COngratulations to the Texas Blaze 14U and 16U teams for being accepted into the MWEHL for the 2005-2006 season.

To play in the MWEHL is an exciting step for Texas and the southwest region of girls hockey. I have talked to several college coaches in the past about this league. Without exception every one of them says that they scout the MWEHL showcases before they finish their recruiting. The MWEHL and the New England league are the two top leagues for girls hockey.

Again congratualtions to the Texas Blaze and good luck in the upcoming season.

If you are interested in learning more about the Texas Blaze contact Gretchen Carter at
gretchen_d_carter@raytheon.com

Is anyone affiliated with the MWEHL on this board? I wonder if they would like a forum like the BTHL. There seems to be alot of talk about this league already.

gotice,

Curious question, where did you find out about the Blaze's entry into the MWEHL? I had heard the rumor, but couldn't substantiate it through MWEHL's site.

BTW, this is my first post on this board. Since you too have a girl goalie (mine is a '92) I do try to keep up with things in this arena.

We used to live in Texasand still have our home there. We are familiar with the program as my daughter has played with quite a few of the Blaze players. She played for them on the road to Nationals this past year.

They are in the MWEHL for the upcoming season. The Hockey director has some great connections to some top hockey women. They have held Development hockey weekends for the past two summers and have brought in Several Olympic women as well as DI coaches.

YOu can read a little about them on their site at http://www.blazegirlshockey.com

I guess I hadn't checked the Blaze's site in a while.

IIRC from other posts, your daughter tended for their u14 last season and played boys in Michigan as well?

Yes she played Boys 91 AAA in MI and played for the Blaze in Tx. Since the 91 team was not eligible for Nationals last year, it worked out. This was her second time to go to Nationals. She went as a 12U girl with the Lone Star Wolves. Unfortunately this year she will not be able to play for both since it is a major year for the boys.

I guess your boys organization won't let her play regular season only. In case you didn't know (although you probably do) she can play both during regular season as long as she files a declaration letter (of which team she will play on post season) with her district registrar before December 31.

No boys organization has tried to say no thanks to our daughter yet over that issue her in the south. They are thrilled to have her play anytime she can show up.

However, that isn't always the case as one of our daughter's teammates got kicked off her boys team in Indy after declaring with the girls team. They did themselves no favors because she was one of their better players.

Some organizations are happy to have their #2 goalie bow out of post season play (not saying that your daughter is a #2 but that most boys teams will not admit to having a #1 who is a girl). It keeps the controversy down. Have you asked?

Of course, if you are playing MWEHL, 1/3 of the girls games will be in your backyard, so getting in your 10 with the girls will be easy.

You are lucky to have the option of playing AAA hockey. What passes for AAA in Atlanta is a joke by northern standards. Our daughter has an open invite to play with the '92 AA out of Nashville this season (primarily because she is better than any other goalie they can find and is arguably better than their #2 on the '91 team). That is one of the reasons why I am asking the question about prep school in the other topic. Your thoughts on that topic are very welcome. I'll talk prep hockey over there as well.

If you don't mind my asking, which Michigan team? Our daughter started hockey when we lived in Troy, before we spent 3 years in Wisconsin and the last 2 in Tennessee and I am quite familiar with hockey in the upper midwest.

She can not play for the girls and the boys this year because this year with the new team, the coach has indicated that she will be in the tougher games, so we won't know for sure until the season starts where she falls. (She was the starter on the other team)

Believe me, I understand about boys teams not wanting to admit thier starter is a girl, we faced that very problem when we were in Dallas. That mentallity is more prevalent in the South then in the North. Up here we have found that coaches want the best talent first then gender second. Now if there were three goalies of equal skill and demeanor at a try out (2 boys and my daughter), then chances are the two boys would get picked over her.

She had a very good spring season and try out with the new team. If she keeps developing and pushing herself, she could very well earn the starting job.

For sure she would not be able to play for a girls team in the MWEHL and a boys team at the same time. She would not be able to make all of the game weekends and as a goalie that could cause a lot of problems.