Hockey brings Valley girls together on the ice

MAT-SU — For the first time, all four Valley hockey organizations came together to create a free, two-day hockey clinic for female hockey players in the Mat-Su.

For years, Valley hockey organizations have tried to bring enough girls together to create an all-female team, but the numbers are seldom there. This has become an annual struggle that ultimately divides female athletes across all organizations: Palmer Amateur Hockey Association, Mat-Su Amateur Hockey Association, Wasilla Wild and Jr. Avalanche.

The event, held Jan. 2-3, was a two-day girls hockey camp that brought in the New Year with the help and sponsorship for ice from all of the associations.

In addition, another first that has recently been achieved in the Valley is the PAHA U19 girls hockey Tier II team. This is the first girl’s hockey team formed at the competitive level of any age or association in the Mat-Su. This team is going to compete in districts in Anaheim, Calif., in March, with the goal of continuing on to nationals. It was this new and young group of ladies who ran the hockey camp as coaches and role models.

There were a total of 35 young girls from the various organizations who attended the camp, and all left smiling.

“I am very proud of my ladies for putting on this clinic,” said PAHA U19 girls head coach Daniel Goff. “I worked with them to organize the days, but this was their plan. They came up with the drills, both on ice and dry land. They ran them by me, I agreed they were on the right track, and then they executed the camp.

“There were six individuals who really deserve some special recognition for the camp — Sara Diltz, Johnna Elkins, Hope Diltz, Kat Dietz, Kadin Mulenaeux and Elise Gamez. These six ladies designed and carried out the plan with the support of their teammates.

“I don’t think I could have asked for more from a group of young ladies putting on their first camp and having it be such a success. It is very pleasing to walk through the rink over the last two evenings and have people I don’t know thank me for the great camp the ladies put on. I am truly proud of my team, each and every Lady Pioneer participated and made an impact in a young girls hockey experience.”

The goal is to create a girls’ hockey program that combines all associations into one Mat-Su Valley female hockey presence so Valley talent doesn’t have to drive to Anchorage to play competitively.

While the PAHA U19 Girls team may have been coaching this two-day camp, it was because all associations collaborated that this clinic was such a success. Girl’s hockey in the Mat-Su Valley is growing exponentially every year and sooner rather than later there will be a competitive girls hockey program offered locally for all ages. There will be less female athletes traveling outside of the Valley. This hockey camp was a firm and successful step in that direction.