Frontenac Fury Atom Girls hockey - a multi-generational family affair

Mar 25, 2015

It is not often that one sees great grandmothers attending hockey games at the Frontenac Community Arena, but great grandmother Barb Stewart of Verona had three very good reasons (and then some) to be there on the afternoon of March 22.

Barb, along with a number of other family relations, were sitting rink side to watch Barb's three grand daughters, 10-year-old cousins, Sophie Norman, Jenna Norman and Taylor McParland, showing their skills out on the ice. The girls, who play, respectively, defense, left wing and goalie for the Atom Girls Frontenac Fury team, were facing off in an exhibition game against the Kingston Ice Wolves (blues) and it just so happens that they are not the only three representatives of the Stewart family on the team. The girls are coached by Barb's eldest grandson Jason Norman, father of Sophie and son of Barb's daughter Linda.

In all, the game attracted four generations of the Stewart family to the arena, which over the decades has been a family hub for this large, multi-generational hockey-playing family.

Hockey indeed runs deep in their blood. Barb in fact is likely one of the only great grandmothers in the area who can boast three great granddaughters on a single team. And it seems no coincidence that the three girls play the exact same positions of their own family hockey mentors. Mallory Garrison, mother of goalie Taylor said the family's love of hockey comes honestly. “Taylor's grandfather Tom played as a goalie in his days on the ice and Taylor, who just started playing this year was asked in her second practice if she wanted to have a try at it. She really has a knack for it, which she likely gets from her Grampy.”

Barb told a funny story of how Taylor called her up on the pone after one of her games and said, “I took over Grampy's spot.” Grampy, Barb’s son Tom Stewart, played goalie for years at the arena and Barb recalled one season in which he won 17 straight games.

Sarah Norman, wife of coach Jason and mother of Sophie, said her daughter has been playing for five years and also comes by her talents honestly since her dad played defense on numerous Frontenac teams since he was seven years old.

Jenna, who has been playing for three years, not surprisingly plays left wing, the same position her dad Greg played for years. It is no wonder that the cousins definitely held their own out on the ice. Though the Fury lost the game 1-0, Taylor made impressive saves - too many to count - throughout the game and received multiple high fives from her team mates. Both Jenna and Sophie also played solidly.

The girls’ parents and relatives are thrilled to have the cousins playing together regularly at least two or three times a week. Naturally, the games are a great excuse for the whole family to get together on a regular basis.

The Fury will play this weekend in a Kanata tournament, which will wrap up their season for the year. The team had eight brand new players and three novice players this year, and had a great regular season. They finished as finalists in their Newmarket tournament, got to the semis in the Ice Wolf Tournament and finished in fourth place in their own league tournament.

The three girls if they choose, could end up playing Frontenac hockey together for years to come and no doubt it will not be the last time that their great grandmother Barb turns up to watch them and feel, naturally, very proud.