Islanders clinic brings access to hockey to Long Island girls

On Sunday, Samantha McNamee from North Bellmore stepped onto the ice at UBS Arena, marveling at the expansive stands filled with nearly 400 local girls.

“It was exhilarating to skate on an NHL rink. Things have been progressing really well for me this past year,” shared McNamee, who has been skating for around 10 months, in her conversation with The Post.

The event was part of the Islanders’ “Girls Hockey Weekend,” featuring former U.S. Olympian Erika Lawler, the LIU women’s hockey team, and Isles alum Arron Asham, all committed to nurturing the future of female hockey players.

“Learning from professional hockey players made me feel really special,” McNamee expressed, noting that she first took up a stick at last year’s event, which was significantly smaller in scale than this year’s gathering.

“I feel like there’s so much I can learn from them.”

Breaking New Ground

Lawler was particularly enthused by the number of girls showing interest in hockey this year, as introducing the sport at the youth level holds personal significance for her. The silver medalist from the 2010 Vancouver Games recalls how “daunting” it was to be one of the few girls playing among many boys at a young age.

“It’s incredible to see the game expanding here on Long Island, and how girls can thrive by playing with each other,” Lawler remarked, expressing her eagerness to continue advocating for cultural change in the sport.

“Whenever I have the opportunity to run clinics like this, I make sure to fit it into my schedule.”

This initiative is spearheaded by Islanders’ senior director of hockey development Jocelyne Cummings, who emphasized the objective of “removing all barriers” to ensure girls feel welcome on the ice, whether they compete against boys or not.

“You can see the change slowly with the rise of school teams,” she noted. “It all begins at the grassroots level; the more girls want to participate, the more organizations will strive to create girls-only teams.”

Chasing Dreams

The increased attention surrounding hockey has also played a part, especially following the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the buzz regarding the Islanders’ first overall draft pick, Matthew Schaefer.

Samantha’s younger sister, Sarah, declared Schaefer her favorite player on the team, motivated by his presence to take the ice for one of her very first experiences on Sunday.

“It was really fun, especially when scoring goals,” the 6-year-old shared, recalling watching Schaefer net his first NHL goal against the Capitals the night before.

She expressed excitement about various drills, such as “skating backwards, forwards, and passing the puck,” which Lawler organized, with the girls divided into age and skill groups.

According to Matt Herr, the NHL’s senior director of industry growth and youth hockey, he is optimistic about the growth potential in Nassau County.

“Events like this create a significant impact in the community — people start to take notice,” Herr stated, also participating on the ice. “It often takes time, but opportunities like these help foster lasting commitment.”

This narrative holds true for the McNamee sisters and countless other young girls in Long Island, all aspiring for excellence.

“We’re practicing a lot now,” said Samantha. “I really want to keep on improving.”