The Glaciers girls hockey team is a unique program made up of players from multiple high schools, including Brookfield Central. While balancing different school communities can be challenging, the teamwork between the players has contributed to the most exciting and most challenging moments from this season so far.
Brookfield Central Junior Georgie Janet is a goalie on the team. She says she enjoys being on a multi-school team because it is an opportunity to meet new people and be able to form friendships with teammates from different schools. While she says that it would be nice to have some more girls from her own school be on her team, the fact that the girls mostly see each other at hockey has helped the team focus during a difficult season.
With about a quarter left in the season, Janet emphasizes how much the team has improved. This year marks her first full season playing on varsity, and as a goalie, she plays a crucial role every game. Janet explained that the toughest game of the season so far was their matchup against Fond du Lac: “There were a lot of shots during that game. I think they outshot us three-to-one, which made it especially challenging for me.” Despite the pressure, that game also stands out as one of her proudest moments because the strong offensive attack forced her to stay focused on blocking as many shots as possible.
Of all the positions in hockey, goalie is the most distinct. When asked what drew her to that position, Janet explained that she began as a skater, but quickly realized that being a goalie felt more engaging. She says, “the importance of being a goalie makes it much more fun for me because I like that I get to be the last line of defence.” Her training routine also reflects the difference in her role as opposed to the skaters. The goalies usually begin practice separately from the skaters and focus on drills that are designed to improve reaction time and defensive technique, while other players focus on skating and taking shots. Later, the goalies and the skaters merge and typically practice in a game-like situation.
As there is a lot of pressure to perform well for her teammates, Janet mentally prepares before her games by visualizing success. She says, “I try to imagine myself making big saves, and if I know some of the players from the other team, I think about how to handle them specifically.” This mindset helps her stay calm in high-pressure moments. When asked what advice she would give to younger girls interested in trying hockey, Janet encourages them to start early to develop basic skills and figure out what position they like the most. She says if anyone is debating trying to be a goalie, they should “just go for it,” because while the pressure seems scary at first, it can make games more exciting and blocks more satisfying.
By demonstrating dedication throughout this difficult season, the Glaciers are steadily improving both their offensive and defensive skills. They are sure to have more exciting blocks and shots throughout the remaining games, and will be back even stronger next winter.
