By Rachel Kucharski
So far 23 players, including two from Canada, have committed to play for Hood’s new women’s ice hockey team.
Head coach Josh Funk said he is excited to start the new program. He was most recently a coach on a Division III team in New Hampshire as well as a Division I team located in Pennsylvania. Overall, Funk has 12 years of coaching experience that he is happy to bring to Hood.
While the coaches are still recruiting women from across North America, they currently have 23 commits and are looking to add a few more players to the team. The players are from 16 states, and two players come from NovaScotia and Ontario.
Funk looks at hockey through a bigger picture. He coaches by teaching life lessons through the sport. Joining Funk on the coaching staff will Joey Kolega as the assistant coach and Alisa Canney as the graduate assistant.
Funk jumped at the opportunity to start a new program. With starting the new program, he wants to get through the year keeping his players healthy and with fair ice time.
In the past, Funk has coached for programs where the team was already formed. He focused on coaching games and practices while recruiting. This time around, he is able to focus strictly on recruiting and bringing together the right personalities so the roster development will exceed.
“As soon as I stepped on campus, it was a perfect fit,” Funk said.
Incoming Canadian student and player Emily Warren, class of 2029, had a smooth recruiting process and is excited to be joining the college as a computer science major and pursuing her master’s degree in cyber security.
Warren has been a hockey player for 10 years and eight years as a goalie. It was after she made her first big save that she decided she loved that position.
“Hockey has always been a part of my life and it was important to me that I continue playing the sport I love,” Warren said.
The college has been supportive of the new team in preparing the ice schedule for the upcoming year and giving plenty of time for growth and development. Banners and signs are already decorating the team’s home arena at Skate Frederick, awaiting their arrival.
“The support we’ve had around campus with the excitement of people to come watch hockey and the Frederick community to help develop the rink and the energy that there is around campus with adding the program, adding hockey has been a really big help,” Funk said.
The players will begin practice in the fall. The team’s first home game will be on Nov. 1 at Skate Frederick.
Be sure to follow the team’s Instagram to keep up to date with the team’s growth.
@hood_whockey
Be the first to comment