TEAM NEWS

The Phoenix team kicked off the 2010 – 2011 season by playing in the 2010 Female Hockey Festival in Port Alberni, BC on September 18th and 19th and started their fifteen-game NSPHL league schedule on October 16th. The Phoenix has two wins and two losses in their regular season games in NPSHL as of October 31. The Wild I played two exhibition games against the Richmond Midget team in late September and attended the Nanaimo Girls Midget tournament on Vancouver Island in early October. Wild I and Wild II began the Canadian PACHA League regular season by playing divisional placement games, slated from mid October through November 7th.
-- ZH

PLAYER STATS PAGE

The Team & Player Stats pages are updated on a regular basis with information from each team’s game score sheet. Game information is automatically crunched into team and player statistics in numerous ways.

There are two types of games that can be viewed -- ‘2010–2011 Season’ games, which are exhibition and regular season games, and ‘2010–1011 Tournament’ games, which are all the tournaments for the season. You can view information and stats within each team section by selecting the game type in the drop-down menu on each page. Or, if you click on a player profile you can view her career stats.

To view the Team & Player Stats pages go to: www.wwfha.com, click on the ‘Teams’ section on the right hand side of the horizontal menu, and click on the title: ‘WWFHA Team &Player Stats and Info’ to launch the site.
-- ZH

PLAYER PERSPECTIVE

Each newsletter we hope to interview one of the players in the association and ask her about a hockey or non-hockey experience that impacted her life. This month's interview is with Katie Scherer as we learn about her experiences playing both ice hockey and soccer, and how the sports are alike and differ.

Katie Scherer is 16 years old and in eleventh grade at Woodinville High School. She plays forward and defense for the Wild 1 team within WWFHA and also plays as a forward for a local recreational soccer team called the Mustangs. Katie plays both sports and believes they are very similar in many ways; however, they differ as well.

Katie started playing soccer 11 years ago and she picked up the sport of ice hockey 9 years ago.  When asked how the two sports are alike and how they differ she said, “Hockey and soccer can be very similar in positioning as both set up a supportive triangle for passes and plays; however, I believe hockey is a much more difficult sport to be good at than soccer, as there are more skills to master in hockey and it is a faster game.”

Katie believes that training for both sports has some similarities and differences as well. Katie said, “Training for hockey and soccer are basically the same; however, for hockey you need to train your upper body along with your lower body. Soccer mostly requires things like running, sprints, and leg work outs; whereas hockey includes all of those plus skating, arm and core workouts, and tons of shooting and stick handling training. Hockey is also more time consuming and there is a more vigorous workout and training schedule.”

Despite the differences in training for the two sports, Katie believes that hockey really helps her soccer game. She said, “I think hockey really helps me play soccer because hockey is such a fast paced game and requires you to make quick decisions and take quick action. Going from the quick pace of hockey to the slower pace of soccer, where you have all the time and room in the world, it helps me see the field and have the time to decide what play is the best for my teammates and me to succeed.” She also said, “I have incorporated calling for the ball into my soccer game, which is something I learned from hockey, along with keeping my head up and the importance of having quick feet.”

(Above photo by John Pratt)

Katie has taken away a few things from soccer to help her hockey game as well. She said, “If learned anything from soccer it is that soccer helps keep me in shape. Most of the soccer games I play are 90 minutes and all of the running in soccer has really built up my stamina over the years. This helps a lot for hockey because I get less tired during games and practices and I'm able to push through them.”

Katie also believes ice hockey is a tougher sport to master. Both sports have their challenges but she believes that hockey is definitely more challenging. Katie said, “The hardest thing about hockey is.... well, I think everything about hockey is hard. It takes a lot of hard work and practice to be a good skater, let alone play the game. From skating, to puck handling, passing, and shooting; every one of these skills is challenging to master. I'd like to think in life you can always improve on something and I find this to be true with hockey.” Katie continues to say, “What challenges me the most in hockey is stick handling; it was the one thing that didn't come naturally to me. It takes a lot of practicing for me to improve on my stick handling skills and I still have a long way to go until I'll be where I want to be as a top stick handler.”

Katie finds soccer to be less challenging as she thinks it is easier to play because walking and running are more naturally learned skills; however, there are some challenges as she explained, “The hardest skill in soccer is being able to dribble the ball just as fast as you can as if you didn’t have the ball. When you sprint with the ball you can’t touch the ball too hard or you'll lose it; however, you have to keep it far enough ahead of you to maintain your fastest running speed as if you didn’t have the ball.”

Katie enjoys both ice hockey and soccer and when asked if she would recommend one or the other she said, “I would definitely recommend playing both sports because they are so much fun. If you love a sport I think you should give it a chance and most likely you'll have a blast! It's also important to stay healthy and keep your body in shape and what is an easier way to do that than playing a sport you love!?”

While Katie enjoys both sports, ice hockey is her first and foremost choice while soccer is something she plays because she enjoys the game as well.  Katie said, “I want to play college hockey and I'd never give up on that goal and dream. For soccer, I've never been serious about it but I still love to play it, so I'll never quit. I plan on playing on a club soccer team of some sort in college.”

Katie also advised that regardless of what your sport you play, there are other sports out there that are enjoyable and that can help your hockey game or vice versa. She said, “If you want to try a new sport you should do it!!  I just want to encourage girls to follow their dreams and do what their heart tells them.”

For more information about Katie’s hockey and soccer experience, be sure to ask her. Or, if you want to learn about soccer, contact your local high school and recreational leagues – it is a great game too!
-- ZH

MONTHLY HOCKEY TIP

Last month we covered the topic of having a proper hockey conditioning program. This month we will cover the topic of regeneration and recovery after exercise.

In a recent speech, the USA Hockey Women’s National Team’s Conditioning Coach emphasized regeneration and recovery in your training; it is time well spent as it:

• Creates an athletic edge
• Accelerates recovery
• Reduces soreness
• Improves longevity
• Reduces injury risk

She said it is important to allow your body to recover properly after a workout, practices and/or games. The conditioning coach suggest athletes should:

• Stretch – especially hip flexors and groin
• Self massage – use a foam roller to roll out your body
• Mental/emotional recovery – meditate
• Replace fluids as soon as possible (2 cups per pounds lost)
• Recovery drink – rehydrate (low-fat chocolate milk or other recovery drink like Hammer’s Recoverite within 15-20 minutes; both that have the right formulation of carbs and protein for muscle recovery)
• Eat a post-exercise meal within 2 hours that includes protein & fruits/veggies (antioxidants)
• Cold shower/tub within 2 hours
• Replace calories burned within  2 hours

The USA Hockey Women’s National Team’s Conditioning Coach also said that athletes should:

• Be sure to sleep 8+ hours every night
• Get up and go to bed at a consistent time to create a sleep cycle
• Eat every 2 to 2-1/2 hours – small, nutritious meals

Take care of your body and your body will take care of you!
-- ZH

COLLEGIATE HOCKEY PREPARATION ZONE

To play NCAA Division I or Division III Women’s Ice Hockey it takes several years of preparation both on and off the ice. This month’s article will focus on the high-level NCAA recruiting rules for student-athletes in their junior year of high school, which is one of the most important preparatory years.  

Before we cover the rules, regulations and steps to prepare for collegiate women’s ice hockey it is important we debunk a myth. One of the misconceptions about being recruited to play for a collegiate program is that it just takes talent alone. This is wrong. You have to combine talent with good grades and proactively marketing yourself in order to get noticed and scouted.  Talent will only get you so far; good grades (in school and SAT scores), reaching out to coaches and developing a relationship with them (emails and going to collegiate camps), and being seen at scouted tournaments are key factors in the overall process; one without the others is nearly impossible, especially for players on the West Coast. While it is slightly harder for players on the West Coast to get recruited because of geography, it isn’t impossible if you are proactive and excel in talent, grades, getting seen and marketing yourself.

Juniors in high school should register in the NCAA Eligibility Center in order to get your academic and amateurism certification. You should also ensure your high school guidance counselor sends a copy of your transcript to the center. You should do this even though you aren’t sure where you think you will end up playing. The eligibility center ensures that you have taken the 16 core-course requirement in eight semesters, earned a minimum required grade-point average in core courses, and earns a combined SAT or ACT score that matches the core course grade-point average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 core-course grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT). The eligibility center can be found online at: http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net

It is important to check the NCAA Toolkit online for more information and become intimately familiar with each section. The NCCA defines the key areas for eligibility as:

• Academic Eligibility
• Amateurism Eligibility
• Certification Process
• Recruiting Rules
• Financial Aid
• And more!

The Division 1 Toolkit information can be found at: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/student-athlete+experience/becoming+a+student-athlete/division+i+toolkit

And, it is important to download (for free) The Guide for College Bound Athletes. This can be found at: http://www.ncaapublications.com/p-3950-2010-2011-guide-for-the-college-bound-student-athlete-pack-of-25.aspx

The NCAA websites say the following steps to Eligibility for a junior in high school are:

• At the beginning of your junior year, register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and complete the amateurism questionnaire.
• Register to take the ACT, SAT or both and use the Eligibility Center code (9999) as a score recipient.
• Double check to make sure the courses you have taken match your school’s NCAA list of approved core courses.
• Ask your guidance counselor to send an official transcript to the Eligibility Center after completing your junior year. (The Eligibility Center does NOT accept faxed transcripts or test scores.)
• Prior to registration for classes for your senior year, check with your guidance counselor to determine the amount of core courses that you need to complete your senior year.

Tips for on-ice preparation:

• Work hard on your travel team and go to tournaments that are heavily scouted by collegiate coaches.
• Consider working with a private coach and focus on the key areas you need to improve.
• Improve your game and become a team leader (you can lead by example even if you are not a team Captain or Assistant Captain).
• Collegiate coaches look for players that are positive, work hard, help others and are a team player in all respects on and off the ice – show this in your practices, league and tournament games. They can see the effort even when you don’t think they are looking.
• Try out for USA Hockey festivals.
• Attend collegiate camps in the summer – select the schools where you may want to attend and where you get the most exposure to coaches and current players.

Tips for off-ice preparation:

• Ensure you are warming up off-ice prior to practices and games.
• Take your workout regime that is designed for ice hockey players and begin using it year around prior to your Junior year.
• Ensure you are including other forms of exercise that will strengthen your core and improve your balance (example: core strength training and yoga). Don’t over-train but mix your workout up so it remains fresh, interesting and effective.
• Make sure you have a post-game/practice/exercise routine for optimum recovery.
• Ensure you have a balanced and scheduled sleep cycle.
• Eat small, nutritious meals.

And, don’t forget about proactively marketing yourself:

• Start refining your list of colleges that you might want to attend (from your larger list). Pick schools by your interest in by what you know you want in respect to:
  • Degrees offered, school location, school size, campus type, etc.
  • Level of team, type of coach your respond to, team personality, commitment expected, etc.
• Write to the coach and let them know of your interest in the school and the hockey program.
  • Email collegiate coaches your player profile and also ensure that you filled out their player profile online.
  • Tell collegiate coaches in your email how your hockey is progressing and develop a personal connection.
• When traveling to tournaments, write to coaches to let them know where you will be, what team you play for, your game schedule, and your jersey number (don’t forget the jersey number!)

The NCAA website defines Recruiting rules for juniors as:

• You may begin receiving recruiting materials from coaches September 1 of your junior year.
• You may make calls to the coach at your expense.
• Coaches may call you once per week starting July 1 after your junior year.
• Off-campus contact can be made starting July 1 after your junior year.
• You may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits.
• The NCAA says: An unofficial visit is any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. You may make as many unofficial visits as you like and may take those visits at any time.
• The only time you cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period and/or a quiet period, which is a time when nearly all recruiting activity is temporarily shut down. The NCAA defines the dead period for 2011 as:
• March 17-21, 2011 (the day prior to the Division 1 Championship to noon on the day after the game).
• April 11-14, 2011 (Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent).
• April 25 through May 31, 2011 is considered a quiet period. (The Monday prior to the American Hockey Coaches Association Convention, this is held April 28 through May 1, 2011, through the end of May).
• You may NOT make an official visit or make off-campus contacts your junior year. Official visits are allowed beginning on the opening day of classes your senior year.
• The NCAA says an official visit is any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college. This is when the college may pay all or some of the following expenses:
  • Your transportation to and from the college; 
  • Room and meals (three per day) while you are visiting the college; and
  • Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest.

The above rules are slightly different for NCAA Division III teams and do not apply to the ACHA non-varsity (club) teams; although ACHA teams do abide by the on-ice rules once you join a team and actually abide by a stricter grade-point average than NCAA teams. ACHA teams do recruit, and reaching out early to a coach of a school you are interested in is advisable as they may be able to meet you on campus, give you a tour and introduce you to the team – all beneficial in making your collegiate decision.

For more information on NCAA DI and DIII rules and regulations visit the NCAA website and check out the tool kits each division at: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Student-Athlete+Experience/Becoming+a+Student-Athlete/

Next month we will cover the steps and rules for sophomores and freshmen in high school.  –ZH

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 on the WWFHA website in the ‘Registration’ section. Contact cindydayley@yahoo.com for more information.

PASS THIS NEWSLETTER ON!

We encourage you to distribute this newsletter to people that have an interest in female hockey, whether they 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. If you want to read past issues of the newsletter please visit the newsletter archive at www.wwfha.com.