ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) — Tompkins Girls Hockey Association President Jack Wang talks about their upcoming season and how their organization encourages young girls and women in Tompkins County.

Started in 1972, TGHA is the oldest girls’ hockey organization in New York State. At The History Center in Tompkins County, their exhibit “A Sporting Chance: On and Off the Field” features TGHA and acknowledges their storied history in the community.

The age groups they offer programs for differs from year to year, but this season they offer 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, and 16U teams. The number of games each team plays depends on what’s age appropriate for that team. Typically, the younger teams play around 20 games a season, with older teams looking at upwards of 40 or 50. The season usually goes from late September to early March.

The home rink where practices and home games are held is the Community Recreation Center on East Shore Drive in Ithaca. After the pandemic, TGHA is still in the process of getting their numbers up to what they used to be.

“A lot of people think if you miss the window at 5 or 6 years old, it’s too late to start. The truth is, it’s never too late to start. We really welcome everyone at younger levels and have increasingly competitive levels of teams with age, which helps players progress and grow,” Wang says.

TGHA players celebrating, courtesy of TGHA

Since its inception, TGHA has aimed to encourage young girls and women and create an environment where they can successfully learn and grow, not only as players, but as people.

“‘Developing the player and the person since 1972’ is something we like to say. We want to develop character and leadership, over 95% of women in executive positions have played sports in their lives. It helps build self-esteem and confidence in a female-dominated environment,” says Wang about the organization. “Most importantly, hockey is fun, and we aim to build a love for the game and have players enjoy it for life.”

Registration for the teams is open to everyone, and anyone interested is free to reach out to TGHA through their general email, tghahockey@gmail.com, with inquiries.

“Our goal is to be fun, supportive, and rally the community to support girls’ hockey. We want to make sure everyone has a place in our organization and that we see the value of the whole person. Anyone interested can contact us, register, or just come and try it and see if you enjoy it,” Wang states.

For more information about TGHA and to learn more about their teams, schedules, and how to get involved, visit the Tompkins Girls Hockey Association website.