The Briar Woods varsity ice hockey team is “skating” through the season as of January 19th with three wins, one tie and three losses.

The hockey team has a total of two coaches, 18 players, and five managers. Head Coach Hall and Coach Knode are coaching the team. The five managers include Kylee Abel, Gwen LaBert, Lindsay Knode, Megan Greenlund, and Kathryn Hall. The managers’ roles include taking scores, applying the scores on the scoreboard, managing music, refilling or giving out water, cleaning locker rooms after games, and sitting in the penalty box.

Megan Greenlund is a freshman manager. Greenlund liked the idea of becoming a manager because of her brothers.

“My brothers, Joey and Zach, both did high school hockey and I always wanted to be a manager because of them,” Greenlund said.

The managers put together events for games when hosting at the Ashburn Ice House, “I enjoy going in the box or doing the music” says Greenlund.

Since this is her first time managing for this team, she can choose to manage again next year, “Yes I would [manage again] because I enjoy it and everyone is nice.”

Other school teams also look for managers to help out during practices or games. As for Greenlund, that is something she’ll hold off on.

“I don’t think there would be another sport I would manage. I don’t have any major connections to other sports”.

Kylee Abel is a junior manager. At first, Abel didn’t realize there were positions to be a manager for a high school sport.

“I was actually approached by the manager at the time, Kim Hall. I was working at my job [Ion International Trading Center] during a tournament weekend for hockey that we were hosting. Mrs Hall thought I was doing such an amazing job at the front desk, answering questions, pointing people in the right direction and assigning locker rooms for the team. She told me about the student managers for the hockey team and basically said you’d be a great fit and I would love to have you as a manager. So from that point I’ve been a part of Briar Woods Varsity Ice Hockey Team” says Abel.

Like Greenlund, Abel doesn’t think she would manage for another team,

“I don’t think I’d manage for another team if I’m being honest. I have really enjoyed my time with the hockey team, being a hockey player myself, I feel in my element and I’m comfortable. I’ve grown up around the sport so much that it just feels right that hockey is the only sport I manage” states Abel.

Last year was one of the best memories she made while being a part of the team.

“Every year Hockey Night In Nova holds several contest voting, one of them happens to be Best Student Manager(s). So Gwen LaBert [another manager] and I got nominated for this voting. I remember it coming down to the final voting and it was neck and neck with the other managers. Voting was done at 8pm and I remember Gwen texting me saying that we won the voting by a hair. Gwen and I were so excited to win best student managers” declared Abel.

One of the 18 players is Natalie Posusney, a freshman; she is one of two girls on the team.

“The reason I wanted to start hockey was because of my older brother [Zach]” Posusney says.

During tryouts, her brother was also a motivation for her, “My goal to keep me motivated during tryouts was to be able to play with my brother on the same team for the first time together.”

Posusney explains the part of tryouts that were difficult. “There were times where it was hard to keep up with the faster pace of boys hockey but I thought of it as a time to improve and push myself to be better and to keep up.”

The challenges for making a high school sport that doesn’t contain a freshman team are strenuous. “Advice I would give to a freshman trying out for the team is playing your hardest and try your best,” Posusney exclaims.

The season will officially end on February 9th unless they make the playoffs cut! Until then, show your support at the Ashburn Ice House for the varsity team! Additionally, don’t forget to vote for Briar Woods for the best student section on Instagram @hockeynightinnova!