Briley Landsteiner was repeatedly told “no.”
Regardless of her claims, talent and passion for the game, finding a high school girls' hockey team for her to play in seemed impossible. Having played club hockey since she was 7 years old, Landsteiner hoped to continue her career at a new level, but her school, Nashua High School South in New Hampshire, only had a boys' team.
“I wanted to make a girls' hockey team, but they told me no, I have to play on the boys' team, but I can't really be a part of the team,” said Landsteiner, 14. “We'll have separate locker rooms, I won't be able to play in the games, because it's dangerous for girls to play against boys because the rules are completely different.”
Landsteiner's struggles were not isolated: Girls across New England are being forced to either join boys' teams, pay the steep costs of club hockey or give up skating once they reach high school.
When Delilah Cioffi, 16, a player on Westford Academy's girls varsity hockey team, saw her peers facing this challenge, she took it to her parents, Janelle and Michael Cioffi, which ultimately led to the creation of the Northeast Intercounty Scholastics Hockey League.
Landsteiner connected with Cioffi through a Facebook post about a possible new league created for young women who didn't have the option to play hockey in high school, and jumped at the chance to get involved.
“I'm really excited,” Landsteiner said. “There are a lot of girls out there who want this opportunity just like me, and I'm really excited to get to play with other girls who are frustrated but still want to play.”
Janelle and Michael Cioffi and Dennis Franczak are co-founders of the NISHL, which aims to begin its inaugural 2024-25 season the Monday after Thanksgiving to align with the Massachusetts High School Athletic Association's winter sports calendar.
NISHL is looking to field a regional team of girls hockey players in grades 9 through 12. Nashua already has two full teams and there has been strong interest from players at smaller schools in the Worcester area, Tyngsborough and Lowell.
“A lot of schools don't put a lot of emphasis on development, and we hope our league can help those girls who aren't being developed,” Janelle said. “Our goal isn't to poach players from other schools that have programs, just to give them a place to play if they need to.”
One of the main points NISHL emphasizes is that if you put on a uniform and play, you'll actually improve instead of just watching from the bench. NISHL is a non-profit organization, and they keep entry fees as low as possible through donations and sponsorships, making participation accessible to girls throughout New England.
The league is already creating buzz among players and fans.
“An older woman who had season tickets to the Riverhawks contacted me once. She loved supporting women's sports but had to stop going for financial reasons,” Michael said. “She wants to donate to the league. She said, 'How can I donate? I love this and I want to support the league and I want to go to the games.'”
For athletes, having a fair league that is aligned with their success is an important stepping stone to their future. With the rise of women's NCAA hockey and the PWHL, female players now have a goal to aim for in their hockey careers after their club and high school stints.
NISHL provides a space for more young women to get involved, grow and reach the next level.
“It's a lot different because there are more goals,” Cioffi said. “A lot of the guys I played with when I was growing up were like, 'We have a chance to go to the NHL, and you don't have that chance.' Now you get to play in a national league.”
The NISHL plans to open the season with smaller, shorter matches in a round-robin format in which all teams play each other, a format that Michael said will help gauge the strength of each group and could influence division decisions.
But beyond hockey, NISHL hopes to be a place where lifelong friendships are forged and lessons are learned outside the rink, through the camaraderie of being part of something bigger than yourself.
“There's a lot of emphasis on playing games and winning, but also more on the high school experience and what the team can bring to you,” Janelle said.
It's only July, but players like Landsteiner and Cioffi are already thinking about a December start to the games. They will be the architects of a new league and a new era for women's hockey in New England.
“Just to be playing is a big success for us,” Landsteiner said. “It's going to be exciting. Some people will be nervous, but we're just going to play with our hearts and do our best.”
