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By Josh Wagner\u00a0\/\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hood College women\u2019s ice hockey team is skating into history playing their first season.
The Blazers are led by head coach Josh Funk and are navigating the challenges of starting a new program, while showing steady progress and determination on the ice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funk was inspired to take on the role of becoming the first Hood College women\u2019s ice hockey coach.
\u201cIt was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities that a lot of coaches don\u2019t get,\u201d Funk said. \u201cOnce I stepped on campus, within five minutes, it was very evident that this was a community that could start a successful program.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting a new program comes with its share of challenge, and the Blazers have faced them in their first season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne of the biggest challenges that was unexpected was our rink shutting down. We thought we were going to play at Skate Frederick, but they quickly shut that down,\u201d Funk said. \u201cThe biggest challenge, though, has been getting the players up to speed very quickly as possible to understand not only what it takes to be successful, but they can be successful because they have all those skills sets.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the season continues, the Blazers, under Funk have adapted to their culture that the players live up to not just on the ice, but off the ice as well. The Blazer’s identity as a new program comes from the Blazer way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Blazer Way has four pillars: trust, discipline, accountability, creativity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose are the four main pillars that everything we do drives from,\u201d Funk said. \u201cOur systems on the ice, how we carry ourselves off the ice, the culture we create in the locker stems from our identity as a program and those four pillars. The Blazer way we preach every day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forward\/defender Sofie Ancona has bought into the culture and become the leading scorer with 10 so far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe key to my scoring success has been the people has been the people on my line getting the puck and the hard work of the team doing the dirty work first,\u201d Ancona said. \u201cIt also has to do with being put in uncomfortable situations in practice that have translated to the games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of press time, the Blazers have played 21 games and sit at 4-16-1 with three games left in the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPersonally, I just want to keep a positive attitude and play the best I can the last few games,\u201d Ancona said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n