Schools

Manchester High Searching for New Hockey Co-Op

The dissolution of the current Rockville-Manchester-Stafford team leaves Manchester High searching for new partners.

is searching for new schools to partner with for its hockey program, after itself next year. 

Manchester had been partnering with Rockville and Stafford high schools, but Rockville High School Athletic Director Steven Phelps recently sent a letter to the Vernon Board of Education asking it to approve a new co-op agreement with Bolton and Coventry high schools to form a new team.

Phelps said the current co-op "was experiencing difficulty obtaining an adequate number of competitors to form a hockey team."

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Rockville-Manchester-Stafford reached the CIAC Division III quarterfinals last season.

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Manchester High School Athletic Director Lindsey Boutilier said Manchester High is actively searching for new partners for next season, but that it can be difficult finding nearby schools to partner with because of the declining interest and popularity in the sport at the high school level. He said that five Manchester students were expected to play on the team next year, but that the number were forecasted to grow over the next several years. 

"Unfortunately, high school hockey teams are becoming fewer and fewer," Boutilier said. 

Boutilier said that Manchester High has until mid-September to submit an application to the CIAC to form a new co-op with other schools. 


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