Many seniors on the girls junior varsity (JV) hockey team laced up their skates for the first time four years ago as freshmen. This year, they weren’t just playing—they were leading, winning and guiding a new wave of players stepping onto the ice for the first time.

Seniors on junior varsity teams are generally not allowed. However, for the girls junior varsity hockey team, the case is different.

Jillian Kelley coaches the team alongside assistant coach Ben Peters. According to Kelley, the 10 seniors on the team have become an integral part of the program.

“This year, because there were so many seniors, we voted for captains. We had six seniors take on leadership roles, something that I haven’t seen before in my time coaching here,” Kelley said. “This season, they all came together to make a better experience for the underclassmen, to make it a vibe to be a part of this team.”

According to Kelley, hockey is an extremely difficult sport to learn from scratch, and she said it was impressive how all the seniors improved their skills and talents throughout their time on the team.

Seniors and captains of the team Greta Radtke and Marla Li played all four years on the JV team. Radke said they faced the challenges of learning hockey as high school freshmen, a sport that requires both skating and stick skills, and that practicing these skills comes with both hardship and excitement.

“I started my freshman year. I’d skated before, but never on hockey skates. It was a new experience,” Radtke said. “It was so much fun, because it was something different that I had never done before. So in terms of learning, there was a big curve. Even so, playing hockey was honestly the best decision I’ve made in high school.”

It took significant effort and communication for the captains to lead a group of 36 players. Li said she focused on stepping up whenever needed, even for minor details.

“I help the players whenever I can,” Li said. “I volunteer to help tie their skates or retie their sticks, and if I do see anyone struggling, I try to give them tips if I can.”

With such a large and diverse group, creating a sense of community was a key focus for the team’s seniors and captains. According to junior and player Jazzy Fiorelli, rather than competition, the team worked to make hockey an inclusive and enjoyable space where every player, regardless of skill level, felt welcome and confident.

“I felt safe to grow and learn around them. They made a positive environment for all the new hockey players,” Fiorelli said. “I’m friends with many of the seniors that are on the hockey team. Blasting music on the bus on the way to away games or hyping each other up before games. I shared many positive memories with them. I love all of them, and I’m so sad to see them leave this year.”

The result of the team-building was visible, especially off the ice. According to Fiorelli, the team remained tight-knit throughout the season’s ups and downs.

“Each year, new people join, and they blend right into the group,” Fiorelli said. “We did a lot of team bonding activities; we did a board night at one of the team members’ houses, we had charcuterie boards and we made posters for the seniors. Just within the team, everyone is close to each other.”

With many players new to hockey, the team does not always get the result they wanted out of their games. Regardless of the score, Kelley said that seeing players work hard and lift their teammates was the real victory.

This season, however, the team produced results that they had not seen before, as five of the team’s eight total wins from the past four seasons came from this year alone, a sign of how much the program has grown. According to Li, their season was a rewarding and successful experience.

“Throughout the season, we worked on our morale and keeping spirits high even though we knew we were going into a game that could be very tough,” Li said. “When we won, it felt good to see all the seniors contribute, whether they were playing or not.”

According to Kelley, she also cherishes the memories she made with all of the seniors.

“This has been such a fabulous experience for me as a coach to live through this journey with them,” Kelley said. “They have shown us that it’s never too late to try something new, and you’re never too cool to have fun and never too cool to help others. I am proud of all the things that they’ve done. I will miss them dearly.”

As the season came to a close, the impact of the seniors on the program was clear. They had not only improved their performance on the ice but had also created a united group that looked out for each other. The leadership and the community that the seniors slowly built over the past four years has created a foundation for the future of the program.

Kelley emphasized that the seniors have successfully depicted what it means to be a role model when competing for the hockey puck and beyond the ice. As the seniors leave the program, Radke gives one last piece of advice for her teammates.

“You’re already brave enough to start a new sport in high school,” Radtke said. “Let that show you that you can do more than you think you can.”