SOUTHWICK – Fans of Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School athletics now have one more sport to be excited for in the near future. It was announced on June 7th at the last school committee meeting that a boy’s ice hockey team is now added to the athletic program.
Several parents and high school students had many dialogues with the school committee to make a strong push for an ice hockey program. Superintendent of schools, John D. Barry, described the process once data was collected about an interest for ice hockey in the high school.
“We put all that together and decided to give that to the school committee,” said Barry.
As the school committee voted in the direction of the new program, it was then determined that the application for the sport would be good for one year, starting next winter.
The ice hockey team will start at the junior varsity level, allowing school officials to see what age range draws interest, the number of kids that go out for the team, and as well as the talent level.
Southwick-Tolland Regional High School Athletic Director Frank Montagna, June 14, 2016
Southwick boy’s ice hockey will only focus on being a junior varsity team until it seems appropriate to make the next jump. But, in the meantime, the feeling is very positive moving forward.
“I feel pretty confident that it’s (the program) going to take off,” said Athletic Director Frank Montagna. “Over the years we’ve had many kids in our school districts go and play for other towns.”
Montagna believes the team will be competing against other small schools in the area that also have junior varsity programs, but there is no official decision made yet as to whom the Rams will have on their schedule.
Costs and total expenses for the ice hockey program are not yet fully determined, but the usual amount of ice time, new uniforms, and transportation for the team are just a few important costs surrounding the team.
Both Montagna and Barry are looking forward to the creation of the ice hockey program and what is in store for the future.
“I think it’ll be fun for everybody,” said Barry. “I think it’s exciting to always start a new program,” said Montagna. “We can take a look at it and see if Southwick can really be a hockey town.”
