BIDDEFORD — The top high school girls hockey players in the country spent the past week in Biddeford competing in the USA Hockey Girls Under-18 Select Player Development Camp at the University of New England.
The UNE campus has been home to the camp for the past few years and has brought former and current members of the U.S. Women’s Olympic team to town for one week in the summer.
Five Olympians were part of the coaching staff this year, including 2018 Olympic Gold Medalists Brianna Decker, Kacey Bellamy and Amanda Pelkey.
“I love Maine. I love Biddeford and obviously being here at UNE, they do a great job of hosting this camp and just all the resources that they can give us, we couldn’t be more appreciative,” said Decker, who is a two-time Olympian and also played on two U-18 National teams.
All of the Olympic athletes raved about facilities at the UNE campus — including the expanded strength and conditioning room and other off-ice training features at the Harold Alfond Forum.
“What we do on the ice and the success we have there, isn’t based on just what we do on the ice. There are so many aspects that are really important,” said Julie Chu, who played on four Olympic teams from 2002 to 2014. “The weight room is a huge part of it. How we train and prepare, the resources to recover afterwards. Having great options for nutritional things, so our girls got everything they needed to be successful.”
“I think it’s a great setup and the rink is beautiful. The girls can walk 100 yards (to the dorms) and be close. The staff is always great here,” Pelkey added. “It’s beautiful, has great equipment, it’s a grade-A facility all around.”
The Olympians are thrilled to be a part of the U-18 camp, which in all likelihood will produce some future members of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
“Just to be here with the best U-18 players in the country, it’s an honor to be able to coach them and to be able to be a role model and share my experiences from the times on the national team,” said Bellamy. “This is the start of our program. This is where it starts with the U-18 team and we just want to help and give them the best advice we can.”
Reagan Carey, who is the director of women’s hockey for USA Hockey, credits the UNE staff with helping make the camp so successful each year.
“Everything is right in this one spot for us, but at the same time they do such a great job here. The staff is really welcoming. It feels like you’ve got an extension of your own staff, so it’s fun to come back each year and see them,” said Carey.
For Carey, the trip to Maine is a homecoming of sorts as her parents are originally from Rumford and she spent four years playing hockey at Colby College in Waterville.
“I love coming back to Maine. We always came back. It was kind of my roots because we moved around a lot growing up … both my parents (are) from Rumford and we always came back for holidays and summers, so it’s kind of a special place for me,” said Carey.
Carey has plenty of fond memories from her time at Colby.
“I love Colby. I went and saw the campus and the moment I was on there I knew I wanted to be a Colby Mule,” Carey recalled. “My time there playing, I had a great team and we had a lot of fun, but it was a competitive environment, too. A lot of the people that I met during those times are here coaching (in Maine) now, so it’s fun to stay connected.”
The former Colby standout believes the U-18 players and their parents have also enjoyed their time in southern Maine.
“It’s an experience for them here … (and it’s great) being able to have a lot of families come and explore Maine while they are here this week,” said Carey. “It’s neat to see everybody coming in and talking about going to Old Orchard, Kennebunk and Portland. It’s kind of a fun, family event.”
The location for the U-18 camp has not been determined for next summer at this point, but the Biddeford area and the UNE campus have certainly made a strong impression on the USA Hockey coaches and staff.
“I love the area. The facilities are incredible and UNE just does a standup job hosting us,” said Bellamy. “To be here, it’s just special for us … I feel like it’s one of our homes”
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.