High schools mull girls' hockey league


The Northwest Territory could be the birthplace of a girls high school hockey league.

Burrillville parents asked their School Committee to look into that possibility Tuesday night, and they will be among some 100 girls hockey supporters attending a dinner-meeting tonight at North Smithfield High School.

Tom Anderson, a member of the board of directors of Rhode Island Wolves Girls Hockey, said the idea for a varsity high school girls hockey league is long overdue. "It's finally finally picking up steam," he said.

The Wolves have about 40 girls, ages 6 to 14, in their instructional and house league programs. But once those girls get to high school, there is no place to go.

Most female hockey players hang up their skates after youth hockey. "They need a competitive high school program," Anderson said. The only way girls continue to play high school hockey is to be good enough to join a boys team.

There are four girls high school hockey teams in the state now. They are at the private schools of Mount St. Charles, Lincoln School, Portsmouth Abbey and St. George's.

Burrillville will crack the ice for the public schools if the town grants their wish to form a varsity team for next season.

Rhode Island Interscholastic League director Richard Lynch said the league is behind the girls hockey effort if there is sufficient interest, and enough teams to start a league. Lynch is scheduled to be one of the speakers at tonight's meeting.

Also attending tonight's gathering will be Mitzi Witchger, who got girls high school hockey started in Minnesota in the early 1990s, and Brown University hockey head coach Margaret "Digit" Murphy.

Murphy is sure a girls high school hockey league will be a reality in Rhode Island. "It will happen, there is huge demand for it," she said. Murphy will bring several Brown players with her to the dinner, as will Providence College women's hockey head coach, Bob Deraney.

Representatives of other female hockey organizations, the Lady Reds, Newport Whalers and Rhode Island Panthers, will also be there. John "Coach" Collette, of WSKO (The Score) will be master of ceremonies.

"We have some momentum," Anderson said, "we think it's going to take off."