(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.