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At one end of the rink at Wheaton Ice Arena last week, members of the Academy of the Holy Cross girls ice hockey team shot pucks on an empty net during a drill in practice.

Two hundred feet away, on the opposite end of the sheet of ice, co-coach Patrick Bauer also fired pucks on net, but it was against the Tartans’ netminder, Stephanie Wheeler.

Some of the pucks found the back of the net, others did not.

“This is so much fun,” Wheeler said during a break from making saves and working on her lateral movement in the crease. “I’ve always loved watching hockey, but never in a million years did I actually think I would be playing. I mean, I heard a rumor over the summer a team might be starting, but I couldn’t exactly skate well so I was like, ‘Oh. The goalie seems like an easy thing to do.’ That was a big mistake, but I’ve learned a lot and absolutely love it.”

The junior and Olney resident and 13 other schoolmates are members of the Kensington school’s inaugural ice hockey team.

“To be able to say you are the first goalie for your school’s team is pretty cool,” said Wheeler, who credits National Hockey League and former Stanley Cup winning goalies Antti Niemi (San Jose Sharks) and Marc André-Fleury (Pittsburgh Penguins) for her inspiration. “We’ve all improved so much, but I just wish I would’ve started playing years ago like some of the girls.”

The experienced teammates Wheeler references also deserve credit for starting the program.

In July, sophomore Emily Bauer, with assistance from freshman Emily Kennedy and their fathers, Patrick Bauer and Kyran Kennedy — who are former high school hockey players from Buffalo and Syracuse, respectively — pitched the idea of a hockey team to Athletic Director Jenna Ries.

Emily Bauer and Emily Kennedy, who play club hockey together as defensemen for the Montgomery Blue Devils, were given approval and helped recruit and form a developmental squad that likely will earn full varsity status next season. This winter, the Tartans, who recorded their first victory Dec. 15 over Spalding, have played a scrimmage schedule that includes established programs from Spalding, St. Paul’s, St. Tim’s, Bryn Mawr and Holton-Arms, Montgomery County’s only other all-girl high school team. The team also has raised money for ice-time rental and other expenses through fundraising, including running the school’s concession stand during basketball games.

“Hockey is such a niche sport, but the response has been incredible,” Ries said. “The coaches have been fantastic and so easy to work with. The girls have been super enthusiastic. We are excited about the future of the team and growing all of our athletic programs.”

With the team coming to fruition, a long-term dream had been realized for Emily Bauer. Two years ago, when applying to Holy Cross, she wrote on her application that she wanted to start a ice hockey team at the all-girls Catholic school.

“I was hoping for it,” she said. “We just started talking at the end of last school year and the administration was real open with us about it. Obviously, they let us do it.”

Emily Kennedy agrees.

“I was looking at St. John’s, but they only have a co-ed team,” she said. “My mom went to Holy Cross and my dad kept talking to me about starting a hockey team if I went to Holy Cross. I made the right decision.”

Emily Bauer, Emily Kennedy and junior Gracie Shewell, a member of the Washington Pride of the Junior Women’s Hockey League, are the Tartans’ only experienced hockey players.

“There are the three club players, a group that has skated before, but never imagined they would of hold a stick and puck, and then there is a whole other group that never saw the ice before two months ago,” said Kyran Kennedy.

Kyran Kennedy is no stranger to starting high school programs. He was at the helm when area power Georgetown Prep instituted a team 21 years ago.

“The growth, improvement and knowledge of the game has been unbelievable,” he said. “I actually think the girls have come further in the same amount of time than the boys.”

Center Mary Kate Bula, the only senior and member of the Tartans golf team, is one of the many first-year players.

“Actually, playing never crossed my mind,” she said. “I enjoyed watching the Caps and always thought hockey was a cool sport, but I never believed I would play it.

The early days were rough, Bula said.

“The first day of practice it was so intimidating and I think a lot of us felt so scared wearing a bunch of pads, helmet and shooting a puck,” she said. “When we got killed our first game, I was like, “Oh my gosh. What did I get myself into?’

“But we’ve all been taught so much from Gracie and the Emilys. The vets have been so open and encouraging to us while the rest of us struggled to learn the rules and technique. It’s kind of bittersweet, since this will probably be my only year ever playing.”

The Tartans hope the sport continues to grow and provide an opportunity for high school girls, who may not be able to afford it otherwise.

“It is the one sport my daughter absolutely loves and is passionate about,” Patrick Bauer said. “Playing hockey is something they will remember forever. I just hope we can spread some of that love.”

kzakour@gazette.net