Ferrer to take Lady Icer helm

In just her first year with the Lady Icers, associate head coach Jessica Ferrer has introduced organizational methods gained by playing women's hockey at a high level. The soon-to-be new head coach and a former Boston University women's hockey player from 1993 to 1995 will officially replace current head coach Vinny Scalamogna at the end of the season.

"She had a very fighting spirit," said Christy Cullen, Ferrer's former Terrier linemate. "We played together for two years. She was a very good player for not having much background in the sport before she came."

Since then, she has successfully made the transition from player at Boston to a coach at Penn State. Scalamogna said he is confident Ferrer's ability to relate to the players will prove beneficial when she takes over the Lady Icers.

"I think she'll do a nice job," Scalamogna said. "She brings a player's perspective. This has been her only year of coaching experience. She'd have some learning to do, but she's got a great opportunity ahead of her.

"She's been able to bring a different perspective to the program. I've been around hockey for 30 years as a player, coach and referee, and as much as I've tried, I can't relate to the women players the way another woman can."

Ferrer, a graduate student hoping to attend medical school in the near future, has been around hockey for seven years, the last two and a half with the Boston team. Because of her experience with a highly organized team, she is disappointed with the lack of organization that has plagued the Lady Icers in its first two years. But Ferrer said she is optimistic that change is on the horizon.

"I want to reorganize the team," she said.

She bases this on the lack of publicity the Lady Icer tryouts receive. She hopes to have the information for tryouts out early next season. Ferrer said she often wonders about the variety of talent that exists on the University campus, and she is eager to discover it.

"(As a new coach), sometimes it's easier to work with newer players," Scalamogna said.

Locating the talent may be the easy part, but luring it to the team may be another matter due to factors such as nervousness or a feeling of inadequacy.

"Many girls who want to play are nervous about the experience levels (of the other players)," Ferrer said. "It is just for fun. Everyone is here to learn."

She said she is also annoyed with the lack of money the team receives through the University and sponsors in general. She said although it is a young program, hopefully funding will increase greatly in the next few seasons. She understands that older, more established programs will get more money because they generate more revenue, but she hopes to establish the Lady Icers as bona fide competitors in the next few years.

"Right now, I'm just trying to help them get sponsorship money to help out with (costs). The girls pay for everything," Ferrer said. "They are expected to have their own equipment, which is expensive already."

The women will have to get out their checkbooks next weekend as they travel to Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., to participate in the All East Women's College Club Championship Tournament. Ferrer recognizes her team's lack of big tourney experience, but she hopes this opportunity will help the team understand what big-time women's hockey is like.

"I don't know any background (about the other teams)," she said, "but we do want to come away with a couple of wins."

The team members seem just as optimistic about their new coach.

"It was a great thing for Penn State and us as a team," said left winger Anne Leone. "She put a real sense of team unity together for us. She's been a good role model. She's great."

The Lady Icers are also very respectful of Ferrer's two years playing collegiate hockey. Ellen Zajko, team captain, said, "I think it's great that we have someone with experience."

Experience is just what the Lady Icers may need if they are to improve on their record next season.