Writing

It's official: Onalaska girls hockey team is good

By: Kelly Steuck - Published in the La Crosse Tribune on Wednesday, December 26, 2001

While rivalry comes almost naturally between Wisconsin and Minnesota, there is one lesson that Wisconsin high school athletics could learn from its neighbor across the river.

Hockey isn't just for boys anymore.

In fact, Minnesota has more girls teams (150) than Wisconsin has boys teams (81). But hockey fever may be facing an outbreak in the dairy state as many girls' teams are now becoming WIAA sanctioned.

"(Becoming sanctioned) gives the girls the validity and the OK from the WIAA that we are a real sport," said Sara Mortel, head coach of the Onalaska High School girls' hockey team.

Although this is Mortel's first year as the Hilltoppers head coach, hockey is nothing new to the Cottage Grove, Minn., native. In fact, her family was one of five who initiated a lawsuit to get an ice sport for high school girls in Minnesota.

Girls hockey isn't new to the Onalaska Hilltoppers, either. The seniors on the team - Jenna Hanifl, Ashley Herbst, Kami Ostrowski, Lindsey Ruth, Kara Sacia and Amanda Wenger - have been playing hockey for nearly eight years, and have been on skates for almost as long as they could walk. Now they have the WIAA recognition that will enable them to show others exactly what they can do.

With an 8-0 record, the Hilltoppers have already shown a lot.

At one time, it was believed that girls were not physically or mentally capable of playing hockey. The only alternative ice sport was the Canadian game of Ringette. Similar to hockey, Ringette is played with a long stick and a rubber ring that's about 4 inches in diameter.

"It's kind of a stupid sport," a number of Hilltopper players said simultaneously.

However, becoming WIAA sanctioned could change the image of girls hockey in Wisconsin.

"People take us more seriously now," Ruth said.

There are still some people who believe girls should not be playing hockey, but the Hilltoppers have chosen to ignore the critics.

"They can't say anything if they don't come and watch," Ostrowski said. "I honestly think that girls are more aggressive (than boys)."

Still, caution is exercised by officials far more in girls hockey than in boys. For example, checking, much to the disappointment of the Hilltopper girls, is not allowed in girls' hockey. This may help prevent injuries, but it also inhibits constructive defensive strategy that may highlight standout players, Mortel said.

The purpose of checking is to take an opponent out of play in order to gain control of the puck. When you can't take a player out, teams with top-notch skaters dominate because "they have one girl who can just skate the puck up and down the ice and no one can check the girl and take her out of the play," Mortel said.

The Hilltoppers have tried to avoid this scenario, instead opting for team play. In turn, that has led to strong team unity.

"It's like family," Hanifl said.

"The really super thing about the Onalaska team is that we don't have one superstar stand out. We have, honestly, a dozen girls that are right on the verge of being superstars in their own suit, and they're working together," Mortel said.

"It's very rare to find so many girls of such high class come together, and they just make such a great team."

The team does a number of things to help it focus on developing unity. They gather for spaghetti dinners, help each other during conditioning, and each week they write down goals that they believe the team should focus on.

Mortel said this helps the team stay centered. She also believes it will help them pull together when they face more difficult competition. Specifically, Minnesota teams that Onalaska will see at the at Rochester Invitational on Thursday.

"(This will) give the girls an opportunity to find out what they're made of," Mortel said.

Based on what has happened to the sport in Minnesota, Mortel is looking forward to Wisconsin's version of hockey fever, thanks in part to WIAA sanctioning.

Other teams, especially those in the Milwaukee area, are still weary, however. Support from the WIAA means choosing not to play club hockey. But Mortel hopes these teams will discover what WIAA recognition can do for them.

A lot of changes will take place this season due to WIAA sanctioning. Only four teams from the playoff field will advance to the WIAA state tournament. And determining who will earn playoff spots presents a new challenge.

"It's the first year, we're expecting some kinks, but we'll work them out and get things rolling for the years to come," Mortel.

Regardless of what happens in the future with WIAA sanctioning, playoff structure, etc., the Hilltopper seniors are happy to have played at least one year as an "official" WIAA team. Each, at the very least, plans on playing intramural hockey in college, too.

"Once (hockey) is in your blood, it's there. You can't quit." Mortel said.