(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Even though Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University are rivals on the ice for women’s hockey, they were able to come together Saturday night as the Arizona Amateur Hockey Association hosted a youth hockey clinic for female players. The clinic took place at Oceanside Ice Arena, home of the Sun Devils, where just 10 minutes prior to the clinic, the Devils captured the first win of a two-game home-and-home series between ASU and GCU.
“We were literally out there hitting each other 10 minutes before,” GCU freshman forward Brianne Lasky said. “It’s really not about the rivalry. It’s not even about us as people. It’s about growing those girls and making those girls better. It’s not huge for us now, but for them, it’s gonna be something. If we can leave behind a legacy, that’s all we really want to do.”
This is just one of a full series of clinics that the AAHA holds for women’s hockey throughout the season. It gives girls from ages 6-18 the opportunity to learn some quick lessons from the community’s own college hockey players.
“Girls hockey is booming in Arizona right now and it’s always fun to get on the ice with them and make sure they’re up close and personal with all the college players,” ASU head coach Lindsey Ellis said. “The girls are these little girls’ heroes and it’s always fun to see it up close.”
Arizona is surfacing as a premier state for women’s hockey as it has continued to evolve each year. For some of these current college players, they were never given chance to participate in a clinic such as this one when they were of a younger age.
“I grew up in a small town in Idaho, so I had to play with the boys for a really long time,” Lasky said. “I was not granted the opportunity to skate with the big girls until I was about 14 years old. So, being out there really means a lot to me just knowing that girls’ hockey is really coming around.”
Although these two teams are cross-town rivals, the players on both rosters still have connections outside of hitting one another during rivalry weekend.
“It’s definitely cool that we all get along when it comes to that, not that we don’t get along on the ice or anything like that,” ASU sophomore forward Aubrey Beskid said. “I know a lot of girls do some clinics through the week, I do them. So, I see them all the time and know them from these and it’s just really cool to get the relationship with them.”
There were plenty of familiar faces amongst the young fans in attendance, including several who have participated in other youth hockey events put on by the two schools. It is apparent that many of these girls have taken a liking to the college players.
“K.C. [McGinley] has her own fan club pretty much,” Ellis said with a laugh. “It’s always fun and it’s always great to make that connection now. Especially for us coaches, to get out there with the U16 Lady Coyotes because they can potentially be a Sun Devil very soon.”
Women’s hockey has never been as respected and as popular as it is now. Ten years ago, it seemed to be just a glimpse of a sport. Today in Arizona, it has become a new trend.
“Ten years ago, I mean, I was part of it,” Ellis said. “There was about 20 of us and that was it in the entire state. Now, you have girls that are six years old up to 18 with groups and groups of each age group. It’s really cool to see the growth and see how much more opportunities these girls have and things they get to do now.”
The clinic consisted of around 40 girls from all different age ranges, and with all different personalities.
“They are all so much fun,” Lasky said. “They’re all spunky, they all have a different attitude and it’s really fun to get to know them even though I was only out there for an hour.”
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