John Jay Ice Hockey: Looking Back

Ice hockey is a well-known sport in many parts of America, especially New York. However, to our surprise, the students of John Jay don't know much about our hockey league. Now that the season has wrapped, we want to shed some light on the sport of hockey here in our school. 

In our high school hockey league, there are 5 teams: John Jay, Saugerties, Washingtonville, OCW, and Arlington. If John Jay loses against a team, then they have multiple chances to make up for it, which also makes rivalries more intense. In hockey, there are almost always 5 people out skating on each side and two goalies, one in each net. With 12 people out at once within a small rink space, players have to use their brains over brawns, which makes for some surprising watches.

Hockey games are fast-paced, energetic, and most of all, loud–they can get very, very loud. All of the players put everything they have into each game, especially during playoffs. Whether they’re sick, tired, or injured, our players show up, even if they have to sit on the bench with a helmet or watch from the stands. One of the greatest things about hockey is the various trick moves and plays. A lot of skaters like to hit “The Michigan,” a move where they go around the net, pick the puck up onto their stick, and then flip it into the goal. There are also the “cellys,” penalties, “chirping,” and everyone’s favorite, tons of hits. Of course, we can’t forget that there is nothing more satisfying than a beautiful save from the goalie going into full splits to stop a puck. 

 Some of the fan-favorite games to watch are the ones where everyone is angry, making for some physical plays. When somebody takes a hard hit or gets into a fight, you can feel the energy in the air as fans yell and cheer, while players slam their sticks into the boards. Anytime somebody scores, every player on the bench also slams their sticks, and the line who was out skates past the bench for their well-earned congratulations.

There are many great players on the team, such as Captain Brady Juhn and Alternate Captains Sean Mangano, James Dumser, and Anthony Mastrorilli. Every player improves thanks to the great coaching staff, consisting of Coach Dido, Coach McLaughlin, and Coach Bill. Of course, there is a JV and Varsity team, like any other high school sports team. Another great option is that some players can serve as swings who play both Varsity and JV, which is definitely tiring, but great for building experience. Tryouts are usually during early September, with the 2025-26 season tryouts taking place on September 9th and 11th.

So what’s the commitment like? The team usually holds practices on Mondays and Wednesdays, at Ice Time on Monday and McCann on Wednesday. They practice relatively late, with usual practice times starting after 8 pm and going up to 9:30 pm. A season spans from early November all the way to the end of January, with playoffs lasting for another month right after. Games are usually later in the day on weekends, with Varsity starting first and JV ending the night. Every practice and game pushes our players to perform at their very best. 

Any sports team would love to see more spectators come out to watch and enjoy their games–and John Jay Hockey is no exception. When the stands are full, every player, coach, and referee makes sure the games are electric and exciting. As of now, John Jay has officially ended their season. Hopefully, next season will bring many new opportunities and many new spectators.