MONROE — The School District of Monroe Board of Education unanimously approved participation in the Beloit Memorial Girls Hockey Co-op for 2020-22 at its meeting held via Zoom, a video conferencing service, March 31.
During public comments, Blane Einbeck, the father of Monroe junior and hockey player Anika Einbeck, spoke on behalf of the co-op with the Fury. Anika has been a part of the team for the last three years and was all-state this past season, and finished third in Wisconsin in total points scored.
Anika has been playing hockey since age 3, and in her junior year has maintained a 4.0 grade point average and is even possibly looking to continue playing hockey after high school, he said.
“Eighty-percent of girls high school hockey teams are co-op’d,” he said. “They need to exist for girls to play. Unfortunately, our girls team is based out of Beloit.”
The item was tabled after last month’s board meeting where Gottlieb Brandli spoke during public comments on behalf of his daughter, a current eighth-grader who he feels should be able to play with the high school boys co-op team in Monroe. He cited reasons like being late for practice each day because of the distance, as well as expenses involved with travel versus staying in town.
However, the co-op brings in players from all over, both in the girls and boys programs. And although many are late for practices, Blane Einbeck said they are never penalized for it and development isn’t hindered.
For the last three years the Fury have been conference champions and this year even had a run at a state title. The Fury fell in the semifinal round to the Madison Metro Lynx March 5.
Along with Anika Einbeck, this year’s Rock County Fury team also featured two players from Albany, Alyssa and Haley Knauf and one from Brodhead, Brooke Teubert, as well as Sarah Edler from Lena-Winslow and Anna Malone of Orangeville. Anika Einbeck, Edler, Malone and Alyssa Knauf will all return next year. The co-op also includes players from Clinton, Janesville and Milton.
“Some come farther than Monroe,” Blane Einbeck said.
The boys high school hockey team is also a co-op, and players travel from several different towns, including Lena, Warren, Orangeville, Dakota, New Glarus, Argyle and Freeport to practice in Monroe and travel to play all over Wisconsin.
Brandli sent a letter asking Board President Dan Bartholf to read it aloud at the March 31 meeting. Brandli said his daughter has been used to playing on teams where the majority of players were male and said she has never missed a practice or game due to an injury, according to the letter. He noted that practices focus on teaching how to check and how to receive a check, and then cited injuries in other sports versus hockey, claiming it was less risky.
However, the board hesitated to make a change and District Administrator Rick Waski and Athletic Director Jeff Newcomer spoke in favor of the co-op’s approval.
Waski said although the decision was difficult, in the end, after being a part of the co-op for at least seven years and after having had multiple participants, he favored letting senior Anika Einbeck finish her career with the Fury. Newcomer agreed.
The WIAA requires a two-year commitment, Waski said.
“I think it would be unfair of us to take away the three years this young woman has been playing in this co-op and pretty much change her future in many ways, possibly,” board member Mary Berger said.
