WVU hockey overcoming life on the road

MARSHFIELD – Members of the Wisconsin Valley Union girls’ hockey team don’t stay in one place for very long.

For the most part, their lives are spent on the road, living out of backpacks and equipment bags. And yet, somehow, they all make it work.

“The time it takes for players and their families is unmatched by other sports,” Head Coach Rachael Graves told us. “For instance, Monday nights our co-op typically has practice in Marshfield. Well, for my Waupaca players this is a lot, especially for one of my players who lives in Wild Rose. So, an hour and a half of driving there, practice for an hour and 15 minutes and then driving back. So, 3 hours of driving, time to get dressed and undressed and practice on any given night is at least four-and-a-half hours of time,” Graves added. “I should also mention we don’t just practice in Marshfield. Each week we practice in Marshfield, Stevens Point, and Waupaca. Sometimes we get time in Rapids, but not often. So each week we have different times and different rinks to travel to.”

Graves, who herself has to travel from Stevens Point for games and practices elsewhere, says travel is the one constant — and rare — part of the team.

“We have a unique situation because only one other co-op in the state is as spread out as us, and that’s probably Northland Pines,” Graves said. “Other co-ops face other types of adversity, but distance and rink cooperation are things we face daily and yearly. Other teams and sports get priority for practices times and spaces, but we are the opposite of that. None of our high schools own a rink and we get scheduled around college teams, boys’ high school teams, youth teams, figure skating, and more. Because we have girls from multiple communities we’ve been told things like, ‘You only have four girls, so we only gave you four practices.’

“WVU is not for the casual hockey person,” Graves added. “It is a grind to go city to city every night, hauling bags and equipment rink to rink, and even just to get on the road for an away game takes a lot of planning and coordination. Our home games are not ‘home’ for all our families. For instance, last year we played a game in Waupaca against the Fox City Stars (out of the Appleton area). It was further for my kids who live outside of Marshfield to get to the game than it was for the away team to get to the rink.

“What I’m trying to say is that my team is a special breed, in a good way. It takes big hearts and a gritty mindset to be part of this program. This program isn’t for everyone. It is easy to get discouraged with the time, winter driving, and the commitment, but I have so many players who rise to the occasion and expectations.”

Currently, the WVU Eagles’ roster features eight seniors, seven juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen.

Eight student-athletes are from Marshfield.

They are joined by 10 players from Stevens Point, three each from Wisconsin Rapids and Waupaca, and two from Amherst.

“One person who has been a surprise for us this season is a foreign exchange student from Spain,” said Graves. “She (senior Mireia Manen) attends Marshfield High School and reached out because she originally played roller hockey. My returners and their families rallied together and got her set up with equipment and more. Her teammates stepped up and provided her transportation and many players have been helping her along the way. She is a great kid who gets better every day and it has been great to have.”

Marshfield joined the WVU program in the 2015-16 school year. Waupaca joined two years later.

“The co-op has changed over the years,” Graves told us. “I used to coach back when the co-op was only the Point-Rapids Red Panthers. This was because Waupaca and Marshfield had their own girls’ teams. Eventually Marshfield and Waupaca could no longer sustain their own teams and players had nowhere to play. That is how the WVU was formed because girls who love hockey deserve somewhere to play.

“Our conference is brand new this season. We left the Eastern Shores Conference to help build what is called the Wisconsin Valley Conference. This conference is made up of our team, Central Wisconsin Storm (Wausau/Mosinee area), Black River Falls, Medford, and Northland Pines (Eagle River, Antigo, Rhinelander area). Many of these schools were considered independents in previous seasons, so now they can be part of things such as all-conference teams and such, which is good for the sport.”

Graves coached the Red Panthers from 2012 to 2016. She took a break from coaching, then returned in 2023 as the WVU head coach.

“My coaching staff right now is by far my favorite to work with and a big reason the program is trending upward,” she said. “Megan Nolan was a former Red Panther player who also played on Team Wisconsin (a Tier 1 program). She now teaches in (Wisconsin) Rapids and her having lived this life the players are currently living is such an asset.

“Greg Dalsbo is our goalie coach, but also helps a ton with the JV program. He is always helping in any way he can.

“Trace Stahle is new to our program and played for the UWSP men’s team and is now back in (Stevens) Point and working on his coaching career.

“The coaches I listed have exemplified what good coaching is; good coaching is being a good role model, mentor, sharing experiences, helping kids grow on and off the ice and not just the Xs and Os of the game. The dynamic they bring with the guys and girls on staff and the different ages on staff make us well rounded. The staff’s ability to fill in gaps, build relationships, and communicate with players makes them valuable assets to the WVU program,” said Graves, a Bemidji, MN native and 2010 UW-Stevens Point graduate who played for the Pointers from 2005-09 and helped lead the team to two third-place finishes at the national tournament and one conference title.

Graves also teaches physical education and health courses for the Stevens Point Area School District.