On Tuesday evening, the Upper Montgomery Lightning hockey program begins in earnest preparations for the 2024 – 2025 hockey season. The team holds its first dryland practice and off-ice conditioning session. There will be two weeks of organized dryland workouts prior to the official start of on-ice sessions which are allowed to begin on Monday evening, September 9.
With the graduation of nine seniors, many of whom played outsized roles in the team’s success, with junior Ryan Jacobson leaving the area to play junior hockey in Michigan, and with top defender junior Andrew Botti choosing not to play high school hockey in his senior season, the program will endeavor through a natural cycle of younger student athletes receiving ample playing time. The evolution of sophomore goalie Ilan Shterenberg will be critical to the team’s success as he will be heavily counted upon in net, just as he was for the junior varsity squad last season. While there are many returning defenders and forwards, younger members of the organization will be counted upon to rise up and play larger roles in the upcoming season. There will be plenty of ice time available to be earned for students who played depth and supporting roles in prior years. The upcoming early evaluation sessions and practices will be important for these student athletes to show that they are ready for larger roles with the team this upcoming season.
Unlike last season when the Upper Montgomery program had been gearing up for a championship run with a significant number or older and experienced members of the team, the 2024 – 2025 season will be one of growth development for the green and gold’s younger students. It should be exciting and rewarding as the younger students grow and blossom, and begin to develop habits that will lead the program forward with opportunities to challenge the upper echelon teams in future seasons. Come along for the ride, it should be a fun season!
#UML, #Bleed Green, #Go Bolts!