YORK - Those who remember Mandy Cronin as a young child growing up in town probably also remember her passion for hockey.
Although her parents, Jim and Rose Cronin, still reside in town, the passage of time has taken their daughter far beyond York's borders - as she now lives and works in Canada - but has certainly not dampened her love for the sport of hockey.
"I have been playing hockey since I was five years old and I still have that childhood desire to strap on the pads any time I get the chance," she explained. "Finding a sport that you love to play is like nothing else in life. You can let go of all of your stresses, let lose, have fun and just play! Not to mention the fact that I have learned how to stay fit and healthy through my years of training. That is something you should hold onto forever, as your health is vital."
Now a professional goalie in the Canadian Women's Hockey League, Cronin is the founder of M-Power Hockey, where she is also the director of goaltender development. At this point, she said, M-Power Hockey is a hockey school, but that is just the beginning.
"We have plans for the future to work with towns, schools, organizations, etc., to help children develop into better people via sports," she said. "We want to help children to learn how to get more out of sports than just playing a game. There are many lessons to be learned in sports that overlap with the reality of day-to-day life. That is why most employers prefer to hire candidates who have team-sport experience over those who do not."
This summer, Cronin will bring her M-Power Hockey Summer Camps to the Dover Arena in nearby Dover, N.H., for two sessions, July 21 to 25 and Aug. 11 to 15. Those interested in signing up may e-mail mcronin@m-powerhockey.com or call (647) 206-6426. More information on the camp itinerary and special guests is also available at www.m-powerhockey.com.
Cronin explained a bit of her history and how it relates to M-Power Hockey, beginning with her tryout for the Seacoast Spartans as a 12-year-old. She was a first-time goaltender and the first girl ever to make the previously all-boys organization.
"I was later recruited to attend New Hampton School because a school staff member was at one of my club team games and scouted me," she recalled. "NHS turned out to be one of the most profound experiences I have ever."
Cronin was a three-sport varsity athlete during her high school career at the New Hampshire private school, where she will be inducted into the New Hampton School Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 20.
And while her passion for hockey began in childhood, Cronin stressed that playing a sport is not something you have to start when you're a child.
"You are never too old to start playing any sport. In fact, some of the most fun we have at M-Power Hockey is when we work with beginner adult players. They are so eager to learn and try anything," she said. "For me, hockey is a revitalizer. Without hockey, I truly would feel a bit lost in life. Of course nothing can take the place of family and loved ones, but hockey has been the vehicle that has led to some monumental opportunities in my life."
After New Hampton, Cronin went on to attend the University of Maine on a full scholarship and spent four years as goalie for the Black Bears. From there, she was off to see the world after joining a women's professional-level hockey team in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in the former National Women's Hockey League, which she explained is now known as the Canadian Women's Hockey League.
"I was lucky enough to have a major role in the birth of the CWHL after the fall of the NWHL, and now we have a solid, premiere league to call our own. All of this has happened because when I was five years old, I saw my brother playing hockey and I thought I could do it too. I had a passion to play sports and it has taken me through every phase of my life thus far," she said, adding, "I truly have to thank God for blessing me with athletic abilities. I have no idea where I would be right now otherwise!"
