockey Experience, 2. and Mercyhurst College's Elite Development Camp for Girls.

Total Female Hockey Experience (TFHE) is run by two former collegiate players, Kim McCullough (Masters Degree in Kinesiology) and Seattle local Brooke Whitney (former collegiate & prep school coach and NCAA Player of the Year at Northeastern). The camp is a day camp for elite players across the US and Canada.

Alyssa says of her TFHE experience, "It was an excellent camp and a great first look at what is expected at the collegiate level. It was a huge help both on and off the ice. We learned about mental preparation, pushed our on-ice comfort zones, improved our skills, and they evaluated each of us in various ways to help us work on our growth areas. I would highly recommend them as an excellent local camp, especially if you haven't gone to a collegiate summer camp yet. They really give you insight on what you need to do in order to prepare for college hockey and what it takes to play at that level."

Mercyhust College, which offers a NCAA Division I hockey program and placed 3rd in the NCAA Final Four last year, offers a week-long,overnight summer camp on their campus in Erie, PA.

Alyssa says of her experience at Mercyhurst, "It was the best hockey experience of my life. I learned so much about what I need to do in order to play college hockey and I heard it right from the coach, assistant coaches and current players. I now know what I need to change in order to make it on-ice, off-ice, and academically at the next level."

She continued to say, "Nothing can replace the experience of being on-campus because I learned quickly what type of college campus, environment, academics, hockey program and college coach I am looking for in a school. I would recommend anyone interested in playing college hockey, at any level, to go to the camp of their college choice. It not only gives you a look into what college hockey is like, but it also helps you quickly learn if you like a school or not. By going to a collegiate camp you'll learn so much about your hockey, what it takes on and off the ice, where you are competitively with other players, what type of school is right for you, and just a whole lot more about yourself too."

For more information:
- Total Female Hockey Experience
- Mercyhurst College's Elite Development Camp for Girls
For other collegiate hockey camps, visit the schools' website and look for summer camp information. Hint: Sign up early each spring as most summer camps fill up quickly.

LOOKING FOR A SPONSOR FOR
'LEARN TO SKATE & PLAY HOCKEY' EVENTS!

WWFHA is looking for several businesses to sponsor our up-and-coming 'Learn to Skate and Play Hockey' sessions.

The goal of the sessions is to get young female student-athletes out on the ice for the first time. For as little as $300 sponsors will enjoy event naming rights, the credit for empowering girls through sport, and much more. Contact WWFHA for full benefits and details.

WWFHA has other sponsorship packages available as well, from website exposure to logos on player jerseys. If you know of a local business that might be good to approach for a sponsorship, contact us today and we will reach out to them! Your suggestions will help!

For more information please contact us today at zoeharris@yahoo.com

NOW ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

Contact WWFHA if you would like to apply for a scholarship for the 2010-2011 season. Partial scholarships are now available to apply for and will be handed out on a case-by-case basis based on financial need. Look for application forms and requirements coming soon to the WWFHA website - www.wwfha.com.

Contact the Scholarship Committee at cindydayley@yahoo.com for more information.

HELP PROMOTE GIRLS HOCKEY
IN WESTERN WASHINGTON!

Players and Parents -- WWFHA is looking for volunteers to help promote and market girls' hockey in the community. If you have a few hours we'd love your help handing out flyers at local events, putting up signs along the roadside, or assistance with other efforts to promote girls' hockey in your neighborhood. Send us your ideas!

Please contact us at info@wwfha.com if you would like to help get the word out so we can grow the association and serve more girls in the sport of ice hockey!

MAKE A GOOD PASS AND PASS THIS NEWSLETTER ON!

We encourage you to distribute this newsletter to as many people in Western Washington state that may have an interest in female hockey, whether they are members of WWFHA or not, currently play or may have interest in playing in the future. We thank you for your commitment to girls' hockey and your help in sharing news and information with others.

If you don't already receive this newsletter directly from WWFHA and would like to, please send an email to zoeharris@yahoo.com to subscribe.