'I love hockey with everything in me'

FINDLAY – Monika Kerwin said it came down to a simple decision when she was 5-years-old. "I had the choice of either figure skating or hockey," said Kerwin, a junior on Findlay's hockey team. "My dad and my grandpa and my uncles all played hockey. So Kerwin chose that sport. Findlay High School hockey coach Ben Patey is glad she did. That's because Kerwin – the only female on the Trojans' hockey team – has played a big role for the Trojans this season. "She's one of our top defenders, just because of her work ethic, and her willingness to learn and listen," Patey said after the Trojans 8-2 win over Dublin Coffman Friday. "I couldn't be more proud of her." Kerwin played mainly junior varsity two seasons ago as a freshman. Last year, she split time between varsity and JV. In her varsity career, Kerwin has a goal, three assists and 122 blocked shots. Her junior year, though, has been different than the others. "She's played a ton this year," Patey said. "She's just kind of taken the bull by the horns and earned her playing time. "You guys just see her for games, but her work ethic in practice is second to none," Patey said. "That's one of the reasons she's improved so much over the last couple of years." Findlay's Draven Wilson, a senior captain, agrees. "She's amazing," he said. "She's not scared to play with these boys. She goes out there, she'll hit someone. It doesn't matter. She plays like one of us, and that's all that matters." Being the only girl on a team with all boys is something Kerwin said she is used to, and it hasn't really been an issue for her. "They treat me normal," Kerwin said of her teammates. "I love playing with them. I've played with 95% of them my whole entire life." Patey said Kerwin doesn't receive special treatment, and for that matter, doesn't want it. "I have to give her so much props, just for the fact that she is the only girl on the whole team," he said. "That, in general, has got to be difficult for her. She doesn't complain, she does her job and she doesn't want any extra treatment because she's female." "My goal, every single game, is just to work my butt off and play the best that I can every single game," Kerwin said. That has earned respect from her teammates. "They treat her just like one of the guys, to be honest with you," Patey said. "She doesn't take no crap, and they don't treat her any differently. She's got a great personality and I think that's what the guys kind of like about her. She's just a great teammate." Kerwin clearly has a passion for the sport. "Hockey's my life," she said. "I love hockey with everything in me, and I hope I can continue (to go) the farthest that I can." Right now, the focus for Kerwin and her teammates is Sunday's 1 p.m. postseason game against Toledo St. John's at the Tam-o-Shanter in Toledo. But opportunities could be there for Kerwin. Women's hockey has picked up momentum in recent years. The Professional Women's Hockey League launched in 2023. Then there's the Olympics. Canada and the United States women's hockey teams will play for the Gold Medal at 1:10 p.m. Thursday in Milano Cortina. Kerwin hopes to one day play in games like that. "That's honestly been my goal since I was real young," she said. "Watching (the U.S. team) now, it's kind of, like, crazy. USA is really good and I just really hope I can get there one day." Hockey figures to be part of Kerwin's life for a long time. "I just hope to play the best that I can, and hopefully I can go somewhere for college," Kerwin said. "But I don't know. We'll see."