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All-Girls Clinic Brings Players Together

By James Hague - Special to USAHockey.com, 10/14/15, 8:00AM MDT

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New Jersey event held in conjunction with IIHF World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend provides opportunity, fun for players of varied skills and backgrounds

Maryum Bhatti is a 15-year-old Science Park High School student in Newark, New Jersey. She’s also a huge hockey fan who loves the New Jersey Devils.

Bhatti’s love of hockey is perhaps surprising. She was born in the United States, but her parents were born in Pakistan. Bhatti is also Muslim and wears the Hijab headdress as part of her faith, background and culture.

Cricket is by far the most popular sport in Pakistan. Field hockey also is part of the traditional Pakistani sports scene. But ice hockey is nowhere to be found.

Bhatti grew up watching the Devils. But two years ago, she decided to actually participate in the sport, and not just watch. Bhatti received word of the Hockey in Newark Program, designed to introduce the sport of hockey to boys and girls from the inner city.

“I was excited,” Bhatti said. “I figured I loved hockey so much, so why not play it? I found out what it was like. But I didn’t know how to skate.”

That was not an issue, because Bhatti was not alone. There were a lot of kids in the program that couldn’t skate.

“At first, it was really hard,” Bhatti said. “But the coaches were all so supportive. I thought it was going to be too hard for me, but I was able to pull it off.”

Now, Bhatti is a forward for one of the Hockey in Newark squads. She also was chosen to represent the program during IIHF World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend at the AmeriHealth Pavilion adjacent to the Prudential Center, home of the Devils.

The Devils and the Prudential Center partnered with USA Hockey and the Mid-Atlantic Women’s Hockey Association to host a clinic Sunday for approximately 150 girls, ages 10 through 16, with girls from Hockey in Newark, Hockey in Harlem and Hockey in Philadelphia participating.

The girls-only clinic was just part of a worldwide initiative by the International Ice Hockey Federation, the sport’s world governing body, to introduce hockey to girls.

Last weekend, during the 24-hour period from Saturday through Sunday, a girls’ hockey game was being played all around the world.

While the clinic in Newark was not part of the marathon, it did help to draw attention to the fact that more and more girls are interested in playing hockey.

“The biggest thing for us is to expose young girls to a higher level of hockey,” said Andy Gojdycz, who is the hockey director for the AmeriHealth Pavilion and also serves as the associate coach-in-chief for the Atlantic District of USA Hockey. “We want to watch them grow with the sport.”

The first all-girls clinic taught young players a lot about the finer points of the game.

“We emphasize station work, with skills, passing, stickhandling, agility drills and shooting,” Gojdycz said.

Most of the girls’ hockey experiences have been with boys on the ice, because programs don’t have enough female skaters to form full teams. So this was different for girls like Bhatti.

“It was a good experience,” Bhatti said. “I also got to meet girls from Harlem, from Philadelphia. It was really good to see all the different players.”

There were even three other girls wearing the Hijab.

“I thought I was the only one who wore it,” Bhatti said. “It’s not that common.”

As an added bonus, players were introduced to Josephine Pucci, a member of the U.S. Olympic team that won the silver medal last year in Sochi, Russia.

Pucci met with the skaters, posed for pictures and signed autographs.

“There was a great turnout of young girls who are excited to play hockey, make new friends and learn more about the game,” Pucci said. “There was a lot of energy all around.”

Pucci believes that girls’ hockey is rapidly growing.

“There are so many opportunities for women in ice hockey and it’s only going to continue,” Pucci said.

She believes clinics like the one held Sunday will entice more girls to join in the fun on the ice.

“It also brings a lot of people together, both young girls and coaches, who are passionate about it, and that passion is contagious especially at events like these,” she said.

Bhatti was impressed by Pucci.

“She was amazing,” Bhatti said. “She told us her story and it was nice to see someone could go so far. She really inspired us as well.”

Gojdycz is encouraged when a free clinic is so well attended.

“We’re getting girls from all demographics and backgrounds,” Gojdycz said. “We have some who have played before and others who say they’re willing to learn. We’re just trying to establish a foundation. Some of these girls can really play.”

Donna Guariglia, the USA Hockey girls/women’s section chair and president of the Mid-American Women’s Hockey Association, considered the clinic a rousing success.

“All of the people involved did an outstanding job creating one of the best atmospheres we've ever had for girls hockey weekend,” Guariglia said. “Hockey truly is a sport for everyone.”

There’s no better proof of that than at the Bhatti home, a Pakistani family now entrenched in hockey.

“My parents are always there for me,” Bhatti said. “My brothers are younger than me, but they are showing interest and starting to skate. I go to play with the boys sometimes.”

After Sunday, hockey will always be her main sport.

“I definitely love hockey more now,” Bhatti said.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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