Captains of the Week: Girls’ Varsity Hockey

By ARYAN AGARWAL, CARLY CANSECO, EILENA DING, and LYDIA KUHNERT

The cold bite of the rink isn’t for everyone. Hockey is a sport of warriors. As the girls’ varsity hockey team glides across the ice, each stride blends power, finesse, and ferocity. The puck moves seamlessly between sticks, serving as a deafening dialogue of trust and instinct between the squadron that they are. Every shift demands precision, each play is a delicate scale weighing strategy and split-second decisions. Beneath the arena’s harsh lights, the team’s unwavering determination transforms the frozen surface into a battlefield where resilience is forged and victories are earned.

Of course, where intensity is a given, leadership is a necessity. Leadership that pushes players to their full fighting capacity. Captains senior Allie Bell, senior Grace Benson, and upper Maria Gray exemplify every single characteristic of excellent hockey players, sacrificing their all for the harsh game and guiding the team by example. Their qualities are undeniably ones to be studied for any aspiring leader.

All three captains entered the Academy as preps, and Benson and Bell will be matriculating to Columbia University and Villanova University for lacrosse, respectively. Gray is also currently committed to the University of Vermont for hockey. 

Their growth throughout their three or four-year tenures is remarkable. “As a coach, you can see people come in as wide-eyed preps and leave as confident seniors,” assistant coach Adam Loyd said. “In all three, I’ve seen that growth, and I think you can tell early on when kids get here who they’re going to grow into. We, [the coaches,] have not been disappointed by any of them. I think they all came in with innate leadership qualities, and as they’ve matured as people, those qualities have grown, and they’ve been through the ups and downs of a season.”

Head coach Sally Komarek described her earliest memories with each of the captains. “For Grace, I have a unique insight into her because I’ve been her advisor and dorm faculty for four years,” she said. “I remember day one for Grace. She arrived on campus and brought her cello into the music building. Then, she came to the dorm, got her lacrosse stick, and went to play wallball.  She has been organized since prep year and is excellent at managing her time.”

“Allie has always been so fierce, a little bit feisty, and always competed hard.  She’s always been someone who brings high-intensity to the practice environment and elevates the level of play while maintaining a team-first mentality.” Komarek continued. “If you’ve ever heard Allie laugh, like she’s just got the greatest, most genuine laugh that genuinely brings people together.”

“Maria has always been a hockey nerd from day one, and even as a prep she was our leading scorer,” Komarek said.  “Through her love for the game is inextricably tied to a love for the team and a genuine care for her teammates from her prep year, lower year, and now upper year, as a captain.”

As the bridge between coaches and a team, the captains have exhibited exemplary leadership, each style shadowing their unique personalities. 

For Bell, she has focused on fostering a motivational and healthy team environment. “I try to push people to be their best,” she said. “Because of my position in the net, the harder I try in practice, the more the players are pushed to elevate their game. In the locker room, I try to pump up the team and make sure they know that we are always in it, no matter the score.”

Gray reflected, “I love being there for my teammates, but also saying, ‘Hey, this is something you could have done better.’ I want to be a future role model for other players.” She continued commenting on her leadership, adding that “showing up to practice, always working hard, and trying to put [her] best effort in to raise the level of intensity, but being willing to make mistakes” is how she leads by example rather than authority.

Bell’s philosophy regarding a strong team connection is that “the best thing is to have a team where everyone is excited to go and show up for each other. Even when doing conditioning or having a hard practice or workout, I try to keep everyone’s chin up while ensuring everyone touches the line or finishes their rep.” For her, maintaining a high level of enthusiasm for the sport removes the chore-like feelings associated with such demanding training schedules. 

For their teammates, they leave a message. Gray stated, “I love them so much. They make coming to the rink so enjoyable, and every single one of them contributes so much to the team. I admire all of them.” Meanwhile, Bell wanted her teammates to know that “pressure is a privilege. Playing against these great teams and practicing with great players daily is a blessing. So, work hard every day and make the most of every time you touch the ice and enter the locker room. You’re in a great spot. Don’t take it for granted.”

With a record of 11–7–1, the team has had nothing short of an excellent season — but Gray won’t be satisfied with just that. The team looks forward to Large School, an upcoming tournament where they will fight skin and teeth to be crowned New England champions. 

Gray commented on the tournament’s importance for the team,  “Large School playoffs is a big one. We’re currently in playoff standing, but [hopefully] we can keep that throughout the rest of the season with the last couple of games and doing well enough to win Large School. That’s the big goal.”

Win or lose, the season will eventually have to end, and Bell and Benson will have to play their last matches as a part of Big Red — a sad but inevitable loss for the team. Komarek concluded, “I am hopeful that they can continue to be great leaders and great people and know when to take charge and let kind of others take the lead. For all three of them, we have an exciting opportunity left for the rest of our hockey season. Still, I’m also excited to see what they accomplish; whether it’s the spring on the lacrosse field or in college as student-athletes and beyond in life, they’re a special group, and I’m fortunate to work with them.”

Members of the team highlight the unwavering guidance and support from their captains. Prep Clara Cary described the captains as “welcoming to everyone and having a good relationship with everyone.” She added, “They’re leaders both on and off the ice, and they show their leadership on the ice through the games. Maria leads on the ice by getting points. Allie leads on the ice by saving pucks and Grace is great at lockdown defense.”

Lower Kiera Dowd expressed a similar view on the dependability of their captains on the ice. “If we need a goal, you can expect that Maria will be hungry for one. If you need a big stop on defense, Grace Benson will be there. And if you need a crazy save, Allie Bell will always give one.” Dowd continued, “I admire their responsibility on and off the ice, and their ability to take on tasks and roles during and outside games. I think the captains shine the most on the ice because they’re all incredible players and the most reliable people on the team for clutch moments.”

Whether it’s annihilating their opponents on the ice or forming deep connections with other teammates, there is no doubt that Maria, Allie, and Grace are hardworking, caring, and energetic leaders of an extremely close-knit team. The three captains have already led the team to many successes and will continue to lead them to more in the rest of the 2025 season.