Amazing Journey to Launch Girls Hockey Team at Cranford High
Name: Emme Murphy
Age/Grade: 14 (Grade 9)
School: Cranford High School
Sport/Activity: Girls Ice Hockey
Position: Defense
Family Members: Rob (Dad), Anna (Mom), Miles (Brother)
So, tell us a little bit about yourself? How did you get into the sport?
I am a lifelong Cranford resident. I started ice skating at 3 years old and have been playing competitive travel hockey since age 7. I first got interested, because my older brother took an ice hockey clinic at Warinanco skate rink. I wanted to try it and instantly fell in love with the sport.
When did the idea of starting a Girls Hockey Team begin?
I always thought it would be fun to play for a Cranford high school team, but I enjoyed playing on an all-girls team and there wasn’t a dedicated girls team in town. At the NJ Colonials, I play with a lot of girls from other towns and I knew that some have girls high school teams. So, when I was in 7th grade, I asked my parents to contact the high school to see if they would consider starting girls team. To our surprise, there was actually enough initial interest that we were able to keep the conversation going over a couple of years. Then this past spring, the school administration put a meeting on the books and that snowballed. I was perfect timing as I started my freshman year.
What did you have to do to get the team started?
Really, I just planted the seed with my parents and thankfully it took off. And, then I would mention it to my friends and teammates on lacrosse and field hockey to see if they were interested. Honestly, I had so much help from my parents, and Mr. Hurley and Mr. Leong, who are coaches and teachers at the high school as well as Mr. Torsone, the CHS athletic director. Not only them, but other parents, like Mr. Borys, who volunteered and stepped up to help recruit girls to play and source equipment for the girls to learn with before the season started. We also had a lot of support from people involved in the boys ice hockey team. So, we had a lot of help in figuring things out, which was huge.
Tell us about the team? How many girls are on the team?
There are 30 AMAZING girls on this team. Our parents refer to us as the Cranford 30, because this group is literally starting the program, which hopefully will last for many decades to come. There are only a few girls who have actually played ice hockey or even ice skated before. That’s what makes it even more awesome, because they all took a chance to learn this great sport and we are all getting better every day. Every one of the girls is an amazing athlete first and it helps them learn the game faster. It’s really fun to see us work together and we’re all in it to help each other and pave the way for younger girls coming up.
How much time do you put into the team during the season?
Prior to the start of the season, I helped by volunteering my time on Monday nights to help during learn-to-skate clinics for the girls at Union Skate Rink. It was pretty intense, because my travel hockey season started in August, so after my NJ Colonials practice every Monday night, my parents would take me to the clinic and we’d skate until almost midnight sometimes helping girls learn their edges and other skating skills. My parents were really good in making sure I was able to do that to help foster the team spirit. It can get pretty crazy between sports and maintaining my grades, but I’ve been able to manage it.
Between the Colonials and Cranford HS teams, I spend about 5 days a week on the ice with some overlapping practices in the early morning and then nighttime. At CHS, we have two to three practices and one to two games per week.
What have you learned from participating in this sport? What do you like best about the sport?
Hockey has taught me all about teamwork. No one player can beat a team alone. It requires everyone working together, which I like. The other thing is confidence. Knowing that I can compete at a high level to help my team win in pressure situations has made me open to doing so many other things. Because I know if I put my mind and body into it, I can do anything. The other nice thing is that you get to meet so many different people that it’s easy to connect with others.
What is your favorite moment?
Honestly, I have two. My first favorite moment was the first day of on-ice practice at the rink. We all had our yellow practice jerseys and there were 30 of us ready to go. I got really emotional, because I know all the work that people put into making it happen and I just couldn’t believe we had actually done it. We brought girls hockey to Cranford high school. I got so excited that I jumped in the air during practice. My dad got a pretty cool picture of it and it’s a fun memory.
The second is seeing how much the girls have improved. For example, our goalie never played ice hockey before and it turns out she’s amazing. She blocks so many shots. She’s a natural. Other girls scored their first goals already and I can tell others will do it really soon. So that’s fun.
One tip for someone looking to get into this sport:
Just do it. Find a hockey clinic near you. That’s the best way to learn to skate as well as some of the basics of hockey. And, you don’t need to be in a rink to practice. Get a street hockey stick and ball or puck and play outside on the pavement to practice shots on goal and stick handling. Once you feel comfortable, see about joining a local or travel team. For young girls, definitely find opportunities even if it’s on boys teams. I learned a lot by playing against both boys and girls. Once you get the bug, hockey becomes a lifelong passion and can lead to great things.