At Air Academy high school anything boys can do, girls can also do

Sports are about bringing us together. Teams are like families and the Kadet family includes two young women playing alongside the boys, Jenny Taylor and Milly Mollica. These two have been skating since they could walk, and they've played on club teams. Hockey is a part of their DNA, "Hockey was always on our TV at home. My brother played, my cousin played, my best friend growing up played hockey as well. There wasn't even a question that that was the sports I was going to play," says Mollica. The boys have their backs, "They're awesome. Honestly, I'm so grateful to have these guys on my team. They're always so supportive and protective. I always feel safe. I always feel like I have a backbone right behind me," says Taylor Of course there are some challenges that come with playing against some of the boys, "Sometimes when they're chirping at us, they like to make jokes about trying to get our number or something like that. We just ignore it and keep playing," says Mollica.

CHSAA doesn't have an all-girls hockey league yet, but more girls are playing these days and they U.S. is home to a gold medal women's hockey team. Jenny and Mill are not the first girls to play at Air Academy. Women are a bigger part of the sport, now more than ever and these two are role models for any young girls who want to follow in their footsteps, "Especially when I was little,I was always used to being the only girl, basically. It's so exciting and awesome to see all these young girls finding love for the game," says Taylor. "Never give up on it. If you want to play with the big boys, go out there and just show them what you've got. Don't let size discourage you," says Mollica.