Mission Statement:
The Northern Lights Girls Hockey program is committed to supporting the development of young women as athletes, leaders, and members of society through a competitive hockey environment that instills life values such as teamwork, sportsmanship, a consistent work ethic, and respect for self and others.
Vision Statement:
Our vision is to be the female hockey program of choice in Connecticut for girls ages 3-19 years old. To provide competitive Tier 1 and Tier 2 girls hockey programs, and a best-in-class skills development program.
Values:
Sportsmanship – Conduct ourselves with honesty and integrity on and off the ice.
Teamwork – Everyone on the team is included as we work to achieve collective goals.
Respect – Develop self-confidence and self-esteem; it is built on respectful behavior toward all.
Leadership – Leaders are developed; doing what is right to stand above those who don’t shows that actions speak much louder than words.
Competition – Giving everything to compete at your highest level is more important than winning.
Development - High-quality instruction provided by experienced, knowledgeable coaches will provide the platform for player development.
The Connecticut Northern Lights currently fields multiple teams in the age brackets of:
8 and Under
10 and Under
12 and Under
14 and Under
U16,U19 and High School Teams
The Northern Lights also runs a learn-to-play program for girls between the ages of 3 and 9 with no previous ice hockey experience. For girls with a year of experience, Northern Lights offers the cross-ice Mini-Lights program. Mini-Lights allows girls another year of in house skill development and play prior to participation on a Northern Lights travel team.
Players with the Northern Lights come from Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, NY and Rhode Island. Connecticut Northern Lights teams compete at the highest level in state, regional and national play as members of the New England Girls Hockey League and the Connecticut Hockey Conference. However, the Northern Lights also provide multiple opportunities for girls who are looking for a less serious or more recreational commitment to participate in the sport of ice hockey.
Northern Lights History:
The Connecticut Northern Lights Girls Hockey program was founded in 2000 as part of the Avon-Canton-Farmington-Youth-Hockey organization. Connecticut Northern Lights Girls Hockey, then known as Avon Girls Hockey, had only one U-15 team in the 2000 - 2001 inaugural season. In the 2002 – 2003 season, Northern Lights also added an additional U-15 team and launched the Learn-to-Play and Learn-to-Skate (Foundation) program which was the first team called the Northern Lights.
The Northern Lights became a standalone program in the 2003-2004 season. The program moved to the Newington Arena in Newington, CT for the 2003 – 2004 season and started a U-12 team and also a High School team. In the 2004 – 2005 season Northern Lights moved to the International Skating Center of Connecticut in Simsbury, CT, where the Northern Lights call home today. The Northern Lights continues to grow and offer programs to girls of all ages and abilities throughout the state of Connecticut.
