West Elk girls are winners in pink

Jorgensen’s was a sea of pink on Friday as the West Elk girls u10 team rushed the ice. The 19 girls skated against their parents, closing out the season with a bang, defeating the adults 11-10. 

The u10 girls team, just three years in the making, placed second in the Western Colorado Hockey League. 

“We came out like the Mighty Ducks last year,” said head coach Joe Erickson, whose two daughters play on the team. 

“They went from not winning any games last year,” said the team manager and mom of two players, Amelia Poppe, to winning runners up.” 

The girls, 10 and under, saw massive improvement and a wave of confidence when playing hockey no longer meant playing only with boys.

The girls’ rapid progression is a shining reflection of their spirit. 

“They have smiles on the whole time,” said Erickson. 

Last season, the team didn’t have enough girls and adopted some from Salida and Buena Vista for games. 

“We didn’t win a single game. We got beat by double digits every game,” Erickson said. 

Girls from other teams used to cheer on the mighty hot-pink warriors, but this year they commented on how much they’ve improved in such a short time. 

Girls hockey in the valley has always wavered. There will be a handful of years with full benches and trophies, and then the teams will thin out, and then the cycle will repeat itself. This group of young ladies is trying to change that narrative. 

“It’s going to be exciting to see what the future holds and see these girls play all the way through high school together,” said assistant coach and proud dad John Vielak. 

After the scrimmage, coaches and parents gathered around the girls to hang their runners-up banner. It’s been a few years since Jorgensen has seen a new banner, and the u10 girls are the only West Elk team to earn one this season. The girls’ signatures litter across the banner, immortalizing their amazing season.

There were roses and balloons handed out by parents and other coaches Daren Glover and Megan Spann, and 20 little girls all dressed in pink. 

“It was just really fun to watch these girls come together. Last year was their first season all together and they all really grew,” Vielak said.

The future is bright for girls hockey in the Gunnison Valley.