(from Jen Sanborn of the Maine ice hockey club).
 
At the request of a local reader and avid hockey fan, I am writing in
response to requests for information about women's hockey.  Just as all
other women hockey players, I am excited that there are people out there
who want to know about teams like us, and I'm certainly willing to
spread the word about women's hockey.
 
I'm Jennifer Sanborn, a junior English major at U Maine and treasurer of
the Maine Women's Ice Hockey Club team.  I play defense.  I'm also a
pretty typical example of players in our club.  I had done a little
skating before playing hockey - figure skating on ponds when I was about
ten, then buying used hockey skates when I was starting college, and
going to public skate sessions at the rink.  I hooked up with the club
in the second half of its first year (this is our third season).  Most
of us were still struggling with basic skating skills, like learning to
stop, though two or three players had played in high school, or youth
leagues.  A bunch of us had played other team games in high school, and
(thought) hockey would be fun to try.
 
We've got the typical problems women's club teams tend to have, from
what we've heard from other teams - ice time in the wee hours,
difficulty in raising money for ice or for travel or uniforms, and
playing games against amazing varsity teams, or not being able to find
teams or times to play.
 
We have volunteer coaches, and our players range from a core of
traditional students to graduate students to university faculty and
staff members, as well as one or two women in the area with no other
university affiliation.
 
The club that exists now was started by a graduate student, Joan King
(now playing in a women's league in eastern Massachusetts), who was part
of a previous club team at U Maine in 1979, which dissolved due to lack
of members and funds.
 
Now, in our third season, after much fundraising, as well as improvement
in playing skills, we are playing a 16 game schedule - one against a
varsity team (Colby College), and the rest against clubs around New
England and New Brunswick, including some well established clubs like
MIT and B. U. and B.C., and some newer clubs such as Holy Cross.
 
This season we've really started to feel the effects of community
interest in our program.  The University is providing our ice time this
season, so a big chunk of our previous financial pressure is gone, and
we've been able to purchase away jerseys with our fundraising monies.
There's tremendous support for hockey on all levels in our area, and as
more people have become aware that our club exists, we've gotten some
more publicity, and higher attendance at our home games, as well as
increased numbers on the roster.  It was great having about 60 people at
our last home game - we players were amazed at how load it was when we
scored!
 
We've done a lot of work getting the club to where it is, and it's
certainly been worth it.  Hockey's such a fast and exciting game - we're
all happy to be able to play with other women, and against such good
teams, and to be a part of a building process.  I think we'd all like to
see women's hockey expand and improve on all levels, so that more girls
and women will have the chance to play this game at its best.