WESTERN MASS BLIZZARD
WALPOLE – The Western Mass Blizzard have taken the area by storm.
On the weekend of Nov. 28-30, the Blizzard, a U-14 girls ice hockey team, consisting of girls from all over Western Mass, won the seventh annual Thanksgiving Girls’ Hockey Tournament at Rodman Arena in Walpole, Mass.
Girls under the age of 14 from as close as Westfield, Southwick, Agawam, and Springfield, and as far as Lenox teamed together to win its first championship.
The Blizzard posted an unbeaten record in the tournament, knocking off Natick U12A and Walpole by the identical scores of 7-2, doubling up Natick U14 4-2, tying Burlington 2-2, and eliminating Burlington U14 in a championship thriller, 3-2.
“It is through hard work, determination, and skilled coaching that brought our Western Mass Blizzard girls to be able to bring home their first overall championship win,” said team spokesperson Ann Marie Walts.
Walts serves as the Blizzard’s social media marketing manager.
“Maybe you might think that being ‘the new kids’ on the block would mean that it might take time to grow such a strong team?” she said. “This … proved that is not the case.”
The Blizzard are a first-year team, hailing from the Connecticut Girls Hockey League, with a home rink at the Olympia in West Springfield. They are currently 18-3-2, and in first place in the CGHL.
“We are very proud of the girls,” said team director Tim Connor. “The coaching staff has done an outstanding job preparing the girls.”
The Blizzard are comprised of Westfield players Keely Connor (D), Thea Glenzel (D), Jolie Walts (D), Alyssa Warren (D), captain Bailey Tymeson (C), Katie Forest (LW), Maddy Fox (LW), C.J. Jarrell (C), and Mackenzie Rae (G); Kayla Russ (RW) and Hailey Tullo (C), both of Southwick; Maddy Manser, of Agawam; and, Mackenzie Smith (West Springfield), Alana Messier (Springfield), Ellen Cook (Beckett), and Elise Almgren (Lenox).
The team is led by head coach Rick Vadenais; assistant coaches Drew Powers, Stacey Smith, Brad Jarrell, and Matt Burns; and goalie coach Kelly Cloutier.
The team manager is Shari Jarrell.
