Preparing to succeed: Jr. Gulls girls program ready right now
In just its third season of existence, the San Diego Jr. Gulls girls program has placed itself among the top girls programs on the West Coast in terms of development, coaching and success.
Starting with one 12U team two years ago, growing to a 12U and 14U AA team last year, and this year, fielding a 10U, 12U, 14U AA and 19U team, the club has built teams with an emphasis on skill development and team play.
One of the biggest strengths of the club is the coaching team, and the incredible hockey experience that they bring to the table.
A great example of this is the duo of Blake Bolden and Jamie Huntley. Bolden played four years at NCAA Division I Boston College and appeared in three Frozen Fours before moving on to the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), winning a championship with Boston and earning MVP honors. She is playing this season with the NWHL’s Buffalo Beauts, and travels back and forth between San Diego and her NWHL games.
Huntley played NCAA Division III at Elmira College, and has gone on to become one of the best referees in the world, having worked at the IIHF Women’s World Championship multiple times, including this season.
“These two women have a wealth of hockey knowledge to share with the players and have the right way of delivering the message in a positive, uplifting environment,” said Jr. Gulls girls program director and 14U AA coach Alex Morrison.
The results of the coaching and preparation with the teams were very evident at the Lady Ducks Fall Classic over Thanksgiving Weekend as all four Jr. Gulls teams made the playoffs and the 10U (pictured very top) and 19U teams (pictured above) won titles over Lady Ducks teams.
“With results like this, the Jr. Gulls girls teams are proving that great female hockey players can be developed right at home,” Morrison said.
— Matt Mackinder
(Dec. 26, 2018)