Volume 4 Issue 4 | November 2019
GIRLS BEAT
Hello everyone,

A story came in from a dad who was very involved in Illinois hockey. You could say his whole family was. His daughter started playing boys' youth hockey and worked her way up to girls’ ‘elite’ hockey before making the transition to prep school out East where she plays both hockey and lacrosse. She chose a path different than most players will, and it was a success for her. Playing hockey is full of choices and only YOU can decide which choice is the best for YOU.

Hockey teaches all of us more than just the game. Think of the possibilities, then go after them. Players can play house, travel, elite, high school, college, or prep. They can play on national teams, be Olympians or transition into coaches and officials. Players can also transition to being part of the sport behind the scenes. Look at the number of scouts, managers, sports announcers, etc.

There are many options for female players and all of them start with HOCKEY.

H = heart
O = opportunity
C = character
K = kindness
E = excitement
Y = YOU  

Anyone can come up with words to replace the ones I've used. Being part of the sport, regardless of where or how, is a great feeling.

Thank you & Happy Thanksgiving!

Anita Lichterman
AHAI Girls’ Committee Chair

P.S. Make sure to check out the information on the 2019 BreakThrough Summit, a free, digital leadership summit designed to develop and celebrate women in sports, at the end of this newsletter. The summit is an EXCELLENT reinforcement of my article's theme that we all take different paths!
2020 ILLINOIS GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
It's time to register for the 2020 Illinois State Girls Hockey Championships! All organizations with Girls Tier II or Tier III teams have been sent an email that includes the 2020 Girls State Tournament Invitation Packet; click button below to view. Please don't delay, register early to be part of the excitement.
Please note: Any player that is double rostered on two (2) National Bound level teams must declare for which team she will play in the State Tournament by Dec. 31, 2019. A player may not play on two (2) teams (e.g. one Girls and one Youth team) in the State Tournament that are at the National Bound level (14U, 16U, 19U).
2020 AMERICA'S SHOWCASE TEAM
Attention all sophomore, junior or senior high school age girls! If you have not yet committed to a college/university, America’s Showcase could be exactly what you need to help you reach the next chapter of your life.

If you're wanting to play hockey in college, please consider registering for the 2020 Illinois Girls’ Showcase Team. Many NCAA DIII and ACHA coaches and scouts will be on hand in St. Louis looking for players to round out their teams.

America’s Showcase, previously known as the Chicago Showcase, has grown over the years and more girls than ever before from across the country come together to play in a showcase tournament in April.  

It’s never too early to register. Please click the button below to review the invitation and Showcase information. If you have any questions, please contact Anita Lichterman, Illinois Girls' Showcase Team Manager at girls@ahai2.org or 847.414.5737.
Reserve your spot early, and let's represent Illinois proudly!
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2019-20 SEASON
NOVEMBER
Chicago Steel's Hockey is For Everyone
November 23, 2019
DECEMBER
State Tournament Declaration Deadline
December 31, 2019
Click on button below for complete list of important dates and information on everything Girls’ Hockey in Illinois, the Central District, and USA Hockey!
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Please Share Your Stories With Us!
Please share your stories with us!! Send an email to any member of the Girls’ Committee and we will do our best to make sure your story appears in an issue of Girls’ Snapshot to be shared with our Hockey Community. You’ll find our contact information on the AHAI website.
COLLEGE HOCKEY REPORT
112 Illinois Women Playing NCAA DI and DIII College Hockey!
It’s a testament to our Illinois girls, coaches, and associations that so many of our young women from Illinois were able to realize their dream of playing NCAA Division I and NCAA Division III College Hockey. Congratulations and good luck this season to the women continuing their hockey careers along with obtaining the ever important college degree. Please click on the button below to view lists of Illinois players. 
PLEASE NOTE: Information was obtained from rosters posted on USCHO.com and college websites. If you or someone you know was inadvertently left off the lists above, please contact AHAI Communications Manager, Gretchen Cockey at communications@ahai2.org.
EMPOWERING GIRLS: GREAT READS &
CAN'T MISS EVENTS
BreakThrough Summit: Digital Leadership Summit for Women in Sports
What is BreakThrough Summit?

BreakThrough Summit is a free, digital leadership summit designed to develop and celebrate women in sports. Tune in to hear from the top women in sports leadership and network virtually with your peers. The Summit, which is free and open to all, will take place on Monday, December 16 from 10am to 4pm (CST).
Athleta Girl + Girls Leadership Presents The Code of Confidence
Athleta Girl is challenging the status quo on how the world speaks to girls—replacing “how do you look?” with “how do you feel?” Too often, girls are taught their value comes from how others see them. This hands over their self-worth to others and tends to leave them with a fragile sense of confidence. Girls’ confidence drops by 30% in middle school—changing the conversation at a young age is critical.

By asking girls to connect to their internal experience—how they’re feeling—we’re teaching them to look inward for validation. This helps them build a resilient sense of confidence. In collaboration with our non-profit partner, Girls Leadership, we created the Code of Confidence, a resource for fellow retail brands—and anyone—to re-frame their communication with girls in a way that helps build their confidence.