A few weeks ago, I felt the RUSH as I participated in the Rush Rising Stars Pre-college Showcase. It was my second year in a row to join the best of the best girls from the US and Canada. Let me tee this up so you understand what all this means:
“The RUSH Rising Stars Pre-College Showcase is a platform to facilitate an elite playing environment to educate players and parents on future opportunities. This tournament mirrors the structure of “The Show”, preparing participants for future, competitive opportunities. The aim of this tournament is to respond to the growing trend of earlier recruitment and to educate and prepare players for the collegiate recruitment process.”
I think there is a misconception out there that if you put girls together in a competitive environment, they aren’t as focused on the game as the boys and that there will just be drama. I would challenge anyone who thinks that to come to the Rush Showcase or Beantown and see the level of competition, focus and skills we (girls) have. I believe that true athletes (girls or boys) know the strengths they bring to the team—they focus and bring it to the game every time they hit the ice.
With that being said, I’d like to give you a glimpse of my personal experience with Rush Hockey and this showcase in particular. Let’s rewind to last year: when my parents told me I was invited to the showcase, I was excited and nervous. I knew I wanted to play my best and show that I could hang with the elite girls out there. I worked extra hard leading up to the showcase as it was my first year and I didn’t know what to expect.
Last year, I had lots of fun playing with the girls on my team. Rush had manys girls from across the US and Canada and it was really great to see all the diversity and skills there. I was impressed at how highly competitive they were and it pushed me to play my best. I loved the speed of the game and how quickly the girls learned how to gel with each other. I had girls on my team last year that were from Toronto and all the way from Florida, so I think Rush is a great way to meet and play with people you don’t usually play with.
I attended a couple seminars offered at the showcase, which is very unique opportunity. It was a big eye-opener for me to hear from college scouts what it takes to get noticed. At the goalie seminar, I learned how I could improve my skills, and even tweak my technique. I tried using the tips from the seminar and I think it has helped me this year.
During this showcase, you can expect to play at a high level and measure yourself against the other girls, and even measure your Fitness level with a physical test. The test really shows how you could improve off-ice, which helps you on ice.
This year, I played for the U14 Bears. I could tell that some girls on my team were nervous about meeting each other so I tried to talk and encourage my teammates throughout the showcase. I love the team building activities and that we are given the chance to practice with each other before the actual showcase games begin. As a team, we got to know each other well and I think that really helped our performance on the ice. It is always fun to make new friends and it is sweet to be able to see friends you’ve made at past showcases.
This year, I made the All-Stars team, which is something that I was not able to do last year. I was so excited to show that I worked to improve year after year. I am very grateful that they invited me to be a part of it. The girls on my team were all very competitive and I had lots of fun goaltending for them. My experience with Rush was great this year and I hope to play with them again next year!
Another great event by Rush Hockey is the Beantown Classic Girls Tournament:
The Beantown Classic is a team & individual-entry Showcase event, providing a platform for young women to showcase their talent to both Canadian and American colleges. In the past 8 years, over 100 scouts have attended the tournament. In 2017 alone, RUSH accommodated 190 teams throughout the weekend.
Source: https://www.rushhockey.ca/tournaments/beantown-classic/
I am really looking forward to Beantown this year (July 20-22, 2018). I will be playing on the U14 Belle Tire team as the sole goalie. I feel that I have worked hard all summer and I am ready to play hard. Please follow me at @mjbowman on social media to watch in-game highlights from Beantown and much more!
The Beantown Classic is a team & individual-entry Showcase event, providing a platform for young women to showcase their talent to both Canadian and American colleges. In the past 8 years, over 100 scouts have attended the tournament. In 2017 alone, RUSH accommodated 190 teams throughout the weekend.
Source: https://www.rushhockey.ca/tournaments/beantown-classic/
I am really looking forward to Beantown this year (July 20-22, 2018). I will be playing on the U14 Belle Tire team as the sole goalie. I feel that I have worked hard all summer and I am ready to play hard. Please follow me at @mjbowman on social media to watch in-game highlights from Beantown and much more!
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