by Darby Whitehair ’12

Senior Marisa Dreher defends the goal while playing for the Washington Pride. photo courtesy of Marisa Dreher

At age five, she stepped out onto the ice to learn how to skate, not knowing 12 years later she would still be there, only this time defending a goal. 

Growing up in Aspen, Colorado, senior Marisa Dreher and her dad would watch the Colorado Avalanche hockey games. Dreher fell in love with the game and started to play as soon as she could. One year after learning how to skate, Dreher joined the girls’ program in Aspen Junior Hockey where she got to skate with an all-girls team for the first time.

“One practice at the beginning of the season, our coach lined all of us up on the ice and said if we were going to have a team, we needed a goalie. He then asked if any of us wanted to try it. We all looked around and when it became apparent no one was going to raise their hand, I did,” said Dreher. “Before that day, I had never even thought about being a goalie. I had never even thought of it before that moment I was standing there with my hand raised. Now, I can’t imagine it being any other way.”

Dreher’s hockey resume′ continued to build over the next nine years, filling up with multiple teams each season, including many boys’ teams. Her days became filled with hockey, from morning practices starting at five for one team to afterschool practices for another.  Road trips with her father to other towns for hockey became routine.

In 2008, Dreher took another step in hockey. She attended Colorado State Selection Camps, which are tryouts for district camp and national camp. From there, top players are selected to participate in the Rocky Mountain District Player Development Camp. Then those who are the top players there are selected to attend the USA Hockey National Player Development Camp.

 “I have attended National Camp for the past three years. At National Camp, I skate with the top girl players from my birth year in the country. This past year, I was one of only eight goalies selected to attend the Select 17 National Camp,” said Dreher.

In order to pursue her dream of playing NCAA varsity ice hockey, at the beginning of high school Dreher made a huge decision to play at a more competitive level. In 2009 after meeting a goalie coach, Dreher moved to Maryland to receive more opportunities. She is currently living with relatives.

In her twelfth year of hockey, Dreher plays for Washington Pride, a college prep team that is designed for those who want to play Division 1 ice hockey. On average, Pride plays 70 games a season against United States and Canadian teams as well as local boys’ teams. Dreher also represents Sherwood on the ice as a member of the Sherwood Arrows when she is not playing for the Pride.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed having Marisa in our program – she’s developed into a high end goaltender and is poised to take on the challenge of a top NCAA program next season,” said Washington Pride coach Kush Sidhu. “Marisa is a competitor and brings her competitive spirit to our team. Also, as a goalie, she is our last line of defense and had to bail the team out of some tough situations.  She’s a good teammate, very coachable, and we expect big things for her.”

Dreher is currently in contact with Princeton, Brown, Penn State, Ohio State, Middlebury and other colleges.