​For players in the New England Women’s Junior Hockey League, what happens off the ice and in the classroom matters just as much as anything on the ice. The six-team 19U league was formed last season for girls ages 15 to 19.

“We’re trying to put together teams that have college-bound players,” said Director of Operations Jeff Nygaard. “Each team handles its own academic requirements.”

Nygaard said the league focuses on players who not only want to go to college, but also those that will be successful as student-athletes.

To that end, each team has an education coordinator, who is well versed in NCAA clearinghouse procedures and is available for consultation for players and parents on an as-needed basis.

The education coordinators, combined with an emphasis on academics as well as high-level hockey, are paying dividends. Twenty-nine girls from the league have already committed to play college hockey next season, with seven of the commitments to NCAA Division I schools and the rest to NCAA Division III programs..

“The ultimate goal is moving players into college hockey,” Nygaard said. “From my perspective, the biggest hurdle we had to overcome was . . . to focus on college development more than anything else.”

NEWJHL teams are spread throughout New England, including Boston, Mass., and Hartford, Conn. The league is small by design. Nygaard said all games are played within 200 miles of a team’s home rink. That keeps both costs and travel times down.

“We wanted to form a league that has full-season teams with full-season development and a full season of training as opposed to the split-season model,” Nygaard said, who noted that the league adheres to USA Hockey guidelines. “We wanted to put them in a team environment for a whole season.

“They have operational standards and off-ice training is available to them.”

For example, each team provides its players access to a workout facility for the duration of that team’s season. The facility is used for mandatory team workouts plus individual workouts as necessary.

In addition, a team official supervises strength and conditioning workouts.

“Teams have a dedicated coach for the whole season and get four or four-and-a-half hours of practice per week,” Nygaard said. “They’re heavy on practice. Most teams are together from September through March.”

NEWJHL teams are also supplied nutrition guidelines that include a recommended, age-appropriate diet plan designed specifically for athletes.

Translation: junk food isn’t on the menu here.

“For me, it’s about providing a resource,” Nygaard said. “You need food that will provide fuel.”

The league also holds two showcases. This season, the first is scheduled for late September in Simsbury, Conn., and the other for next February in Walpole, Mass.

“We bring all the players together under one roof for two to three days and provide a venue for scouts to see as many players as possible,” Nygaard said. “Women’s hockey has grown at the NCAA level, so there will be a need for (more) female players.”

“You must be able to go to the college coaches and make sure they like the players we have both athletically and academically. What separates our league from other leagues is the full-season commitment and getting players ready academically and athletically for college.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.