Jane Bregenzer ‘21 is back for year two making history as one of the first girl players on the boy’s varsity hockey team. “Although this year has been different from COVID-19, I have felt more comfortable and accepted by the boys this season compared to last year just because I know them better,” Bregenzer said.

Playing time and practices has been different this year for every player on the team. “I Have learned to be more patient this year not only because of COVID-19 but also because the team is so big and I know I’m not always going to play as much as I want to,” Bregenzer said.

When it comes to boys and girls hockey, Bergenzer believes that there isn’t much of a difference between the two. “Overall I think that boys and girls hockey is the same,” she said. “There’s a lot more contact and pushing in boys hockey but girls hockey can be just as rough.” Bregenzer says she, “prefers boys hockey overall,” and, “wouldn’t make the switch back to girls hockey.”

Bregenzer made the switch to boys after the immense time and pressure girls hockey was putting on the players during her junior year of high school. “I wanted to try out for the boy’s high school team because I was sick of traveling two hours to practice every day, especially when I decided that I didn’t want to play college hockey,” Bregenzer said. “I thought that the boy’s team would be something different and fun. If I’m not going to play hockey in college then doing travel hockey was a waste of my time so making the switch was the best decision I have made,” she said.

When it comes to players having to prove their skills and importance to the team on the ice, Bregenzer believes that her teammates have only accepted her to the hockey program. “My team has been very supportive of me and includes me in everything, but other teams tend to think that I can’t play like the boys can because I am a girl,” Bregenzer said. “The only time I feel like I have ever had to prove myself Is against other competition in games,” she said. “I think that other teams don’t see me as competition and that I suck at hockey because I am a girl which is hard to deal with sometimes but it doesn’t affect my performance and playing.”

Although hockey doesn’t seem to be a part of Bregenzer’s college future, she still wants to make the most of this last season as a senior. 

“I want to focus on my academics and enjoy myself during college instead of having to put all my effort into a sport like a hockey,” Bergenzer said. “Because of this, I have tried to become more competitive this year because it’s my last and I want to put all of my effort into this final year of high school hockey.”

Although the Hockey season has been shortened this year due to COVID-19, Bregenzer and the rest of the seniors are making the most out of their last final year of high school sports. “We have a few more games left until states come up, but I have appreciated the small time we have had to at least have practices and a small season compared to other sports teams,’ Bregenzer said. “The team has done amazing this year and I am really happy I got the opportunity to be a part of the program and play with the boys.”