MEET THE PLAYERS  

Maria Bozzuto, 55 - Maria is a “mother” of women’s hockey, having played for the MIT Club team during her graduate and undergraduate years at MIT. A research engineer, she lives in Lexington. She currently plays center in the New England Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) C/D program and on the Cougars, a C team in the South Shore Women’s Hockey League (SSWHL).

Marian Cheevers, 50- Marian is another "mother"of hockey who helped to start the first girls' hockey team at the Taft School in the 70s. She played for the Boston University team as a grad student and participated in the first women's Beanpot Tournament in 1979. Marian is the director of human resources at a local hospital and lives in Hyde Park with her family. She coaches her son's team and plays for the C level Furies in the SSWHL.  

Rebecca Gurley, 50 - Rebecca had never seen a hockey game before her friend Kerri dragged her to the rink to try it out, Formerly a molecular biologist, she now teaches driver’s education becausee it “fits my hockey schedule”. Rebecca lives in Acton and plays in the C/D NEWHL program as defenseman.

Cathy Hill, 53 - Cathy watched her daughter and husband play hockey and decided, at age 50, to join in the fun. A pediatric occupational therapist when she is not playing hockey, Cathy lives in Winchester and plays wing in the NEWHL C/D program.

Christy Millet, 56- Christy started playing at 48 when her then high school age daughter told her, “If you love hockey so much, why don’t you play?” She helped to start what is now the Charles River Girls' Hockey program and is a founding member of the Mothers On Edge (MOEs), one of the first adult women’s hockey teams in the Boston area. She lives in Needham and is a writer and breast cancer survivor.

Stephanie Monaghan-Blout, 53- Stephanie played her first hockey game in a fundraiser in college, but was relegated to watching her children play until the age of 49, when she finally found her way back on the ice. She now plays defense for the NEWHL C/D team and on the D level Black Ice in the SSWHL. A pediatric neuropsychologist, she lives in Lexington.

Kathy O’Brien, 53- Kathy comes from a hockey family; her husband and two of her five children play at various levels. Kathy has always set challenges for herself; she completed her first Boston Marathon at age 40. A developmental disabilities nurse who lives in Waltham, she plays wing in the NEWHL C/D program and on the C level Cougars in SSWHL.

Arlene Petri, 60- Arlene had always been a hockey fan when, at age 55, she decided that it was time to try it herself. Since then, she has inducted her husband and children into the passion. An adjunct professor of biochemistry at Boston College, she plays in a weekly coed pickup game at BC, as well as in the NEWHL C/D program and on the C level Storm team in the SSWHL as a wing. Arlene lives in Wayland.

Janie Walsh, 52- After yelling “move your feet” one too many times to her daughter, Janie decided to put her own feet on the ice with the MOEs. She switched to goal after breast cancer surgery temporarily interfered with her right arm, and now challenges teams as a “lefty goalie”. She lives in Boston.

Annie Wieschhoff, 58- Annie is another “mother” of women’s hockey, having helped to start and run the Brookline Girls Hockey Program before it became part of the Charles River Girls Hockey, and the MOEs, one of the first adult women’s hockey teams in the Boston area. Annie gave up her job working for an education foundation because “it was getting in the way of my playing hockey”. She plays defense for the MOEs

"Age Ringers" (under 50)

Christina Ellersick, 48- Chris is another one who admits to arranging her work life around her hockey. An engineering manager in a former life, she now works part-time as an office manager “so I can play hockey”. She plays defense for the NEWHL C/D program and has finished her first year on the Stormchasers, an SSWHL D team.

Kerri Macaluso, 45- Kerri also deserves recognition as a “mother” of hockey- she had never ice skated before she tried hockey , but was so entranced that she and Sonya Keene started the NEWHL program in 2001, a program that currently provides 4 levels of skating instruction and competition to over 80 women. Kerri plays wing in the C/D program and has a second fulltime job as director of special events for a country club.

Sonya Keene, 47- Sonya is another “mother”, the co-founder of the NEWHL program in 2001, which now offers 4 levels of skating instruction and competition to over 80 women. Sonya ‘s versatility is appreciated on the ice, where she plays defense and wing for the C/D NEWHL program and the C level Cougars, an SSWHL team, as well and off, where she uses her skills as a published writer to keep us informed and connected about hockey.

Peggy McKenna, 47- Peggy is a true “mother” of women’s hockey; a goalie, she played on the Brookline High School boys’ hockey team in 1975. She went on to play and then coach for Boston College and played in the first Women's Beanpot tournament. She played in A level national tournaments in the late 70s and 80s, including 1985, when her Waltham Wings won the Senior Open Division. Peggy works as an automation specialist and lives in Malden.

Marcia Ozarowksi, 47- Also known as the “Everready Bunny” because she never comes off the ice, Marcia has been playing center for the C/D NEWHL program and on both C and D teams for SSWHL for the past 5 years. A financial advisor, Marcia lives in Worcester.