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NHC expands program; girls U18 AAA team to begin play in fall 2025
 
Members of the Norwich Hockey Club girls team
Girls hockey is here! Just four years after the launch of its boys’ U18 AAA program, Norwich Hockey Club (NHC) announced it is launching a girls’ program that will begin play in fall 2025. 
 
“With three full seasons behind us, the time to begin this program is now,” said Dr. Nathan Quesnel, the head of school at Norwich Free Academy which oversees NHC. “Our boys’ program has grown in each of its first three years, achieving success regionally and nationally. We have the same high expectations for the girls’ program.”
 
As with the launch of its boys’ program, NHC is creating an elite secondary hockey program that provides an unmatched experience for its players on and off the ice. 
 
“We are growing the game of hockey,” said Wayne Sheehan, general manager of NHC and the head boys’ coach. “Our players have the opportunity to compete at the highest level while pursuing their education at Norwich Free Academy. It’s a winning combination.”
 
The first girls’ team in club history will be led by Chris Wilford, who currently serves as an assistant for the boys’ program. 
 
“I’m so excited for this opportunity – for both me and our program,” Wilford said. “Being a part of NHC since its inception has been incredible, and I look forward to helping move us forward by taking such an important step by adding this team.”
 
Wilford is a USA Hockey Level 4 coach who excels at individual development and administrative management. He’s been coaching since 2015.
 
“Chris is the perfect fit for what we’re trying to do,” Quesnel said. “He understands the game, he understands teenagers and he understands the importance of building this right and creating a destination for female hockey players.”
 
The concept of a girls’ program was part of the initial conversation when NHC was established in 2021. 
 
“This has been in our plans since the beginning,” said Sheehan. “The market is there, the players are there. We wanted to ensure our focus was on establishing the boys’ program before we could make this move.”
 
NHC expects the player pool to be a mix of local, regional and international talent. The club will attend its first recruiting event this month in Montreal. The international market has been a mainstay for its boys’ program, with players this year hailing from Canada, Spain, Finland, Hungary and Kazakhstan along with players from the United States.
 
“The formula of our success to date has been simple,” Quesnel said. “First and foremost, the educational experience students receive at Norwich Free Academy is extraordinary. Add that to our ability to develop a nationally recognized hockey program within three years and it's understandable why we will be attractive to students looking to enhance both their education and hockey goals.”
 
Players and families looking for more information about NHC are encouraged to fill out this form