![]() “For us being a club and in the same season as many other sports, getting the weight room after school was a challenge,” Considine said.ĭue to the new push at LHS for athletes to go to the weight room twice a week for strength and conditioning, there is limited space in the weight rooms for a morning workout, for instance, the team starts lifting at 6:30 a.m. So, after a morning workout at Vernon Hills, these athletes have to change, pack up all their stuff and drive to Libertyville before first period. But, for the IceCats, about half the team is from Libertyville. In the morning, when LHS athletes have practice, they generally work out in the same building as their first-period class. “By the time the guys get home and shower,” Head Varsity Coach Guy Considine added, “it takes some time to wind down.” This is Considine’s first year as the head coach, and his son Ryan Considine, a senior, plays on the team. So, for the Varsity IceCats, their time on the ice is 8:40-10:10 p.m. Even after the IceCats practice, there is another practice for the adult league starting at 10:10 because Glacier Ice Arena is open until midnight. As players grow older, their time on the ice gets later. But for the IceCats, they are just putting their equipment in their bags and getting ready to leave for practice. The IceCats first game this year was against Highland Park, and the teams tied at 4.Īfter a long day at school and a challenging practice, LHS athletes are able to go home, eat dinner, work on homework and go to sleep. After last year’s upsetting loss in the state tournament, these players say they are using this as motivation to go even further than last year. There are nine seniors on this year’s roster, meaning the team has experience. For Darnall, hopes are high for what this season might bring: “We have a fast team and have a chance at going far this year.” Their quarterfinal game went into overtime, but the IceCats ultimately did not come out on top. From driving from Vernon Hills to Libertyville before school for conditioning, to not getting a bus provided to and from games, to having practice while other students are already in bed, the IceCats must overcome many challenges throughout their season.ĭespite these challenges, last year, the IceCats made it to the final eight in the state tournament. “ We’re an older team, so we have grown up playing together over these last few years.”īecause these students are from different towns and due to the fact that hockey is a club sport, not one officially sponsored by the IHSA, many obstacles emerge. ![]() ![]() “ We’re a really tight-knit group of guys,” LHS senior and returning captain Carson Darnall expressed. In addition, these students value the friendships they form with peers from another school. Members of the team and its coaching staff believe this is of value to the program because talent can come from multiple places. Neither school dominates the roster, as there are 12 players from Libertyville and eight from Vernon Hills. The IceCats hockey team, which often practices late at night due to limited ice availability, is made up of a combination of Vernon Hills and Libertyville High School students. For the IceCats, though, these students go home and, instead of relaxing, they get ready for practice to start at 8:40 p.m. Imagine a Wednesday night after a long day at school: most students look forward to a night full of homework and relaxation.
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