A little over 14 years ago Rick Hopkins, a coach and athletic director, was approached by Mary Grainger of the Ithaca Hockey Association to see if there would be interest in forming a girl’s varsity ice hockey league. There were a group of schools in the North and Central part of New York that already had girl’s varsity and there was a need to expand into the rest of NY State.
Rick brought together a group of very determined parents, coaches and athletic directors and with the help of the players formed a group called Girls 4 Varsity Ice Hockey. Lots of work over four years and on December 1, 2010 Monsignor Martin (made up of several catholic high schools) took on Williamsville (players from all Williamsville schools) at Northtowns.
Since then players continued with their travel leagues and also had the chance to play for their high schools. The outcome for them was the being able to move on to DI, DIII or Club hockey at the collegiate level. During those first years that was the major accomplishment for the players. After College they would come to serve as coaches at various levels. For those in the beginning that would be the end.
Five years ago the National Women’s Hockey League came on the scene. Putting teams in Buffalo, Boston, Connecticut, New York and most recently Minneapolis, gave the women another chance to continue their hockey career.
Five women from the WNYGVIH League took that opportunity. Last season Meghan Fonfara signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Beauts. While her playing time was limited as a rookie, we did get to see her play in her hometown and proud that she was a former WNYGVIH player.
This season five more women got that opportunity. Nikki Kirchberger, Erin Gehen, Maddie Norton, Ana Orzechowski and Emma Ruggiero have all signed with the Beauts. Each coming into the league with their own story.
Nikki Kirchberger
Nikki was a member of the West Seneca High School team, which also included Hamburg and Eden. Her dad, Edd, was a member of the committee that worked diligently to bring the league together and he coached.
“My Dad had me on skate when I was two years old,” explains Nikki. “At three I was playing on a house league.”
“I remember Dad asking me if I wanted to be held when I first got on skates and I said “Nope, I don’t want to be held.” She was off. Off on a great hockey career.
After West Seneca and her travel hockey days she moved on the Buffalo State College where she was a force to be reckoned with on the ice.
While players feel they are prepared for collegiate level play after all the games at house, travel, high school and many tournaments; Nikki saw a definite difference in play at Buffalo State.
“In high school it’s about building because there are different skill sets and levels of players,” she explains. “I had to step up my game or be left behind.
“The thing I remember about my first year at Buff State were the seniors on the team. They really helped me out a lot.
“They made me the player I am today.”
Drafted by the Buffalo Beauts was giving her another chance to play.
“I was super pumped,” says Nikki. “It gives the girls around here something to strive for, something to push for when they go on to college and then finish college.”
“It’s not over when you finish college.”
There was a break in her hockey career between graduation from college and signing with the Beauts this season. She had played for a team out of Cleveland but admits she hadn’t played at this higher level of hockey in a while.
That may be because she joined the military and went away to basic training and will now serve locally with the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
“A lot of people have served and died for this county so I decided that I might do it as well,” said Nikki.
“I met three people at basic who are now my life-long friends,” she continues. “Basic Training put me in such great physical shape that I ended up getting the award for Top Female PT out of 776 trainees.
“It just showed me that there is always gas in the tank.”
Nikki also has raced cars and go-carts, is pushing her limits with constantly working out and also building her leadership skills through reading and studying leadership.
“I want to make sure I’m doing the right thing and setting an example for someone.”
Ten years ago she was a pioneer in a league that no one was sure would make it. She continues being a pioneer playing in the first National Women’s Hockey League, even though its in its fifth season. The boycott by last year’s NWHL players have given many girls an opportunity to play this season; making it historical.
While she has many other interests, her love for hockey is something she will always have. Her future plans are to play as long as she can and then she can see herself as a coach.
How does she want to be remembered?
“Humble,” said Nikki. “As a person easy going, outgoing and kind and as a player hard working and that I left it all on the ice.”
Erin Gehen
Erin’s dad coached her brothers with the West Seneca organization and at two she decided to put on skates and jump on the ice with them.
At 4 years old she was playing with the boy’s team out of West Seneca and at 12U went to the girls. Her team folded and she headed over to Cazenovia where she played until she signed with Buffalo State College. Her high school hockey was also played with the West Seneca/Hamburg/Eden team.
As a member of the HEWS team, Erin took the record in the WNYGVIH League as having the most points. At this point she still has that honor but really didn’t find out about it until recently. In 71 games she had 112 goals and 87 assists for 189 points.
Her game blossomed at Buffalo State.
“That was the highlight of my hockey career,” she said. “In four years at Buffalo State we were the most successful class in school history. We made it to the playoffs and to the finals in two of the four. Losing was terrible but we made history and the team broke so many school records.”
“When I was little I used to tell my parents I wanted to play in the NHL,” she says smiling. “Later I realized that wasn’t possible.”
Being signed by the Buffalo Beauts has been a dream come true for Erin.
“I didn’t
see it, even when I was at Buff State,” said Erin. “High school was a cool
experience because it was the first girl’s varsity league, I played travel and
was on the ice six days a week.”
This season the Beauts are
like a new team. All new players, coaches and management.
A new venue to play in and once again Erin is part of an exciting time in hockey.
“I was sitting at my desk when the Beauts General Manager Mandy Cronin called,” she explains. “She had gotten my name from a coach in the league Buff State plays in.
“She asked me to come to their first practice as a tryout and before the Brock scrimmage they signed me.”
Erin’s take on this season’s Beauts is that they are energetic and there is a good vibe in the room. Even the late practices don’t disillusion this squad.
“The team that is happy and comes together as we do see the Isobel Cup within our reach,” said Erin.
For anyone wanting to go to the highest level Erin says that anything is possible.
“When I was young the NWHL didn’t exist and now it’s a dream come true,” says Erin. “While my dream was to play with the boys forever, playing with girls is attainable.”
“If you are willing to put work into it every day, you can get there.”
Maddie Norton
Maddie joined the Buffalo Regals program when she was ten years old. She then moved to the Amherst Knights, Regals travel, the Buffalo Bisons and finished her youth hockey splitting her time between the Bisons and Cazenovia.
Her high school career found her between the pipes for Lancaster/Iroquois/Depew. She never intended to be a goalie but LID needed her.
“I had a lot of fun in the high school league,” said Maddie. “I had friends on my team, friends on the other teams and even though I didn’t want to play goalie, I had fun and was glad I did it.
“I grew up playing street hockey with the boys in my neighborhood,” said Maddie. “As the boys started to play ice hockey I decided that was what I wanted too.”
Following high school she felt that she wouldn’t have time for academics and athletics.
“I decided to play Club hockey with the University of Buffalo Lady Icebulls. It gave me the time to focus on school work and play hockey.
“At the Club level half the team wants to play for fun and the other half are really committed to hockey.
“Two years in I knew I wanted to play at a higher level so the jump to the NWHL, while scary, is what I want.
At UB Maddie found herself on the top of the leader board in points and the team taking a National championship.
Now she is on the ice with girls she has played with or against; girls who have experience at the DI, DII and Club level and finds that the intensity and the drive is the major difference.
“The transition to the Beauts is different for everyone. Everyone wants to be there and wants to get better.
“I will be with the Beauts as long as they want me.”
Ana Orzechowski
Ana has focused on hockey for her entire life. She began skating at four years old and played hockey with the Tonawanda Lightning.
“They would see my pony tail and come after me but my teammates would protect me,” said Ana smiling.
After the Lightning she went to the Buffalo Regals boys team and after her Dad saw her get her “bell” rung took her out and started her with the Buffalo Bisons Girls 10U team. She played with the Bisons through 14U winning four State Championships and made many of her friends in that organization.
High school came along and she found half her team heading for Nichols School and the others off to public school. Ana went to Kenmore East and her and a friend, Jill Battista, headed off to play for the Burlington Barracudas in Canada.
“We were up there four times a week, practicing at 9:30 at night, doing homework on the way up and sleeping on the way back,” said Ana.
“I don’t know how our Dads did it but we are grateful.”
Her junior year Ana headed out to Michigan to play hockey. She billeted with a family in attended Saline High School.
“It was the best decision I made,” said Ana.
But after making a commitment to RPI, she came back home to finish her senior year and play for Kenmore/Grand Island in the WNYGVIH League.
She also played for the Pittsburgh Pens Elite, where she went to States and Nationals.
Following graduation she went off to play four years with RPI.
Then the Beauts called.
She was to go to Free Agent Camp but came down with a case of Shingles. She describes that as the worst pain she ever experienced and she couldn’t move.
“I thought that was it, my chance was gone; there won’t be any spots available.”
GM Mandy Conin called and invited her to the first week of practice. She skated and was invited back for a second day.
“I walked into the locker room after practice and Mandy asked me what my favorite color was,” said Ana. “I told her purple and she said it should be blue.”
I looked at her and realized “I was a Beaut.”
I signed my contract and don’t regret it a bit.
Ana sees the Beauts as a new team. She is a pioneer in women’s hockey again and it’s a fresh start.
“I’m a bit of a suitcase,” said Ana. “I never gave up, never put the team in my back pocket. I didn’t think there was a possibility and all of a sudden good things happen to you.”
Emma Ruggiero
Emma started her career at two years of age when she went out for a skate with the family. Her Dad, Tom, coached and she joined up skating with his teams until she was ready to join a team of her own.
She played boys hockey at Amherst and made the switch to the Amherst girl’s program at 10 years of age.
“The boys started to grow faster than me so I made the switch,” said Emma.
She moved to the Buffalo Regals when she was about 14 and stayed with that program for the rest of her career, coached by her Dad, Tom.
She played her WNYGVIH with Monsignor Martin for a year and a half. This season she returns to the WNYGVIH League as an assistant coach with Kenmore/Grand Island.
Following high school and travel hockey she signed with Buffalo State College and the Bengals.
“I am a home body, I want to be around home, even though I moved out of the house and in with friends,” says Emma.
She found a major difference between high school/travel and college in that at U19 it’s a big family and some players just want to have fun while others are focused on getting into a DI or DIII school to play.
“There’s a lot of puzzle pieces in the game but they are still my family and my best friend,” says Emma of her experiences.
At the College level Emma matured even more. She gained confidence in her junior year and still isn’t sure how it happened but she looked ahead and saw she only had two years of hockey left, in her eyes, and decided that this was the time.
Well college wasn’t the end even though she thought it was.
“I remember how I cried in the car following my senior college game because I felt it was the end of hockey. I would go to grad school, work at IHOP until I got a job in the medical field.”
She was contacted by the Beauts General Manager to see if she was interested in the Buffalo Beauts. At first, she was hesitant because she didn’t think she had a chance.
With the support of family and friends she headed off to Free Agent Camp.
“I was hesitant. All my life my Dad coached me (until College) and he put me through camps and it was frustrating because I was timid out there and they weren’t fun.”
This Camp was different. The Coach told the players to just play hockey, he explained everyone had weaknesses and strengths and whoever made the team would be a strength on the team.
She knew then that all of the player were in the same boat, all were nervous so why should that impact her.
“I found that Camp to be fun and enjoyable and I had never been to a camp like that,” said Emma.
After two days of camp the women were told they would get a call. Cronin texted her one day and asked if she would be available by phone at 4 p.m. Well, she had to keep busy so she drove around and at 4:15 pm she received the call.
“Maddy asked me my plans and I told her I was flexible and she said to be ‘You have plans now,’ and I was a Beaut,” said Emma.
“I am really excited.
“I thought it was a mistake until Maddy called.”
Emma explained the situation this year is unique I that none of players, with the exception of a few veterans who returned, have been on the ice and so they were all a little rusty.
The biggest thing with this year’s team is that they all want to be there and it doesn’t matter if you were DI, DIII or club prior to now, the passion for hockey and what makes a team is there.
“Growing up you dream of playing professional hockey but then you learn that it isn’t going to happen because for so long the opportunity didn’t exist.”
“You have to have a passion for it, you have to want it and I want to do this,” remarks Emma. “I came here with the mindset that I want to be a team player and wherever the coach needs you, on the bench, first line, second line, fourth line; that’s where you help the team out.”
