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Historic victories against Canada are fueling a wave of enthusiasm, leading to unprecedented growth in girls’ hockey.
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — While the Olympics have concluded, the celebrations and their ripple effects continue to make waves throughout Florida.
After clinching a historic gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, the U.S. men’s hockey team touched down at Miami International Airport today. This triumph marks their first gold medal since the legendary 1980 games.
Adding to the excitement, the women’s hockey team also claimed the gold against Canada on Thursday, further building the momentum.
These victories extend beyond the immediate accomplishments of Team USA, serving as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring Olympians, particularly in the Tampa Bay region.
Whether it’s Megan Keller, who shot the golden goal to beat Canada and help Team USA win the gold medal in a 3-3 overtime shoot-out, or captain Hilary Knight, both of those women have used the ice in Wesley Chapel to become champions.
Both players trained in 2017 at AdventHealth Center Ice in Pasco County, according to facility leadership.
“They both trained out of this facility for about a year when we first opened up. They flew out to South Korea, got business done and came back, actually. What’s one of the cool things is they ended up coming back and sharing the gold with everyone here in this community,” said Rob Bridenstine, senior director of marketing at AdventHealth Center Ice.
The local ties extend beyond Olympic athletes.
The Tampa Bay Crunch is the largest youth girls competitive travel ice hockey program in the area, ranging in ages from eight and under to 18 and offering teams for boys and girls.
The program emphasizes excellence regardless of gender — a message underscored as American Jake Guentzel and Canadian Brandon Hagel, teammates on the Tampa Bay Lightning, faced off in their gold medal match yesterday.
“When we first opened up the building in 2017, we actually saw the USA hockey registration increase by about, I want to say it was about 100%, which is really awesome. But specifically for female hockey players, that was somewhere around the 600 to 700% range,” Bridenstine said.
The broader trend reflects long-term growth in the sport statewide.
Between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, the state has seen a 50% increase in hockey registration since the Panthers’ inaugural season back in 1993 until 2025. That’s according to USA Hockey. Yet, after this year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Games, girls are the ones hitting the gas to add to that growth.
“So when they came back from winning gold, over in South Korea in 2018, we saw that growth come through. That’s what’s really helped create these girls’ programs because the Tampa Bay area, as weird as it may sound, we’ve got four girls teams here with the Crunch. There are four girls teams I believe with the Tampa Bay Lightning. You won’t find any other places in the state of Florida that typically has eight teams in just one metropolitan area, specifically for girls,” Bridenstine said.
History was also made in Milan.
Laila Edwards became the first African American woman to play on an Olympic hockey team — and to win a gold medal. The 6-foot-1 senior, part of Team USA’s defense, typically plays forward for the University of Wisconsin and has already helped the Badgers win two national championships.
The 22-year-old is now pushing to make sure that even if she’s the first to win a gold medal, she will not be the last.
Tryouts for next season’s Tampa Bay Crunch teams are expected in early May. Public skate sessions and lessons are offered nearly every day at AdventHealth Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., for those looking to enter the sport.