Top women’s pre-college hockey league in the world

Junior Women’s Hockey League

By: Emily Laurenzi and Kelsey Lynch

NEW YORK---With four years under its belt, the Junior Women’s Hockey League has developed into the top league for AAA girl’s ice hockey in the world.

The league is broken down into two divisions based primarily on location. Each year, teams from the western division and the eastern division travel across the continent to compete in league play, showcases and the year end tournament. 

All ten teams of the JWHL

All five east teams will meet five times to play a total of twenty games. While the east are competing against one another, teams from the west are as well. All ten teams will also participate in three cross-over weekends where all the east teams will go head to head with the west teams.

These eight meetings comprise most of the league schedule.   

As if traveling across the country every weekend wasn’t enough, most players feel the added pressure of often having thirty or more college scouts watching their every move.

Seven out of the eight weekends in the JWHL are played on college campuses. This gives an opportunity for  all players to tour campuses and be able to play in college arenas. It addition it creates an easier and more convenient way for college coaches to recruit.

The JWHL’s most competitive games are played in Arlington, Virginia every February at the Kettler Capitals Ice Complex. The best teams that aren’t normally in the JWHL are invited to compete in the Challenge Cup as well. There are a total of sixteen teams vigorously fighting to make it to the championship game.

The JWHL is the only pre-college girls league to play the length of a college hockey game. Each game is broken down into three twenty-minute periods.

In the past two years, The Mountaineers have placed fourteen players to D1 and D3 schools. Out of those fourteen, six players received full athletic scholarships. 

NSA goal against North American Hockey Academy

Last year National Sports academy clinched third place in the east division, battling out until the very end. With only one league weekend to go, and a team goal still left unaccomplished, the Mountaineers left everything they had on the ice, sweeping all five games they played. 

As the 2011-2012-hockey season begins, NSA welcomes ten new faces to their team. With a new team and a new year the Mountaineers are anxiously anticipating the start of the first JWHL weekend. 

New NSA student, Kelsea Williams, made the decision to transfer from a team in the west division this year.

"It is a greater opportunity for college exposure than the west division," Williams said.  "To me, the east seems to be where the heart of women's hockey is in North America."

The JWHL’s opening games take place in Boston for the start of the 2011-2012 season. Both divisions will make the trip to begin a long strenuous season. “There will be sixty or more scouts watching this weekend,” commented head coach Bill Ward. “Hopefully we will sweep the first games.”

Mens Hockey First Games

NSA Starts Season with Hat Trick Wins 

by Maggie Cross

LAKE PLACID- NSA’s Junior A men’s hockey team racked up the points this weekend by outscoring the Boston Junior Blackhawks 22-5 to complete a three game sweep. The Mountaineers dazzled friends and family alike with silky moves, top cheese snipes, amazing team chemistry and a few thrown fists.

 NSA dominated the first game of the three game set from start to finish, winning by a score of 9-0. 



National Sports Academy’s new logo



Kevin Valenti and Wes Moon each put in two goals and Patrick Hayes, Taylor Widenmaier, Eric Halin, Devin Desnoyers and Zach Dymock each lit the lamp once. Also, Ian Kliewe was the play maker of the game with three assists.

Jakob Rasmussen was a brick wall in the net saving 22 of 22 shots.

Second matchup, same teams, same place, similar outcome. Despite an early goal by the Blackhawks, NSA was able to answer with 5 goals for a final score of 5-1.

 Dymock sniped another 2 goals while Halin, Hayes and Desnoyers each found the back of the net once. Rasmussen was once again the backbone of the team saving 23 of 24 shots.

Chirps were being thrown left and right and tempers ran high. Joe Klienhenz and Tyler Randig both received game misconducts for fighting.

By Sunday both teams had already played 120 minutes in 2 days. After taking the first two games easily, the Mountaineers hoped their conditioning would help lead them to a sweep.

The Blackhawks came out hot, scoring 2 early goals. However NSA bore down in the offensive zone, scoring four unanswered goals.

Boston was the only team to score in the second period, narrowing the margin to one.

Chicago Junior Blackhawks logo

However, NSA came out hot in the third scoring another four goals only to be answered by 1 goal for a final score of 8-4. Dymock once again had 2 goals and Widenmaier, Mattia Laudi, Desnoyers, Valenti, Halin and Brandon Patraw each racked up one. Torkel Bjarneman played a solid game in net saving 16 of 20 shots.

Head coach Rod Simmons was very pleased with his teams play. The NSA mens team was selected just 1 week ago and within that one week they were able to successfully learn all the necessary systems to come out on top.

Some strengths of the team was “the team chemistry, the ability to work well together as a team” said Coach Simmons and “the fact that they did a good job always moving their feet.”

When asked what the team was doing to improve team chemistry coach said that they were doing many small games on the ice and team bonding activities off ice such as learning facts about each other and off ice responsibilities.

All weekend NSA had 31 power plays and 33 penalty kills. Out of the 31 power plays they had 7 goals and out of the 33 penalty kills they only let in 1 goal. NSA also had 2 shorthanded goals.

New coach for the Prep Team

New Coach for the Prep Team

By Mattia Laudi

National Sports Academy Hockey

Ben Tefft is the new assistant coach of the 2011-2012 prep team of the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid. He formally played for the NSA junior A team in 2003.

Having a coach that experienced what the hockey guys are living now could be a good trait for the coaching staff in terms of organization of the practices, meals and rest.

Tefft is a really young coach looking for experience and certainly this year at NSA will be a great breakthrough in his career.

After graduating from NSA, Tefft committed for Fredonia College playing Division III hockey, but after just one year he moved to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, from which he graduated.

After completing his studies, Tefft started coaching high school teams and soon made up his mind to to step to the next level and train a junior A team.

As a beginner at this profession, he is trying to learn from the greatest number of people around him, he is particularly focusing on making the right decision during each game.

Coach Tefft has no particular expectations from this year except experiencing and receiving the maximum commitment from his athletes during each practice.

Currently, he is getting ready for the upcoming season with his team and is creating challenging practices in the morning to help his team as much as possible.

Athlete Profile: Taylar Cianfarano

NSA Pulls a Robbery

by Kelsey Lynch

Cianfarano leaning on NSA's school sign

LAKE PLACID--- Northwood transfer student, Taylar Cianfarano of Oswego, NY, will lace’em up and hit the ice for the 2011-2012-hockey season sporting NSA’s red, white, and blue rather than Northwood blue and white.

NSA’s youngest player, Cianfarano, chose to leave behind her family and friends in order to become a stronger and more developed hockey player. Although saying goodbye is never easy, this is not her first rodeo.

As a former Northwood student, Cianfarano has already experienced the constant struggles and new responsibilities that come along with living away from home. Cianfarano made her decision to transfer to NSA during the summer of 2011.

Most high school students are never thrilled about transferring from school to school because of the normal challenges that teenagers face in order to be accepted.

Cianfarano, on the other hand, did not have this problem. Being the social butterfly that she is her ability to adjust was fairly easy. She made new friends and immediately made herself at home.

Although she is easy going and fun to be around that is not why she was asked to join the Mountaineers ice hockey team. Cianfarano made head coach Bill Ward’s job a lot easier when she stepped on the ice at the u14 national championships.

“She was the most talented player on a strong team”, Ward said.  “She has great ability to score in critical situations.”

Cianfarano sniping during NSA practice

Not only does Cianfarano have the season to look forward to, but also a big home game against former Northwood teammates. As you can imagine leaving behind a total of ten girls is not ideal for anyone but also it puts a big target on her back.

Words or fists may be thrown but if they are, new teammates will not hesitate to step up and protect Cianfarano.

NSA senior Jaclyn Arbour stated,“ if Northwood is going to bring it to us then we are going to bring it right back.”

That being said, with the support of her teammates and coaches it will allow her to forget about whom she is playing against and concentrate on whom she is playing for.

Overall Cianfarano is happy with her decision and is looking forward to a successful season with the NSA Mountaineers. She is hoping that her hard work will “pay off leading her to a D1 hockey program and eventually to win a gold medal!”

With the right attitude and work ethic, there will be no stopping Cianfarano’s success in the future.

Athlete Profile: Carina Randazzo

Athlete Profile: Carina Randazzo
 By Emily Laurenzi

Dazzo at the peak of Whiteface Mountain.

LAKE PLACID-- Carina Randazzo of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is not only a new addition to the girl’s hockey team here at National Sports Academy but also possibly the most vocal rookie NSA has ever had.

Randazzo chose to say her farewells to her friends and family in Idaho to pursue her passion for ice hockey at a higher level.

“Lake Placid is very different from my hometown,” Randazzo started, “because everyone here at NSA is so dedicated to their sport.”

Randazzo is much different from the other rookies this year.

Unlike most other NSA students, she is from a place where it is not uncommon to ride a horse to school.  It may seem absurd for anyone around the Adirondacks, or anywhere for that matter, however it is a part of everyday life in Idaho.

Randazzo and Cianfarano in the foyer

It has only been three short weeks here at NSA and Randazzo has already made a huge impression on the school community. Many people like the fact that she is outgoing and likes to be the center of attention, but many boy hockey players seem to get disgruntled by it.

Coach Vossler of NSA’s hockey team, said, “Dazzo brings energy to every situation, whether it is needed or not.”

Despite what some may think, Randazzo is an outstanding addition to NSA’s team, both on and off the ice.

Athlete Profile

From NSA to PSU

By Martha Smith

LAKE PLACID- After four grueling years at National Sports Academy, senior Emily Laurenzi became the first Mountaineer to make a college commitment, verbally agreeing to join Penn State University as part of their inaugural women’s hockey team.

There is plenty for the NSA star to look forward to in the next year, but she plans on taking care of business her senior year.

NSA Forward Emily Laurenzi

Laurenzi has been part of some important milestones as a center on National Sports Academy’s hockey team. 

During the 2009-2010 season, Laurenzi helped lead the team to its first appearance at the National Championships, a major milestone for the NSA program. 

With only one season left at NSA, Laurenzi is hoping to finish the year with a return trip to nationals, along with a good season without drama.  Even with the great offer from Penn State, Laurenzi still thinks she will miss parts of NSA, such as the smaller class sizes along with the packed hockey season.

After visiting a bunch of other schools Laurenzi knew Penn State was right.  She really loved the coach, and when they gave her an offer she claims she “couldn’t turn it down.”

Laurenzi committed to Penn State’s first ever women’s hockey team. 

Joining a new hockey team could be rough, but Laurenzi believes things will get better and says it is “excit[ing] to get to say you’re a part of that.”    

She will be sporting a Nittany Lions jersey in their new 80 million dollar rink.  If that’s not enough, she along with her team, get to cut the ribbon of the rink.

With one more year of high school Laurenzi says she has to stay focused and not slack off now that she is in college.  She doesn’t plan on taking a chance and losing her spot on the team.

Athlete Profile Denisa Krizova

Athlete Profile on Denisa Krizova
By: Samantha Puckhaber

LAKE PLACID--- Denisa Krizova of the Czech national team has made the journey to the National Sports Academy with her teammate Lenka Craigova, to help the Mountaineers to a promising season.

This is Krizova's first time at an American school and she finds it challenging. Thus far, Krizova has found National Sports Academy to be a test of her academic and athletic abilities.

Having the chance to spend time with the Mountaineer, Krizova talked about the challenges she must overcome in order to have a great season.

The largest obstacle she must endure will have to start with her language barrier, "In Czech I learned english for about 5 years," Krizova started, "but when I came here I didn't understand because everyone speaks so fast."

Krizova sporting her Czech jersey

Being in an all english speaking school, and her 1st language being Czech, Krizova must learn to overcome the difficult stresses of the National Sports Academy academics.

Although things are much different from the Czech Republic, Krizova says that she enjoys the different climate. Krizova said that America is much bigger than the Czech Republic and that even though it's a cultural shock she actually likes the large environment.

Krizova tells me, "NSA is fun because everythings new, and it's great."

As mentioned above, Krizova is part of the Czech national team along with fellow Mountaineer Lenka Craigova. Craigova is bilingual making her transition to NSA easier but Craigova helps Krizova with her challenge of language. Although Krizova plays for a national team in her home country she still believes the hockey at National Sports Academy is superior to her home nation.

Krizova is a Mountaineer worth meeting, she loves to joke around with her team, and is quite funny when given the opportunity, the NSA girls hockey team have come to notice.

Teammate Kelsey Lynch shares an example about Krizova's fun personality "Denisa is hilarious! We dropped our gloves and started fake fighting, then she started pulling my jersey over my head, then she said 'I win!' after I fell to the ice." Krizova is a great hockey player and has a high spirited personality.
   
Although she feels that the ice hockey at National Sports Academy is better she doesn't consider every aspect of hockey here more difficult.

 "In the Czech Republic we work harder and focus more at training," Krizova began, "but we don't have dryland and ice back-to-back so I'm not used to this. It's challenging and new for me."

Krizova is dealing with obstacles but is determined to make everything work, and plans to work hard the for the whole season.