Photo Credit: Mike Hamlett

This year, IHA added a new team to the Blue Eagles athletics department, an ice hockey team and is the first high school in Northern New Jersey to have an all girls team.

IHA’s athletic director, Mr. John Downey, felt it was time that IHA introduce this sport to the school. The team’s coach is Brooke Ammerman, who played in Wisconsin, and has experience on ice and as a coach.

Originally, over 70 girls responded as interested in the new ice hockey program, but the team only has 12 girls. Coach Ammerman says that she hopes to one day have a varsity and junior varsity programs, with about 40 girls playing between the two teams.

Photo Credit: Mike Hamlett

The team had its first game on Friday, December 11^th against Pingry 10 – 4. Even though they lost, Coach Ammerman said, “I thought the girls did awesome and I couldn’t be prouder. More than half our girls have never played a game before and they learned quickly and everybody contributed.” The team had little practice time before the game and not everyone had previous playing experience, so the girls did their best.

The team’s captain is sophomore Anna Maniaci and there are three assistant captains: Abigail Heffernan ’18, Erin Carroll ’17, and Jessica Rainey ’16. All four girls have had previous playing experience and helped the new players learn and develop as players.

Photo Credit: Mike Hamlett

The team lost all games this season, but they continued to perform and show up at every game.

IHA is incredibly proud of our team in their first season and we are excited to see how they perform next season.

By Gabriella DePinho ’17, IHA News Senior Editor

Photo Credit: Mike Hamlett