Girl power with Egg Harbor Township street hockey
EGG HARBOR, N.J. — Beginning in the early 1980s, the Egg Harbor Township Street Hockey Association (EHTSHA) introduced the sport to many local families. Today, sponsors and volunteers have expanded the EHTSHA鈥檚 mission, incorporating more courts, coaches and leagues to get more players involved.
The all-girls league was born in 2021 due to a growing demand, and EHT native Kayli McNulty, now 14, jumped on the opportunity.
鈥淚 started playing in a coed league, but there were only two girls on my team including myself,鈥� said Kayli whose brother and father inspired her to give street hockey a shot. 鈥淚 was just starting out and extremely embarrassed because I didn鈥檛 know what I was doing, but then Ed Rudolph helped make this all-girls team and taught me everything I know. He made me the player I am.鈥�
When Rudolph and other volunteers started the all-girls league, there were about 20 EHT players participating. Just three years later, there are close to 70 participants. Including the neighboring towns, there are nearly 200 girls competing.
Maddilyn Martone, 14, has been playing street hockey with EHTSHA since she was 4 years old, but the EHT girls league made all the difference for her.
鈥淚t was definitely very new because I was used to playing with all boys who were much bigger, faster and stronger than I was, so it made it more even competition for me,鈥� Maddilyn said.
Rudolph says that Kayli and Maddilyn鈥檚 game changed completely with the onset of the girls league.
鈥淵ou could see their knowledge, their dedication to the sport, their hockey smarts, and everything about them got better and better in the girls league playing against other girls,鈥� Rudolph said. 鈥淭heir confidence skyrockets.鈥�
The two were noticed and offered a spot on the state team, Future Stars. The team won back-to-back championships in Buffalo, New York, in 2022 and 2023, but this was just the beginning for the two shining stars. Shortly after their 2023 state victory, Maddilyn and Kayli were asked to play for Team USA.
鈥淚t meant a lot to me just knowing that I was representing EHT, New Jersey and the country, too,鈥� Maddilyn said.
In June 2023, team USA traveled to Austria where they finished in second place with a silver medal, competing against other nations including Slovakia and Canada.
鈥淚 never thought that I would go this far with street hockey so when I was offered to go overseas, I immediately said yes,鈥� Kayli said.
Although traveling great distances to showcase their skills, Maddilyn and Kayli credit the EHTSHA for providing them the foundation to succeed.
鈥淓HT gave me a lot of confidence because I began playing with the boys, but I don鈥檛 think I would have been noticed if I kept playing with the boys,鈥� Kayli said. 鈥淭he girls league put me out there.鈥�
Kayli and Maddilyn鈥檚 EHT all-girls team clinched the championship this past November, competing against other EHT teams and neighboring towns. The two hope that more young girls and women in the community will continue to have ample opportunities to play.
鈥淚 hope that people grow more confident and make all-girls leagues so that people who don鈥檛 feel comfortable only playing with the boys can still enjoy the sport as much as I do,鈥� Kayli said.
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