>>> NOW A LOOK AT SOME WOMEN WHO TAKE TO THE ICE LOCALLY,
THE LADY STARS.
THEY RANGE IN AGE FROM 16 TO 59 YEARS OLD, AND THEIR MANY
REASONS FOR GETTING IN TO THE SPORT IS AS VARIED AS THEIR
AGES.
AS THEY EXPLAINED TO “CONNECTING POINT'S” DAVE FRASER, WHILE LOVE
OF THE SPORT IS THEIR GALVANIZING FACTOR,
EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS A BOND THAT HAS FORMED AMONG THEM.
>> IT'S 8:00 ON A THURSDAY NIGHT AND THE LADY STARS HIT THE ICE
FOR THEIR WEEKLY PRACTICE AT THE OLYMPIA IN WEST SPRINGFIELD.
COACH STEVE MOORE PUTS THEM THROUGH THEIR PACES.
HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM SINCE INCEPTION.
>> BASICALLY STARTED FROM SOME WOMEN THAT WERE ACTUALLY ASKING
ME BECAUSE I RAN THE LEARNED ESCAPE PROGRAM AND THEY SAID
DON'T YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR ADULTS.
IT GOT ME THINKING.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PROGRAM LIKE THAT.
I SAID IF I GOT SOMETHING, IF I GOT AN EXTRA SHEET OF ICE, WOULD
YOU GUYS BE INTERESTED GOING OUT AND SKATING AND THEY DID, AND
THAT WAS ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO.
>> THE TEAM HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF PLAYERS AND SKILL LEVEL.
SOME HAVE NEVER PLAYED THE GAME BEFORE WHILE OTHERS HAVE BEEN
INTRODUCED TO THE SPORT THROUGH THEIR KIDS, BUT ALL HAVE FOUND A
COMMONALITY ON THE ICE, PLAYING A SPORT THEY ENJOY.
>> I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS, ALL SKATE AND PLAY HOCKEY AT
DIFFERENT LEVELS, AND I ALSO WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE GAME A
LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES YOU ARE IN THE STANDS AND YOU HEAR THESE
PARENTS YELLING SKATE, SKATE, AND YOU SHOULD BE HERE, AND YOU
SHOULD BE THERE, AND ONCE YOU HAVE TRIED IT YOU REALIZE HOW
HARD IT ACTUALLY IS, SO YOU CAN APPRECIATE IT ON A DIFFERENT
LEVEL.
>> IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO FOR ME AND SOMETHING THAT
CHALLENGED ME THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.
NEVER PLAYED BEFORE.
I PICKED IT UP FROM SCRATCH.
I DIDN'T HAVE BROTHERS OR FRIENDS OR SIBLINGS, AND I
THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD CHANCE TO SEE WHAT I COULD DO.
>> BACKWARDS WITH THE PUCK, ACCELERATE FORWARD, SHOT ON NET
FROM TWO LINES.
>> PRACTICE CONSISTS OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT, LEARNING PLAYS AND
LOTS OF SKATING.
THE SEASON STARTS IN SEPTEMBER AND THE TEAM TRAVELS
THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND TO PLAY THEIR GAMES.
>> TECHNICALLY SPEAKING THERE IS NO STANDINGS, NO PLAYOFFS, BUT
THEY DON'T CARE.
I SEND THEM A DATE AND SAY THIS DATE IS AVAILABLE AND I WILL GET
E-MAILS BACK SAYING I AM INTERESTED IN PLAYING, I WANT TO
BE A PART OF THAT.
>> AND I MET THESE WOMEN BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND I HAVE FORMED
GREAT FRIENDSHIPS WITH EVERYBODY.
THERE IS A FEW THAT I AM BEST FRIENDS WITH, BUT EVERYBODY IS
SUPER WELCOMING AND JUST A GREAT OVERALL EXPERIENCE.
>> THE FRIENDS IN THE HOCKEY FAMILY I HAVE GAINED FROM THIS
ON AND OFF THE ICE IS GREAT.
WE HANG OUT, WE TALK.
IT'S LIKE I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS WITH THEM FOR YEARS.
>> ON THREE, ONE, TWO, THREE.
>> GO.
>> ON THIS DAY THE LADY STARS ARE PLAYING ON THEIR HOME ICE.
THIS IS A NO CHECK LEAGUE BUT THE WOMEN WORK HARD CHANGING
LINES DURING THE PLAY, SKATING UP AND DOWN LOOKING FOR THAT
OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THE PUCK IN THE NET.
AT THE END OF THE GAME, THE LADY STARS ARE VICTORIOUS AND THE
GOALIE HAS RECORDED A SHUTOUT.
THEY CONGRATULATE EACH OTHER AND THE OTHER TEAM AND LOOK AHEAD TO
NEXT WEEK'S PRACTICE AND THEIR NEXT OPPONENT.
>> RIGHT NOW I HAVE A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM THE
BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, FROM STARTING NOT EVEN BEING ABLE TO
SKATE THE FIRST DAY I WAS OUT ON THE ICE, I COULDN'T EVEN STAND
YOU HAVE, AND LAST SEASON WE WENT TO THE TOURNAMENT AND I HAD
MY FIRST SHUTOUT, AND THAT SHOWS HOW FAR I AM COME WITH THE
SPORT, AND I WANT TO KEEP IMPROVING ON THAT SEEING WHERE
WE CAN TAKE THE LADY STARS.
>> I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO CALL MYSELF THEIR COACH.
I PREPARE FOR THEM, TELL THEM WHAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT AND
WRONG, THINGS WE NEED TO WORK ON, AND I THINK THEY EMBRACE
THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING THEY WANT TO GET BETTER.
THEY WANT TO BE BETTER THAN THEY ARE AND THEY KNOW THAT HARD WORK
IS WHAT'S GOING TO GET THEM THERE.
WHEN THEY WALK OFF THAT ICE, THEY GIVE YOU A GLOVE TAP
SAYING, HEY, GREAT PRACTICE, COACH.
THEY UNDERSTAND AND THEY GOT SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
THAT TO ME IS VERY SATISFYING.