I made a mistake in a recent column that appeared in our print edition - Montpelier's Amanda Pelkey is still very much in consideration for the United States' team that will host the 2012 women's world championships next spring in Burlington.
And part of that journey begins today and runs through Aug. 20 at the USA Hockey Women's National Festival in Blaine, Minn. According to a USA Hockey release,
"The Festival will serve as the selection camp for the 2011 U.S. Women's Select Team that will compete in the International Ice Hockey Federation Eight Nations Tournament in Vierumäki, Finland, Aug. 24-31 and the 2011 U.S Women's Under-18 Select Team that will take on Canada in a three-game series Aug. 18-21 in Rockland, Ont.
Among this year's attendees are 19 of the 21 members of the U.S. Women's National Team that captured the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF Women's World Championship. In addition, 14 of the players were on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team, including four-time Olympian Jenny Potter(Edina, Minn.) and three-time Olympian Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.). They join two-time Olympians Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.) and Molly Engstrom(Siren, Wis.). Among the players under the age of 18 invited to the Festival are eight members of the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team that captured the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF Women's U18 World Championship, including goaltender Megan Miller (Long Grove, Ill.); defensemen Courtney Burke(Albany, N.Y.) and Lee Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.); and forwards Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.), Sydney Daniels (Southwick, Mass.), Paige Savage (Carrollton, Texas), Haley Skarupa (Rockville, Md.) and Dana Trivigno (Sateauket, N.Y.). "We're excited to be heading to the National Sports Center with 79 of the most talented players in the nation," said Reagan Carey, director of women's hockey for USA Hockey. "We're proud of the success our women's program has enjoyed, but we know we can become even better."" Pelkey, a forward, will play on the "White" team (there are four: grey, red, white and blue), and will be joined by a North American Hockey Academy teammate: Paige Savage of Johns Creek, Ga., will play on the Grey team. Pelkey is the lone Vermonter, but there are several players among the 79 competing with New England ties, having played at Dartmouth, Boston College, etc. We'll keep following this story, and like the Pelkey family, we hope to see Amanda skating against the world's best here at home next spring. Best of luck, Amanda! -Anna Grearson
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