The Martha’s Vineyard High School girls hockey team has been recognized by the state for their sportsmanship.
The team will travel to TD Garden on March 16 to be honored during the hockey state championships with the James F. Mulloy Ice Hockey Team Sportsmanship Award from the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).
According to a press release from high school principal Sara Dingledy, the award is given to a team that has shown “sportsmanship, integrity and respect for the game.”
Only one team per division is granted the award.
Girls hockey coach Mallory Watts said she is proud of her team for capping off their season this season.
“It goes to show what kind of team we were all year,” she said. “Winning or losing all with class, being respectful of teammates, coaches, referees, opponents and rink staff. All the things we try to teach and instill in the girls.”
The team was nominated by the MIAA committee, and was mostly unawared the award even existed, according to Ms. Watts.
“The school has never been honored with this award with any kind of sport,” Ms. Watts said. “But I think now that the girls see that we’re the only one in our division [to receive this award] and there’s many teams in our division, it’s clicking. Especially because they get to go to TD Garden to accept the award.”
For Ms. Watts, the award is an indication of the hard work the team put in this year, and what she hopes to carry into next season.
“The proof’s in the pudding, so to speak,” she said.
