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03/31/2017 12:00 AMEven though New England is one of the nation’s hockey hotbeds, Connecticut residents who want to watch a professional game are typically forced to go out of state. However, the Connecticut Whale of National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) is here to provide an alternative option. The Whale recently completed their second season in the NWHL playing their home games at the Northford Ice Pavilion.
“The community we’ve been around has been supportive, but it’s on us to make that big push to get the word out about our team and the great athletes we have,” said Heather Linstad, who’s the Whale’s head coach. “It’s an anomaly people don’t know there’s a professional team playing in their backyard right now.”
Linstad and her fellow members of the Whale organization have worked hard to try and recruit new fans. The AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack welcomed the Whale to one of their games to promote themselves, the team has run clinics, and they’ve even held a “Skate with the Whale” promotion following one of their games. Linstad feels the key is getting through to the area’s youth.
“My best connection is [North Branford Superintendent Scott Schoonmaker] and the schools because I think that’s where you can build the blocks of being known,” she said. “As a professional team, we should be more visible in the community.”
One problem the Whale faces is that the local high school girls’ hockey team plays at a different rink. With the Branford-East Haven-North Branford co-op squad playing its home games at DiLungo Rink in East Haven, the opportunities for those two teams to piggyback games off each other is limited.
Another issue is the area’s population. With the NWHL’s other teams playing in the greater Boston, New York City, and Buffalo areas, the Whale can’t match the those clubs when it comes to the size of the surrounding area.
“I think it’s more difficult just because we don’t have the large population,” said Nicole Stock, the Whale’s goalie. “That being said, this is a spot where there are many local youth teams and there are a good amount of young hockey players in the area to help grow our fan base.”
One thing the Whale does have on its side, however, is the amount of talent on the team. The NWHL is made up of many of the top United States players, and the Whale are fortunate enough to have two-time Olympian Kelli Stack on board. Stack’s passion for the game—and that of her teammates—is what makes going to games enjoyable for fans.
“I feel extremely fortunate to still be playing the sport I love. It really is a dream come true,” Stack said. “My first year was filled with a lot of driving. I lived in western Massachusetts and currently still do. The team played out of Stamford last season, so it was close to a four-hour round trip, three times per week. It was very demanding because our practices were at 10 a.m., so I didn’t get home until 2 a.m. I am happy my drive is a half hour shorter this season.”
The NWHL is still going through some growing pains as any new league generally does, but Linstad knows that everyone’s passion for the game is what will push the league to grow.
“You’ve got to have strong-willed people to make any business organization get off the ground. If you’re passionate about something, you can make it grow. If you have the willpower and strength to endure, you can make it happen, but I know everyone still has to pay bills and make a living, so that’s a challenge,” she said. “A lot of our players have been able to do other jobs and make it work. They’re so passionate. They’re willing to put in that extra effort and put a good product out on the ice every game.”
One perfect example of that is Stock, who plays for the Whale while negotiating a packed schedule in her seventh year working at Choate Rosemary Hall.
“I’m an assistant athletic director, admissions interviewer, as well as a dorm parent and coach of the varsity ice hockey and lacrosse teams,” Stock said. “My Sundays are now devoted to the Whale, which is our only day of the week that I am not technically engrossed in my job. It is stressful at times, but I have been lucky enough to make it work the past couple of years.”
With the Whale’s second campaign now in the books, Linstad said she’s happy that there’s a quality women’s hockey squad in the area, and she’s hoping for the Whale to keep making their presence known both on and off the ice in the years to come.
“For us to have a women’s team is such a great thing. If you have a dream or a goal, you can set your sights on it and just go for it,” Linstad said. “I want my players to be a part of the community and I’d like to find some more opportunities to intertwine us all in the community.”