Hockey Night in Boston another open door for Pope Francis Girls team Berkshire County players | Local sports

For Berkshire County hockey players like Lauren Crocker, Boston’s Hockey Night was never even on the radar.

Also never played girls hockey. Everything changed last winter when Crocker and a small group of local student athletes joined Pope Francis ’first-year girls’ hockey program as part of a collaborative program led by coach Chris Connors.

The Cardinals went through a program opening season of 4-6-2, which coincided with a litany of COVID-19 restrictions and some significant travel obstacles. In an attempt to continue building this new club, Connors brought the team to the annual Hockey Night event at the Boston New England Festival in July. Team Royal hosts 10 Pope Francis players, including Berkshire County Crocker, Mia Alfonso, Kellie Harrington and Madeline Rawling, and William Aowneal Fuls from Williamstown.

The best players from this show were selected and advanced to the Girls Major Showcase over the weekend of August 5 at the Haverhill Valley Forum. Crocker, Harrington and Pope Francis senior captain Morgan Peritz were elected, and Alfonso deserved an alternative nod. Crocker, Harrington and Peritz played together on Team Metro, which was coached by Eliza Kelley, who also coached at Becker College and who is setting up a women’s program in Worcester State this year.

It’s in the same place, only the most talented players were selected and then merged into different teams, Crocker said. I had no idea about it. This was the first year I played girls hockey.

An ice hockey night in Boston is a familiar time for Connors as a boys ’hockey coach in the Boston area. When he moved to Western Massachusetts, Pope Francis opened the job and he set out to try to create a whole fabric. Pittsfield Sports Director Jim Abel reached out to Pope Francis and the Cardinals were eager to receive the skaters of Berkshire.

I’ve known those girls all my life through the Berkshire Bruins program. We were all looking for something, and we knew this was the right move, Crocker said of his relationship with his local teammates. [Pope Francis] had a great atmosphere. There were no real standards, everyone was on the same level. Everyone was really welcome and we got along well.

Connors was most impressed with what the new additions could do with the skates was the dedication to the team.

Last year was definitely challenging, but it was one of my most rewarding years in coaching hockey, said Connors, who spent 16 years coaching at St. Marys of Lynn and Saugus. We have a large group of girls, all hardworking employees with extreme character and team sense. Thank you stars [the Berkshire girls]because their commitment is second to none and I am so grateful. I could count with one hand the number of exercises they missed.

The difficulties included an hour-long journey time to practice daily at Amelia Park Arena in Westfield. Because of the COVID-19 protocols, changing rooms were banned and girls adapted to cars on cold winter evenings. For the games, Pope Francis traveled through the state to play towns like Shrewsbury, which pittsfield girls returned home sometime after school in the evenings at 10 p.m.

The HNIB showcase has opened some doors and opened the eyes of the Crockers to some new opportunities. He said he thought of joining the army right from high school, but is now discussing playing hockey in college.

I’ve always been a really team-focused player, and this summer really showed me the opportunities I have, and last year I really started to take it more seriously, Crocker said in a phone interview. Im in between the military or want to play Division III hockey, probably at a NESCAC school.

This opportunity didn’t seem possible when he and a couple of other local girls settled into the Wahconah Boys Hockey Cooperative at the Berkshires Boys and Girls Club.

Especially for Lauren and Mia, who came from the boys ’teams all their lives, I thought it was fresh air, Connors said.

Crocker doesn’t take that opportunity lightly, and one of him and his teammates is determined to stay alive and pass on to the youngsters. Last year, they organized several clinics for girls ’hockey players.

It feels great to get them to look at us and think about moving or playing there with Pope Francis, said Crocker, who honored the Berkshire Bruins where he played when he was five years old. [At the clinics] they talk about wanting to play on this team and it’s really great to bring about a culture and be a part of this family.

Connors said Crocker was selected for the main show because of his work ethic and his big July tournament. He also noted that Alfonso was also fully entitled to be recalled.

Two retirees, I can’t say enough. Lauren is very skillful and has a phenomenal shot with a quick detachment and a good feel to the game. He’s a big player for us, Connors said. Mia is an excellent athlete from whom I expect great things. He had a huge roughness.

As for Harrington: He is our most running skater and returned unselfishly to the defense to help the team. This summer really opened the doors for him. Kellie was interested in Kellie coming out of Boston Hockey Night.

He also noted that Rawling, a Taconic sophomore, plays with a lot of sand and amazing work ethic. He scored the first goal of our program.

The fresh air is not far from Pope Francis, who this winter will return all 17 players from last season.

For four retirees in particular, we expect big things, Crocker said. We want to win 10 games, get into the playoffs and see what happens. We have really talented players. However, we were an even younger team, but they are skilled girls, and we know what they were capable of.