East Coast Wizards and Bay State Breakers Commemorate IIHF Global Girls Game

When Shelley Looney netted the decisive goal for the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team against Canada in the gold-medal match of the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the players from the 10U East Coast Wizards and Bay State Breakers had yet to be born.

Nonetheless, Looney delighted the girls from both teams by bringing her Olympic gold medal and participating in a ceremonial puck drop at their game on March 7 at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

The teams were not only competing in their division of the Massachusetts state tournament, but the event also formed part of the 2026 IIHF Global Girls’ Game, a series of games held worldwide from March 5-8 to promote women’s hockey. Additionally, the game was included in the USA Hockey National Continuous Game, which featured simultaneous games across the nation during those days.

“It was fantastic,” stated Courtney Turner, director of girls hockey for the Bay State Breakers. “Shelley Looney was there with the medal, and the girls were thrilled. There were so many smiles on their faces.”

On March 6, USA Hockey revealed that female registrations had exceeded 100,000, adding further importance to this year’s National Continuous Game.

“Girls’ hockey is definitely on the rise,” Turner remarked. “Having grown up playing hockey, it’s incredible to witness the number of teams, the number of girls participating, and how many females are remaining involved.”

The Wizards ultimately secured a 5-1 victory, aided by two goals from Vivian Kealty, but the true triumph of the day was the advancement of girls’ hockey.

“We’re always thrilled to be part of something like this,” said Scott Fusco, president of the East Coast Wizards and a two-time U.S. Olympian. “It’s enjoyable to connect with teams across the country and around the globe.

“It’s wonderful to have different time zones allowing for games to be stacked for several hours nationwide. It is a unique event to see all the girls’ teams connect virtually.”

The Wizards have around 360 girls participating on 22 teams spanning the 10U to 19U age groups, with multiple levels in each category.

This level of participation enables girls to join teams with similar skill sets, Fusco noted. He added that when players are at comparable levels, it enhances each player’s contribution on the ice and fosters closer bonds among teammates.

Fusco, who established the Wizards in 2014, mentioned that the program has seen growth in recent years, leading to greater parity across age groups and a noticeable rise in competitiveness and skill within the program.

The Breakers also have hundreds of girls in their program, primarily from the South Shore area of Massachusetts.

“Every year, we see an increase in kids trying out, with more girls getting involved and more women stepping into coaching roles,” Turner stated. “That’s a key philosophy we uphold at the Breakers. Whenever possible, we aim to have female coaches for our female athletes. I believe that’s significant.

“I’ve certainly observed considerable growth over the past three years, but when I reflect on the program as a whole over the last 10 to 15 years, it’s likely doubled in size.”

Turner and Fusco recognized that their programs will probably experience some boost from the Olympic gold medals recently earned by the U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Teams. The extent of the increase in registrations remains to be determined.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to attract many non-traditional hockey fans who will tune in to those games,” Fusco noted. “They might not watch a high school game or a college game on a Tuesday night, but they’ll definitely watch the gold-medal match. That opens many people’s eyes.”

Regardless of future developments, the focus will remain unchanged for the Breakers.

“Our program is dedicated to developing not only skilled hockey players but also better individuals, fostering teamwork, and understanding the game at a level that transcends mere skill,” Turner explained. “We strongly encourage our teams to prioritize being good people first and good players second.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.