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DAWNING OF A NEW DAY Hanley, who grew up in North Carolina and played college hockey at Elmira College in upstate New York and abroad in Australia, knows the value of good coaching and rel- ishes her role as a mentor for a group of young women who are working with her. "It is really great to have these girls," Hanley said. "Hockey is a passion for them. They just want to come to the rink and help out." Guariglia came to USA Hockey from the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association and as a director Development Camps. She has worked extensively at the youth levels. at the Girls' Player She admits that she has seen girls who assume male coaches are more knowledge- able about the game. "Because that's what they get and what they are living and seeing and learning," Guariglia said. "But they are starting to see that a female coach has the skill, just as much knowledge and is definitely a men- tor, someone to look up to." Guariglia said she has seen many women gain confidence in their skills and their experience. "Over the years I have seen a number of young girls who have gone through pure female youth programs around the country and are now giving back as coaches in the organizations they grew up in," she said. "The ones who have lived it and came up through it, they have it. They can walk into a coaching meeting and have the same level of confidence as the men in the room and that's really important." She cited Looney as an example. "She's done an incredible job at the young level. She built a great program," Guariglia said. "But yes, there are obstacles. But I'm an optimist, and I think we can get there." Looney, who has been coached by men and women throughout her career, agreed. "It's a different impression that a girl 22 gets from a female coach, especially when she's younger," she said. "The girls are impressionable, and female role models are great to have." As a coach, and even with her extensive background as a player, Looney said she has faced "questions because I am a female." "But after the program is strong and you have great showings and you get some attention, there are no more questions," Looney said. "Then people just want to know how you get it done." Stone has been getting it done at Harvard for a long time. She has won 378 games for the Crimson, reached the NCAA title game three times, and made nine NCAA Tournament appearances. Stone has also been serving as the coach of the U.S. Women's National Team since 2010. She is aiming to lead the team to its first Olympic gold since 1998, the first year women's hock- ey was included in the Winter Games. She has also served as president of the American Women's Hockey Coaches Association. But she said she is "disheartened and disappointed" by the number of female coaches she sees in the college ranks. "It's not a simple answer. pronged problem, and it can't just be fixed by hiring women to be assistant coaches," Stone said. "It's about administrators making a com- It's a multi- mitment to continue to develop women." When the United States captured its first gold medal at the Nagano Winter Games, it served as a catalyst for the mete- oric rise in the number of young female players who have since taken to the ice. Since the 1992-93 season, when more than 10,000 girls or women were regis- tered with USA Hockey, the sport has enjoyed enormous growth spurts. In 2011- 12, the total number of registered female players (girls and women) reached the 67,000 mark. "I have seen a lot of women who are not necessarily wanting to [coach] as a career but are doing it to give back." — KENDALL HANLEY, COACH AND HOCKEY DIRECTOR IN ALLEN, TEXAS When most girls started, they were by and large taught the game by male coaches. But as the curtain drew to a close on the playing careers for those early female pioneers, many moved into the coaching ranks, especially at the grassroots level. "It's all part of the evolution of the game," Tabrum said. "As the base of the pyra- mid expands, eventually there will be more women reaching the highest levels of the coaching profession. That's a good thing." To help with the professional growth of female coaches, Tabrum said that the CEP offers printed and online materials along with coaching clinics with information specific to working with female athletes. In addition, Michele Amidon, USA Hockey's first-ever director of women's hockey, NOVEMBER.2012 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOS BY Glenn James