Breaking the ice at Lightning Made Training Center | News

EGYPT LAKE-LETO — They exit the locker room like any other hockey players: skates laced, sticks in hand, tapping the glass before they hit the ice.

At Lightning Made Training Center, the facility and its staff have created a pipeline for girls-only training, development, clinics and teams where players can start from the very beginning, go at their own pace and even elevate themselves to elite levels.

The facility’s Girls Only programming is for players of all ages and skill levels and includes Ball Hockey, Learn to Skate, Learn to Play presented by Outback, Learn to Play 201, two Recreational Leagues (ages 7-9 and 10-13) and Travel Hockey (SGHL and Tier 2). The programming sees nearly 200 girls out on the ice.

“Our vision was to create the entire pipeline all the way through, and over the last four years that’s what we’ve done,” Hockey Development Coach Kelley Steadman said. “We didn’t start with travel programs — we started with Learn to Skate and Learn to Play. And then those girls that started in those programs four years ago, some of them were on my (most-experienced) team.

“Some of the girls might go on and play in high school or get on club teams in college, maybe further, but then some might not play at all.

“But as far as development and growing the sport, we’re the only (girls exclusive) program.”

Steadman, a former Division 1 player with Mercyhurst University, is the right coach to lead the girls. Her credentials speak for themselves: three-time World Champion with the U.S. Women’s National Team, NWHL Champion and All-Star MVP with the Buffalo Beauts, EWHL Champion with the Moscow Tornado and CWHL Champion with the Boston Blades. Plus, she’s been around the game long enough to know just how popular hockey has become in the area.

Which, of course, has to do with the logo on the girls’ jerseys and helmets.

“I think since the back-to-back cups (by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021), you’ve seen hockey has grown immensely in Florida, but girls hockey specifically has grown a ton,” she said. “The Lightning had people reaching out, wanting more (development and teams) for higher-skilled-level girls. But you can’t really do that if you don’t have all the girls to follow (in a pipeline) and build the program (for) the coming years.”

That’s why at Lightning Made, they start with Learn to Skate. The facility will rent out skates to potential players, and if they like skating, the next step is Learn to Play. Equipment for that can also be rented out to potential players.

“It’s not a big deal if some girls come and just do Learn to Skate and they don’t move on to hockey,” Steadman said, “but the majority of them want to take the next step.”

Women’s hockey does have its differences when compared with men’s hockey. Most will point to the speed of the game (though Steadman says some pretty fast girl skaters have beaten some of the boys), but also female players wear cages on their helmets, which takes some adjustment at first.

Also while there is still the hockey tradition of fights, direct body checks by women is not allowed.

“(With women’s hockey) there’s more flow,” Steadman said. “You don’t have people out there that are worried about someone taking their head off, so they can make more plays. It is still physical, too, because a lot of people think because there’s no body checking that it’s boring or whatever, but you watch U.S vs. Canada or the Olympic Games, that’s physical and they fight sometimes, so it’s a lot of fun.”

In the end, it’s the popularity of the sport that has fueled the Lightning Made Facility — which, of course, has the backing of a three-time Stanley Cup champion organization that warrants, and created, a hockey pipeline for girls.

“That’s the cool thing,” Steadman said. “What is different from other organizations is that we have the backing from the highest level. From (Lighting owner) Mr. (Jeff) Vinik and our new owners (Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz) now down through our CEO (Steve Griggs). I think it’s a big deal for them to just create the same opportunities that they have for boys, for girls, too. So, that’s obviously a huge help. When you have two recent (Stanley) Cups, it’s going to generate plenty of demand and girls who really want to be here.”