OLYMPIC
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acvely trying to grow the girls game here in Tampa and the United
States Women’s Naonal Team has become an integral part
of that. ur players may not realie it but this is truly a once in
a lifeme eperience for them. am ecited to see USA hockey
registraons in the net few years and am opmisc we will see
growth in the area as a direct result of hosng the USWNT.”
According to e Novotny, a member of the Statewide Amateur
Hockey of Florida commiee, from the 2011-12 to the 2016-
1 seasons the number of USA Hockey registraons for girls -18
have increased. There has been a 64.2 percent increase in Florida
and 3. in the Southeastern District, a much larger rate than the
boy’s registraon that was 10.3 percent in-state and 14 in the
district. Those gures
outpaced the naonal
growth for USA Hockey
registraons, which
was 14.9 percent for
girls and . for boys.
The impact of the
USWNT in Florida does
not end with an increase
in registraons
for USA Hockey. The atten
on garnered from
the team’s si-month
tenure at enter ce
and the 201 Four Na-
ons up resulted in
an immensely posive
impact for the Tampa
hockey community.
“The impact of
hosng the naonal
team for a si-month
period has brought
about huge interest in
development, sponsorship,
internaonal
recognion, and daily
media coverage,” said
enter ce managing partner ordie immerman. “Not only has
the hockey interest increased, but also has aracted corporate
events, other programs and community involvement beyond e-
pectaons. Wesley hapel is on the map for years to come.”
“irls hockey is geng a huge boost as well. n the past few
years girls hockey was barely alive in Florida and now this year
there are several girls teams in the bay area and the naonal
team has hosted clinics with girls and provided support. The
Lightning also launched a girls program and FH has two runch
travel teams based at the facility.”
Lightning community hockey director and girls coach risten
owness, reected on the impact of the naonal team’s presence
in the bay area.
“ think it’s so important for girls to see women playing at
the highest level so they can understand and see rst-hand what
it will take for them to get there,” she said. “These women are incredible
too, because they are so willing to come out in our community
and help in any way they can. We have been fortunate at
the Lightning to host them on a few dierent occasions they
want to spread the love of the game in any way they can, which
is all any of us want to do, especially on the girls side.”
immerman went on to eplain the decision to have the
USWNT train at FH.
“The Women’s program has been moving in a posive direc-
on and the development of youth hockey in the south has been
a big reason for Florida Hospital enter ce coming to fruion,”
he said. “The decision was a mulple of posives on both the
girls program side and their development to the state of the art
facility that could provide some of the best training aspects in
the USA, plus tremendous community support. The bay area has
been host to recent hockey success with Stanley up games, Final
Four, and the connued success with the Lightning hosng the
2018 All-Star game
making the ay
Area a great choice
for the Four Na-
ons up.”
ane Solverson,
the district
girls and womens
representative,
epressed her e-
citement over the
USWNT being host-
ed in Florida and
what it means to
the community of
hockey fans and
players.
“To have them
here in Florida is
huge since we are
a very non-tradi
onal hockey
market,” she said.
“There are a lot of
young people who
look up to them in
this area. The team
is very acve in the
community here, which is great in helping grow interest in the
sport even more. With the Four Naons up being here and all
of the teams playing and praccing here for the tournament, it is
giving so many young girls and other young players their rst look
at hockey on the most elite level. Most of them have never seen
it played so skillfully and with so much speed and physicality.”
ohn ogers, an avid hockey fan who traveled to Tampa from
rlando with his daughter to see the USWNT play in the tournament,
discussed the posive impact the team has on the sport
and players who admire them.
“My daughter is on the U-16 Tampa ay runch team, she’s
a goalie, and she loves to watch all three of the team USA goalies
pracce and play,” he said. “Meghan Duggan and Hilary night are
two other players her and enjoy watching. Having the USWNT
here has a huge impact, both on the ice and o it. When the kids
just watch them work out they are in awe of how strong they are.
Those ladies walk into a room and for the kids it’s like a lineup