After losing three of its 11 players to graduation at the end of the 2023-24 season, the Grosse Pointe North girls ice hockey team is looking to expand and strengthen its roster so it can compete at a high level and boost team spirit in upcoming seasons. 
The team is in a period of change, both in terms of players and coaching. After seven successful years with the team, former head coach Casey Quick is stepping down to spend more time with her family. During Quick's tenure as head coach, the team produced many college hockey players, including University of Michigan-Dearborn's Bella Welke, Hannah Martin, Claire Murphy and Erin Murphy, and more recently Adrian College's Gabby Blum and Olivia Palacios.
North will be led by head coach Taylor Shaheen, a stalwart of the North team as an assistant coach for two years. Shaheen previously served as an assistant coach for the Grosse Pointe South girls ice hockey team after playing all four years of high school for North and for Michigan State University.
“I will bring a different perspective as someone who has been in their shoes and as a female coach,” Shaheen said, “I will also be able to help guide our players through the college admissions process and I look forward to an exciting season ahead.”
Shaheen High School is looking to enhance the North hockey atmosphere for both teams and spectators in the coming season. The locker rooms at the ESH Ice Arena are being renovated to provide new space for the players. In addition, many events are planned for the 2024-25 season.
“We look forward to hosting multiple North Hockey Nights at ESH Ice Arena, with the boys and girls teams playing back-to-back games and building some school spirit at the rink,” Shaheen said. “We also plan to compete in the Liggett Tournament, Traverse City Tournament and League Showcase, as well as participate in the skills competition.”
Shaheen is looking forward to next season but is concerned about the team's depth. There are no freshmen on the 2023-24 roster and only eight players are returning at the end of the season. Shaheen is looking to fill out this year's sophomore and freshman classes.
“If we don't find many interested skaters in the next few years, it's going to be tough to compete with a thin bench,” Shaheen said. “Hockey is a game played with sprints and quick shifts. With that being said, we need more players on the team.”
Team captain Josie Cooter echoed Shaheen’s concerns, emphasizing the importance of the new players and the team’s efforts so far.
“In tough matches against strong teams with much deeper pools than us, it's often difficult to maintain stamina,” Cooter said. “We've been working really hard this season to deepen our pool. A lot of the girls on the team are bringing their friends to try out the sport, and we're also being very active on social media to promote future skating and team activities. The goal is to add a few more players to our pool, both with and without skating experience.”
On June 15, the team held a recruiting interest skate. The event was open to anyone with any level of skating experience and was split up into skill levels. On one side of the ice, some of the team's returning players had scrimmages with the more experienced skaters. On the other side of the ice, a “learn how to play” session was held for less experienced skaters.
“We were surprised by how many more people came than we expected,” Cooter said. “Some of the people came with hockey experience, while others had never even touched ice. The skating was great fun for newcomers and those who participated. We can't wait to see which girls return for our second interest skate on July 10th.”
On Wednesday, July 10, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., the team will be holding its second annual Interest Skate at McCann Arena in Liggett. All girls from sixth grade through high school seniors are welcome to participate. There will be snacks and a question-and-answer period. Plus, the team is willing to outfit new players with gear for the event.
To register for the interest skate on July 10th, simply scan the QR code and fill out the registration form.
