With tryouts held and official rosters released in mid-August, Newsome hockey players are heavily anticipating the start of their 2023-2024 season.
The three teams, Varsity Wolves, Varsity Wolverines, and JV Wolves, will each be competing in roughly 20 games throughout the season which will help establish their placements for playoffs later in the year. Wolverines goalie, Logan Shave, says, “If we can all get in this winning mentality, put in the work and effort, and strive to win, we can probably compete with any team in the league and be a true underdog squad.”
During practices, the overall chemistry and energy from Newsome’s teams set them apart from their competitors. Aidan Burns, Varsity Wolves forward, explains, “We’ve all known each other for a long time, and we have fun playing together. We all love sharing the ice and we’ll do whatever we can to win for each other.”
The boys possess a familial dynamic that allows them to come together and perform as a unified front. Burns also says, “As a team we are really looking forward to being a strong group this year and hopefully make a deep run. It all starts with our coaches, Coach Mark, Coach LJ, and Coach Kelly. They make everything run smoothly and are a huge reason for the team’s success.”
Within the last year, Newsome hockey has experienced changes regarding players and league regulations. Recently, numerous students have been added to team rosters, including the introduction of two new goalies.
Additionally, Newsome has developed a “taxi squad” in response to the LHSHL’s elimination of “two-way players” (individuals who mostly play JV; however, can be called up for varsity games if needed). The members of the “taxi squad” practice with a varsity team and consistently work and compete to hopefully secure their spot in games.
As the season rapidly approaches, the teams’ aspirations and gameplay strategies come into sharp focus. JV Wolves forward, Callen Carroll, says, “We’re going to be sticking to the same Newsome system and style of play, so we can [develop] our JV players and hopefully move them up to higher levels.”
The first official games will be held on Friday, September 8, at the TGH IcePlex in Brandon. The Varsity Wolves start the night off with an 8 p.m. puck drop against Durant. Immediately following, the Wolverines compete against Bloomingdale at 9:45 p.m.