SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Lady Grizzlies program has seen a lot of growth, especially over the past couple of years, both with player development and team expansion.
Maria Steinbach has been in the program for five years and has seen the growth firsthand.
"We struggled making teams, and we had to cut teams and probably had 10 skaters max, and now we have three full lines," Steinbach said from her team's practice at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex. "The 10U and 12U teams have like, 40-50 girls."
Rob Johnson, the director of hockey, joined the organization two years ago, helping establish the Tier I level with the program, which has elevated the play and exposure.
"It's giving the girls a platform and opportunity to grow here in Utah without necessarily moving out of Utah, and we also offer the opportunity for players outside of this state to play on the hockey team, too," Johnson said.
About half of the team is made up of out-of-state players, which includes Alaska native Taylor Eddington.
"I came here because there were no other teams in Alaska, but I'm really glad I came here to get really good exposure," Eddington said. "We went to lots of good tournaments over the season. I just felt right when I came here — I was accepted immediately."
Morgan Vesco rounds out the trio, as all three girls are committed to play college hockey next year. She reflected on what her time with the program has been like.
"I think it's been a lot of growth and development, definitely," Vesco said. "I've grown a lot as a player, and just personal growth and learning how to be a teammate and a leader."
It's the ultimate prize when the girls achieve a dream they've worked their whole careers for.
"It's a tremendous feeling, you know, that they can achieve their dreams," Johnson said.
