EXTRA CREDIT: Jill Zelonis
Jill Zelonis, a senior goaltender for Niagara University’s women’s ice hockey team, is a native of Purcellville, Va. She played on several different teams before attending Niagara. Teams include the Reston Raiders, the Montgomery Blue Devils, and the Washington Pride.
Before Zelonis played girl’s hockey, she played boys hockey as many girls from the southeast tend to do. “There were not many girls teams growing up so I always ended up playing with the boys,” says Zelonis. “Eventually I was able to get on a girls team in Reston, Va.”
She played for the Reston Raiders until she was 16. “That was kind of a hike to drive an hour to Reston for practices, but my parents made the drive three times a week,” says Zelonis.
Traveling became a factor for Zelonis.
“It was also difficult to travel the distance to play,” says Zelonis. “There were not a lot of rinks around my house. The closest rink to my house was thirty minutes away.”
After playing for the Reston Raiders, Zelonis played on the Montgomery Blue Devils 16 and under team. Then, she decided to play for the Washington Pride.
“Making it to those practices was extremely difficult since the drive took about 2 1/2 hours during rush hour traffic in D.C.,” says Zelonis.
Zelonis endured more traveling as a member on the Washington Pride program. Washington Pride is the only team from Washington, D.C. in the Junior Women’s Hockey League. Zelonis had to travel to Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin a couple times a month.
Zelonis graduated from Purcellville High School in 2006 and decided to walk on the Division I women’s ice hockey team at Niagara University.
“All I wanted to do was play Division I hockey, and Niagara had a good program,” says Zelonis.
Photos courtesy of Jill Zelonis.
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