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Women's hockey in CNY suffers without depth
By Brian Tahmosh
Posted: 11/6/07, 11:04 PM EST Section: Sports
Kelly Fisk was all alone in goal as the Canadian players from NCCP (National Capital Competitive Program) charged toward her looking for the potential winning goal. Fisk's body moved right with her opponent's fake, but her glove stayed left, snatching the puck and preserving the 1-1 tie with 52 seconds left.
The 50 people in attendance roared as loud as they could. Most were family members who had made the one-hour trek Saturday night to watch Fisk's 16-and-under club hockey team, the Syracuse Stars, in action against the Canadian foe in the Hamilton College Invitational.
This is girls' high school hockey in Central New York, the region Daryl Gross wants to tap into; an area made up of club teams and a few high schools that have to travel vast distances to find a game. This is the region that made Gross say women's ice hockey at SU "only makes sense."
While coaches at top youth and college programs in New York agree there is talent to be found in the region, the depth of that talent is in question. In order to build an elite program at the Division I level, SU will likely have to follow the precedent set by teams in the area and recruit players from out of state.
"I don't think anyone can conclude that Syracuse University will only want to recruit N.Y. players," said Mare MacDougall, the assistant coach at No. 4 ranked St. Lawrence University. "I would only assume, looking at what I've learned through recruiting, that that is not feasible for them."
Research of the Syracuse area conducted by the university indicated that a large number of athletes could be recruited for a Division I women's ice hockey program. The athletic department would not reveal the specifics of the report to the public.
There is no official state championship for girls' ice hockey in the state of New York. A survey by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association was put out to all 11 sections in the state to see how many programs existed. Four sections (2, 5, 9 and 11) reported they did not have a single girls' hockey program. Section 7 reported that two high schools - Lake Placid Central and Saranac Lake - sponsored girls' ice hockey, and Section 10 confirmed having four programs - Canton, Potsdam, Messina and Salmon River. Four sections did not respond to the survey.
The 50 people in attendance roared as loud as they could. Most were family members who had made the one-hour trek Saturday night to watch Fisk's 16-and-under club hockey team, the Syracuse Stars, in action against the Canadian foe in the Hamilton College Invitational.
This is girls' high school hockey in Central New York, the region Daryl Gross wants to tap into; an area made up of club teams and a few high schools that have to travel vast distances to find a game. This is the region that made Gross say women's ice hockey at SU "only makes sense."
While coaches at top youth and college programs in New York agree there is talent to be found in the region, the depth of that talent is in question. In order to build an elite program at the Division I level, SU will likely have to follow the precedent set by teams in the area and recruit players from out of state.
"I don't think anyone can conclude that Syracuse University will only want to recruit N.Y. players," said Mare MacDougall, the assistant coach at No. 4 ranked St. Lawrence University. "I would only assume, looking at what I've learned through recruiting, that that is not feasible for them."
Research of the Syracuse area conducted by the university indicated that a large number of athletes could be recruited for a Division I women's ice hockey program. The athletic department would not reveal the specifics of the report to the public.
There is no official state championship for girls' ice hockey in the state of New York. A survey by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association was put out to all 11 sections in the state to see how many programs existed. Four sections (2, 5, 9 and 11) reported they did not have a single girls' hockey program. Section 7 reported that two high schools - Lake Placid Central and Saranac Lake - sponsored girls' ice hockey, and Section 10 confirmed having four programs - Canton, Potsdam, Messina and Salmon River. Four sections did not respond to the survey.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 5
Anonymous
posted 11/07/07 @ 3:16 PM EST
Thanks to Brian for offering some information on this very abrupt and ill-conceived mission to bring women's ice hockey to SU. At most institutions new programs are initiated when the budget is at a surplus and other programs are consistently successful. (Continued…)
Ice Hockey Women's Mom
posted 11/07/07 @ 5:16 PM EST
Two of my daughters played interscholastic ice-hockey - in Massachusetts, after spending their youth shovelling upstate NY frozen ponds - so I have watched women's hockey for decades. (Continued…)
Why Ice Hockey?
posted 11/07/07 @ 7:48 PM EST
Puzzling indeed that an AD from Southern California would bring in a hockey program. Did he wake up on a cold day and just think it just made sense? It seems like the action is spurred solely by an intent to have a winning team, even at a cost of eliminating a proven sport with tradition, such as swimming. (Continued…)
Richard Murphy
posted 11/08/07 @ 5:38 AM EST
Brian, very well presented article on women's ice hockey. We must be very cash rich to be able to "invest" in this latest undertaking. We wonder if Economics Professor Wasylenko, who chairs the SU Athletic Policy Board, bothered to review all the "research" the athletic director claims went into this decision to determine if it makes any economic sense. (Continued…)
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