Lady Roughriders Turning Heads

By Justin Foss, Reporter

Tools

By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: Dec 5, 2009 at 3:30 AM CST

Story Updated: Dec 6, 2009 at 1:57 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - It's happening in Cedar Rapids, and everyone is invited to watch.

Three times a week these Roughriders hit the ice. They are the Lady Roughriders.

"My dad plays hockey and all of his family does and my brother does, so I play too."

There are 17 skaters on this team, most in high school, some are only 13.

Madeline Rainey is 14. "Not many people at my school play and they don't know I spend most of my time playing hockey. It's kinda different."

It's kinda unique too.

With no high school league in Iowa, they're in a national league with USA Hockey. They're the only team in Iowa.

This isn't just a Cedar Rapids team. There are skaters from Waterloo, Mason City, Des Moines and even the Quad Cities.

It's the team's second year, and the first for coach Kevin Brooks.

"For these girls, the dreams they're chasing is college hockey and the Olympics," Brooks said.

While the Olympics are a long shot, Brooks said at least four are headed to college.

In a sport dominated by boys, these girls are fighting for ice time and followers.

"They probably know there are girls teams, they just don't realize it," said goalie Sydney Fransiscus.

They might have pony tails, but Fransiscus says their shots sting.

"Sometimes, but you got a lot of padding, so you're pretty safe," said Fransiscus.

The team is ranked second in their division, this weekend they're playing for first.

"We're having our first tournament in Cedar Rapids with this girls team, and we've never had it before."

Tickets for this weekend's tournament are free.

The team won both games Saturday, 4-0 and 4-1, said Brooks. They play again Sunday.

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