ESTERO, Fla. (WINK) — Women’s hockey is gaining momentum in Southwest Florida, and the Lady Everblades are seeing that growth firsthand.
For the first time, the local program is fielding three teams, with 32 women on its rosters for this weekend’s Florida Women’s Hockey League tournament at Hertz Arena.
The tournament features 19 teams from across the state competing in four divisions.
“Recently, there’s been one team that we had of 10 to 15 girls playing, and the growth has been exponential this last year,” Lady Everblades captain Denise Masnjak said. “We really had a push to get lots of new women in.”
Masnjak has played hockey for 25 years, despite never having skated before joining the sport. Now, she’s watching a new generation of players give it a shot.
One of those newcomers is Daniela Noble, a mother of three who joined the Lady Everblades after seeing a Facebook post recruiting beginners.
“I love challenging new things, new sports, and keeping active, so I figured I might as well give it a try,” Noble said.
She’s only been on the ice about 10 times, but she’s already celebrating a major milestone. In just her third game, Noble scored her first career goal.
“It felt really good. Oh, it was awesome,” Noble said. “It was like just perfectly played out and it just worked out.”
While learning to play hockey has been a challenge, Noble says her teammates have made the experience rewarding.
“Everybody’s so supportive, especially on the Lady Everblades,” she said.
The league welcomes women 18 and older, with local players ranging from their early 20s into their 60s.
Masnjak believes the success of the professional Florida Everblades and its youth programs, along with growing visibility for women’s hockey, has helped attract new players. She says some mothers are even trading their seats in the stands for time on the ice.
“A lot of moms come out and play, because they’re tired of watching their kids play, and they want to do it themselves,” Masnjak said.
The tournament concludes Sunday with championship games scheduled through noon. Admission and parking are free.
The Florida Women’s Hockey League’s next tournament is scheduled for January in Jacksonville.