Some may say they are ’90s Bulls of Boys JV Hockey.
With the start of the winter sports season at Williston, Boys JV Hockey is looking forward to another entertaining and competitive season. They already have two games under their belt, with a Dec 9 victory against Loomis Chaffee and a loss against Salisbury school on Dec 2. So far, the team has seen impressive performances from every player, including goal scorers Aidan Joyce ’24, Ryan Hanford ’29, Jack McIntyre ’24, and Maddox Pemrick ’27.
Boys JV Hockey hopes to improve their record throughout the season, with a Jan. 10 game against Berkshire and games against Deerfield Academy on Jan. 17 and Feb. 17.
Under a very competitive Varsity team, made up almost entirely of recruits, gaining a spot on the top team can be a difficult task. Yet Williston Boys JV Hockey offers the ability for players to put in the work in the hopes of gaining a spot on the varsity team. Coached by Mr. Fay and Mr. Manley, Boys JV Hockey offers a team that demands ambitious play, while encouraging a fun atmosphere.
Aidan Joyce, a senior from Longmeadow, recognizes the mixed combination of athletes who play JV Hockey.
“There is a good mix between players that are hopeful on making the varsity squad in their future, and players that play JV hockey for pure enjoyment and fun,” he said. “However, I would say more JV players are content with playing on JV, as it is a similar skill level to a New England public school varsity hockey team.”
Some JV Hockey players, such as junior Michael Saliba, have noticed immense progress in their skills throughout their time on the team.
“Over my two years on JV I’ve improved so much, going from somebody who would give up eight goals a game to a dominant goalie with roughly around a 0.95 save percentage,” he said. “The biggest factor to my increased skill was the offseason training, continuous practice and reps, as well as the time I spent with varsity practicing at a high level.”
Throughout his three years on the JV Hockey team, Aidan Joyce has created many long-lasting memories.
“My favorite JV Hockey memory was beating Berkshire 5-3 last year after losing to them earlier in the season 5-0,” he said. “We improved as a team as the year went on, and this memory has stuck with me ever since.”
Sophomore Danny Bussard aspires for JV to be a stepping stone towards future success in his hockey career.
“My hope with JV Hockey is to get better and play against good competition,” he said. “I definitely have hopes of making varsity at some point.”
Williston competes in the NEPSAC league, against teams like Pomfret and Northfield Mount Hermon.