We are happy to announce that our First Girls hockey team has been accepted into the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) for the 2016/2017 season. The JWHL is a North American league that offers an elite level of competition and helps prepare its players for NCAA and CIS athletics. It is a privilege to be received into the league and a tremendous opportunity for our female hockey players to be identified and recruited by University and College programs from across the United States and Canada.
The decision by the JWHL to accept Ridley into its league was fueled by our team’s season-over-season achievements and its success at the annual JWHL tournament held in Washington, D.C. each February. Following the 2015 event, we were contacted by the commissioner about joining the JWHL for the upcoming 2015-2016 season, and after consulting with the Ridley community, Headmaster Kidd confirmed our interest. At the JWHL meetings in early 2016 (at its championship in Buffalo), the association voted unanimously to welcome Ridley into the league.
In addition to academics and the arts, athletics is one of the three pillars at Ridley and we are continually seeking opportunities to allow our students to perform at the highest level possible.
“Joining this great league is the next step on the developmental path of our now 20-year history of girls hockey at Ridley. The competitive environment that the girls will find themselves in, surrounded by a robust organization dedicated to education and helping student athletes earn a spot in post secondary sport, it is an ideal situation for any serious female hockey player and it is right here in Niagara.”
– Jay Tredway ‘96, Director of Athletics
Elite athletics (“train to compete”) is a component of Ridley’s Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) plan and transitioning from the North American Prep Hockey Association (NAPHA), of which Ridley was a founding member, to the JWHL will now allow local female hockey players access to one of the most dynamic and successful development league structures for university and college placement in North America.
Ridley’s girl’s hockey program is currently being coached by Amanda Benoit-Wark, two-time Women’s World Hockey Champion (1999, 2000), and Celeste Doucet ‘07, an Olympic contender and national champion. Both coaches have brought invaluable expertise to the ice.
“Ridley is looking forward to moving its program to the next level and we are excited to have the opportunity to do that with the help of the JWHL! We thank Ridley for the support they have given us to make this move possible”
– Celeste Doucet ’07, Assistant Coach
Fortunately, for our parents and alumni around the world, all JWHL teams are equipped to live broadcast games from their home arenas. This means that, just as Ridley broadcasts games on TigerNET, you will be able to follow the First Girls hockey team on the road this upcoming season – and our entire school is looking forward to watching the the players flourish in the JWHL.
To read the JWHL’s official announcement, click here!