Flint Hill to Add Ice Hockey as Varsity Sport

Five years after Oakton area families created the club, ice hockey at Flint Hill is getting an upgrade.

Ice hockey athletes at the Flint Hill School will get a chance to compete at a varsity level in the Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League starting in the 2013-2014 school year. Currently the club holds a Dominion Cup victory
against Potomac School.

"The school was excited about the team from day one," senior captain Greg Lobel said. "During our first season we had over 50 fans each game, even at ones we lost badly. It means a lot to see the team reach this next tier, especially for our former players who worked so hard to get the program on its feet."

Flint Hill physical education teacher and department head Pat Morgan spent two of the club's five years organizing and training 18 travel-hockey stars and new players as the team's head coach. Now he looks to improve the team's skills to match varsity competition in the fall.

"We need to work on our skating and hockey IQ as we move from a JV schedule to a varsity schedule," Morgan said. "Getting more players involved in the program will help build a strong foundation as we move forward."

Morgan's team won't wait until next school year to prepare. This season the ice hockey team is working on a new style of play that's already shown positives for the players.

The inaugural varsity team will welcome back sophomore goaltender Jack Jenet and junior defensemen Brandon Cho. Morgan expects sophomore Christian Tailor to anchor the defense while freshman Justin Cho and sophomore Mitch Mahoney will continue leading the way offensively.

For Flint Hill families who created the ice hockey club in the 2008-2009
school year as a way to give their children, who played ice hockey in other leagues, another avenue to practice the sport they enjoy, the move up to varsity is one to celebrate.

"Since our son Kealan has been with the program from the beginning, it has been such an experience for my family to watch the program develop," said Kathleen Parsons, whose son and daughter play in the club.

The current ice hockey season started in November. It ends Feb. 12 with a scrimmage against the Fauquier Bulldogs at Haymarket Iceplex.