Fostering ice hockey CHAMPions

During the shutdown of 2020, a small mentorship between then senior AJ Carroll and also then fourth grader Sebastian Capurro would kickstart a district-wide hockey program for building bonds between players at each school level.

e Conestoga Hockey Assist Mentoring Program, or CHAMP, was initiated this fall. rough the program, athletes from the girls’ and boys’ ice hockey teams cultivate younger players’ hockey skills during training sessions and practice. CHAMP was rst presented when Carroll shared his memorable experience of coaching Capurro during the pandemic with the Conestoga ice hockey board. He had taken this role a er Jean Capurro, Capurro’s mother and current coordinator of CHAMP, reached out to the community about any high schoolers willing to coach her son.

“What AJ and Sebastian did was a baseline to create (CHAMP),” Capurro said. “It’s obviously about coaching and getting that support from a hockey perspective, but one of the additional things that came out of it was a friendship.” is connection between the elementary, middle and high schools was what the board had already been looking for, and a mentorship was a way to do so while providing meaningful and unique experiences for the parties involved. e players nourish the communal aspects of CHAMP through both on and o ice events. e program’s rst o -ice event was at Teegarden park on Nov. 8, with a high turnout of around 40 kids from all the schools. Conestoga players manned stations, bonding and instructing the younger athletes as they rotated through.

“It’s pretty important because it does kind of foster that community, that family aspect of the program that most programs really don’t have kind of makes it feel di erent, makes it feel special,” Carroll said.

“It (CHAMP) is good because you’re with your friends, playing hockey, learning stu and bonding with kids older than you. It’s just kind of fun too,” Sebastian Capurro said.

The high schoolers attend the middle and elementary practices, coaching them with their hockey skills. By also being at games, the younger players are able to receive more training and look up to role models.

“A lot of the kids think it’s really cool that high school students are giving their time to be at their events,” Jean Capurro said. In addition to helping younger athletes, the high school players are able to develop their own leadership and communication skills through CHAMP.

“It was incredible to see (the high school athletes) interact with the younger players,” head coach Ross Hyatt said. “They took the kids under their wings and it was great to see them latch on to this program and be excellent mentors.”

The program plans to arrange more on-ice activities and will create more off ice events when temperatures rise. While it primarily serves to increase the membership of the Conestoga ice hockey club, the players have personal goals for CHAMP.

“I just hope that we can inspire some kids to love the sport of hockey because I know a bunch of kids were excited to be there,” senior Jim Rosenblum said. “I think the most important part for me was just getting those kids to get more exposure to the game and really find their passion.” try is time. ree years ago, Hyatt rst got the job as head coach of the boys’ varsity and JV hockey teams and began building a rapport with the players. e freshmen he bonded with that year are now seniors, and the whole roster is completely in sync with Hyatt’s style, allowing the team to reap the bene ts of having a capable batch of newcomers. else and that they can make mistakes because they have strong upperclassmen who have their back.” ese moments of guidance and banter outside of the sport have helped the team forge new bonds as friends and teammates, and it is re ected in their success so far. e squad started their season with a crushing 8-1 win over Ridley and followed it up with another dominant 7-1 game against Garnet Valley. ey kept up the momentum with win a er win and currently sit at second place in the Central League with an 8-1-1 record. “ is season is going to be a core memory for me. I’m going to enjoy ending on this high note,” said Jim Rosenblum, a senior defenseman. “Our hockey team is pretty good, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Getting accustomed to full check hockey and its faster, more aggressive nature is a crucial component of making the newcomers feel more comfortable on the ice and in the team, and the returning players made a point to ensure that happened.

New faces: Freshman girls basketball welcomes new coach

e Conestoga girls’ basketball team has welcomed a new coach onto their sta this season: current eld hockey coach Megan DuVernois. Prior to accepting the new position as the girls’ freshman basketball coach, DuVernois did not have experience in either coaching or playing basketball.

Growing up in the Montgomery County area, DuVernois played eld hockey and lacrosse for much of her life. She went on to play eld hockey at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a three-time NCAA D1 eld hockey champion. For the past two years, DuVernois has coached junior varsity eld hockey at Conestoga. is year, she was asked to be the freshman girls’ basketball coach, and with no prior experience in basketball, she took the job.

“ is is my rst year (coaching basketball). I’ve never played basketball in my life,” DuVernois said. “I like getting out there and just trying our best to win and trying our best to have fun.”

DuVernois used strategies she learned from eld hockey to help the team improve. Using the resources around her, the young coach learned the game with her players as well as formed a close bond with the team and an understanding of their individual skills and personalities.

To further help her understanding of the game, DuVernois turned to a familiar source for guidance.

“My mom has been helping me too, which is awesome. So it’s been a good team e ort there, I’m very much enjoying it,” Duvernois said.

Together, the two of them have been navigating coaching.

In addition, varsity girls’ basketball coach Arnold ompson commented on her help with the team so far. According to the coaches and players around her, DuVernois is already starting to get into the groove of the game. ompson remarked on how her experience as an athlete has helped her coach a sport that is completely new to her.

“She’s been an athlete her whole life, so she knows what these kids are going through. Having practice, making sure your academics are up and time management —

“She she can de -

“I would just say that from coaching before and playing I know what hard work looks like and the competitive spirit, I just like getting out there and just trying our best to win and have fun.” DuVernois said. “ e best part about team sports is you can have fun with each other and make friends and lasting relationships.”