CV Eagles Ice Hockey Club prepares for another season
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Fall is coming to a close, and winter weather is on its way, but that won’t stop the team at CV Eagles Ice Hockey Club. They’re ready to hit the ice, pass the puck and bar down!
Gearing up for another season, the Eagles hope to build off of last year’s experience where they won their first CPIHL Playoff game since the 2016-2017 season and earned their first Flyers Cup since 2015. Along with improving upon last season’s record, their ultimate goal is to win the Bears Cup and earn another bid into the Flyers Cup (the eastern PA high school tournament playoffs). “The Cumberland Valley Eagles play in the CPIHL (Central Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League) within the Bears Division, which is the highest division. Every year the teams within the Bears Division compete for the Bears Cup. In its history, Cumberland Valley has only won the Bears Cup once, in 2014,” explains head coach, Matt Fitzgerald.
What will get them there? Hard work, determination, drills, and practice. “Our boys really work hard on fundamentals and doing the little things right. They pride themselves on perfecting the details of the game. Spending time working strictly on basic passing and positioning may not always be exciting but provides them with the foundation for greater success,” continues Fitzgerald.
The team of 20 boys will be led by senior Max Dutkiewicz as Captain of the Eagles on ice. Max plays forward, “I love ice hockey. I love wearing my school’s logo and playing the game with some of my best friends.”
Dutkiewicz’s leadership will be followed by, alternate captains, junior, Keegan Shearer, and sophomore, Hayden Shield. “Hockey has been a part of my life since I was 5 years old,” shares Shield, who plays defense. “The feeling you get when you step into the rink is hard to describe, but – for me – it feels like home. Being able to play for Cumberland Valley with my teammates is truly something I value and will take with me for the rest of my life.”
According to Fitzgerald, they have an exceptional class of seniors who provide incredible leadership. “When you’re longest-tenured players set the right example, it trickles down throughout your roster. Whether someone wears a letter on their chest or not doesn’t mean that they can’t lead, and having that kind of culture is vital to the growth of the team and our individual players.”
These athletes know that to earn a bid at the Flyers Cup is no easy task. With 18 games ahead of them, the players will have to work hard. Last season was a great example. “When we started off 0-3 the team came together and realized that the wins weren’t gonna come easy, We stayed positive and worked together as a team and got hungrier to win,” remembers Dutkiewicz.
Coach Fitzgerald explains how he and the rest of the staff encourage the team during those hard times. “From the beginning of each season, we preach to the team that whether it’s sports or life you’re going to face adversity. Moreover, what defines your ability to “win” is how you respond to these situations. On those tough nights, I remind them that it’s not going to be easy, and things won’t always go our way. We’ll discuss what we could have done better, and then I tell them that this is where we must smile in the face of it and turn our obstacles into opportunities. It’s all about taking a hold of our narrative and never allowing our adversities to define us.”
But the team is not just about saucer passes, deking, breakouts, and scoring chances. The boys work hard in encouraging one another, especially when new members step up to the varsity level. The older, more established players are known to take an interest in welcoming the younger players onto the team. The players also work hard to build one another up. “You’ll seldom see any of these young men praise themselves after a game, rather they’re much more eager to talk about the achievements of their peers,” boasts Fitzgerald.
The head coach would understand what being on a team like that looks like. He grew up playing hockey from the time he was 5 years old. “It’s truly one of my greatest passions, and I never had more fun in the sport than when I was in high school playing for Cumberland Valley. Now to be able to give back and work to recreate the excitement and fun that I experienced with CV Ice Hockey for the next generation of athletes is truly a blessing.”
Fitzgerald finishes by adding, “You know, the bond that they all have with one another and the culture they’ve created within their team drives them to succeed. From our seniors to our freshmen, everyone cares about each other. More than just the guys on the team, it’s abundantly clear that these young men even remember and want to win for their friends and teammates who have graduated in years previous.”
CV Ice Hockey team has games every Wednesday and Friday night, as well as some Mondays, from now until Friday, Feb. 3. That is unless they grab that Flyers Cub bid!
Go Eagles!
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