"Summit Girls Ice Hockey (or SGHOCK as we like to call it) has been one of the most welcoming communities I have ever been a part of. The long bus rides, practices, games, team dinners, and more, make for genuine, lasting friendships. I started ice hockey for the first time during my freshman year of high school. While most of my teammates had been skating since they could walk, they still made an effort to help me learn the ins and outs of the game. My teammates and coaches quickly became a second family to me as we progressed through the season. That year, we made it to the finals for the state championship at the Prudential Center which is a memory I will never forget. However, the game before the championship game was even more notable. We played Trinity Hall, a long-lasting rival, at their rink for the semi-finals. The game was back and forth from the get-go and we knew it was going to be a close one. The benergy, or energy from the bench (a famous SGHOCK term), was unmatched as we scored in the final few minutes of the third period to go into overtime. We won the game via a shootout and were all beaming with joy. I have heard many coaches and parents say that the Trinity Hall game was some of the best hockey they had ever seen. While the level of play on SGHOCK is certainly exceptional, it isn't the skill, the wins, or the losses that make the team so special. It’s the people. Win or lose, we do so as a team. Each player has a purpose and is cared for by

coaches, captains, and other team members. Some of my fondest memories of high school will lie at Warinanco Park during those cold winter months. I am beyond upset to be leaving SGHOCK so soon but am confident that the traditions of loyalty, selflessness, and kindness will only continue to grow in the years to come." - Marrin Darcy