Farace is a versatile and positive player for the Grizzlies Girls Ice Hockey

Freshman center Hailey Farace proved to be a versatile and important player in her first season on Guilford’s co-op girls hockey team. Photo: Hailey Farace

Hailey Farace has always been drawn to ice. Ice hockey has been his passion since childhood until entering high school. Her dedication to the game showed when she proved to be a valuable and versatile player on Guilford’s co-op girls hockey team this winter.

The freshman center has been skating on the ice since he was four years old, and as his skills have grown and progressed as a hockey player, he has also enjoyed being a mentor to younger players.

I’ve always wanted to play, and I started playing with the Shoreline Sharks program, Hailey says. Now I enjoy being able to help other young hockey players learn the sport.

Hailey keeps herself busy in the sports world as she still plays for the Sharks and also attends Grizzlies lacrosse and field hockey games.

Guilford girls hockey head coach Rick Binkowski admires Hailey for her versatility and flexibility to play multiple positions, which served her team very well throughout the campaign.

He is a strong player and he did a very good job. A boy who has played hockey for a long time is an experienced player. He was the center of our second line for most of the season, says Binkowski. Our previous challenge this season was developing team chemistry on and off the ice. As we developed it throughout the season, toward the end of the season, we moved Hailey to play some time on defense.

Moving her to defense proved critical as Hailey was able to help move the chains offensively.

He has a good strong shot and has scored some very nice goals this season. Those plays when he got back on defense really made a big difference for us offensively, Binkowski says. It’s really counter-intuitive to take a strong offensive player and put him on defense and let that really help you offensively. That’s how it worked for us, those games at the end of the season when he was playing defense were really great.

The Grizzlies were a hockey club for the first time this winter, so naturally there were changes and they had to build chemistry with girls from other cities. Hailey had played competitive hockey before, so some of the girls were familiar to her, which made her transition from middle school to high school hockey easier.

“It was definitely good with the co-op because I got to play with other people that I’ve played with before travel hockey,” Hailey says. It definitely helped the transfer. At first, building chemistry was challenging. I think our captains helped bring our team together throughout the season.

In addition to making an impact on the ice, Hailey was a positive influence on her team off the ice, bringing a positive attitude to practice every day and being able to easily connect with her teammates.

He is a bright, happy child. He got along well with his teammates; his teammates liked him, Binkowski says. He really helped form those bonds, and as a freshman it can be hard to connect with the whole team. I think that especially in difficult sports like hockey, when kids are good players, the team likes them more. He has a great character and a really nice kid.

It’s not every day that a freshman gets to see varsity minutes, but with Hailey being so experienced and naturally talented when she arrived, it was only right that she get the chance.

I thought it was really good and it was good to know that I participated as a freshman; it just made me feel good, says Hailey. In the playoffs, my coach pulled me back to play defense to help because he knew I was strong all over the ice. I think it had a positive effect on the team because I helped and knew I was doing something for the team.

Farace played 21 games this season, scoring a total of eight goals and providing two assists.

In the second game of the season against the West Haven/Sacred Heart Academy co-op team, the Grizzlies won 2-1, a game that stood out in the memories for Hailey.

We survived an overtime loss the first time we played them, and I think as a whole we really stepped up,” says Hailey. We showed them that we can beat them on their home field.

With Hailey still young enough to have a lot of her high school season left, Binkowski looks forward to seeing her continue to grow and be a force to be reckoned with on the ice no matter what position she plays.

I look forward to him becoming a good two-way player who plays both offense and defense. “With different kids on these teams every year and losing seniors every year, you never know where your strengths and weaknesses are from season to season,” Binkowski says. It’s good to have players who can handle multiple roles for you and it makes our job a lot easier as a coach and puts the best team on the ice. I expect him to continue that, excel at his skills and be able to help us on both ends of the ice.

Being a team player, Hailey looks forward to forming special bonds with her teammates while making the best possible impact on her team.

Next year I’m looking forward to playing with the JV, I think we’ll be working with Branford, East Haven, Coginchaug and North Branford, Hailey says. Just joining these other teams and developing a connection with other teammates.