Hockey Gear Designed with Girls in Mind

By Tammy DanielsPrint Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS - Hockey's practically a way of life in Maine so, not surprisingly, little Isabela "Bela" Cloutier was eager to take to the ice. But when the kindergartner and her mom went shopping for equipment, they were disappointed with what they found. "There was nothing but black - you know, boy's stuff," said Anna Carol Alvarez Cloutier, a 1988 graduate of Drury High School and a resident of South Portland, Maine. "She likes pink and purple." Her neighbor, Justine Carlisle, had two boys in the co-ed program but understood the problem - girls might be playing hockey but they had to dress like boys. The two women decided to do something about it and came up with their own line of hockey equipment geared to girls. "We pitched the idea to Cammi Granato, she was immediately onboard. She's been wanting to do this forever," said Cloutier about the woman who led the U.S. women's Olympic hockey team to a gold medal win in 1998. The result is BelaHockey, a line of hockey gear and clothing with little girls in mind. The company offers long-sleeved T-shirts with the BelaHockey logo, colorful socks and hats, and personalized hockey sticks in blue-and-purple polka dots and pink-and-purple polka dots. It will be adding performance shirts, hockey stick bags, jerseys and other colorful custom equipment to its line. The apparel isn't just about girls looking pretty, it's about letting them know that hockey is a sport for girls as well as boys, said Cloutier a North Adams native. (Cloutier is the sister of Osmin Alvarez, owner of iBerkshires' parent company, Boxcar Media.) "It's about building confidence in girls, letting them know it's a girl's sport, too." That's important in Maine, where hockey is a popular and growing sport at all levels and outdoor rinks are common. Cloutier, who has another young daughter and son interested in playing, said there are two backyard rinks on her street alone. "Growing up playing hockey, I was always one of the only girls, whether it was at home with my brothers or in the local youth league," said Granato in a press release. "I was comfortable on the ice but felt self-conscious in the lobby, where it was clear that I was a girl playing a boy's sport. By offering girls' hockey gear designed exclusively for them, we're reinforcing that hockey is their sport, too. We hope BelaHockey will motivate other girls to pick up a stick and try the great game of hockey." And not just girls are interested. Since the www.BelaHockey.com came online a few weeks ago, the three founders have been inundated with calls and letters from women clamoring for their own designs. "The women are all writing to us. We're branching off into many different things," said Cloutier. "One of our great sellers are our hockey sticks but some girls aren't into pink and purple so we're going to add sportier colors. It's just been great and now the women are saying they want them, too." A lot of those women are moms who are starting to play for fitness, she said. "I didn't realize how many women's leagues there are when we started doing research. Nobody was tapping into that market when we started a year ago." Over the past 15 years, girls' and women's hockey have enjoyed considerable growth with participation levels increasing to 58,000 in the United States and 74,000 in Canada for the 2005-06 seasons, according to USA Hockey. The figures have more than doubled in the past decade and many believe the Olympic success of both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic women's hockey teams are contributing factors, according to BelaHockey. Young girls (10 and under) in the United States were responsible for the largest increase, with more than 4,000 joining the sport since 2001. Cloutier said it's intimidating for girls to try a new, predominately male sport, especially when the equipment looks as though it has been designed for boys. The moms, which includes Granato, are trying to package hockey in a more balanced and inviting way. "Cammi's resume on the ice speaks for itself, but what has always impressed me most is her commitment to encourage more girls to get involved in hockey," said Janey Miller, vice president of Olympics for the Octagon agency and Granato's long-time agent. "She epitomizes BelaHockey - a girl playing amongst boys when it wasn't the thing to do - and together they will work to change mindsets and attract more girls to the sport." Cloutier said she's seen a difference in the now 6-year-old Bela since she's taken up hockey - including playing ball outside at recess with the boys. She doesn't feel she can't play because she's a girl. "She has such confidence but she still wants to look like a little girl. We just want to let [girls] know they're not an outsider when they're playing hockey." Further information: www.BelaHockey.com .
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West Nile Virus Confirmed in Mosquitoes From Pittsfield

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Pittsfield.

The City of Pittsfield has confirmed two isolations at the Pittsfield-Richmond town line on Route 41 and the other at Garland Avenue.

WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection. 

At the time, there are no confirmed human cases of WNV, but residents are encouraged to take the following actions:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

  • Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin. 
  • Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
  • Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours - The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. When risk is increased, consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up and/or wearing repellant.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

  • Drain Standing Water – Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently. 
  • Install or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all your windows and doors.

While the City of Pittsfield and Berkshire County Mosquito Control project continue to work closely with the MDPH and other agencies, locally we are taking the following actions: larvicide application, conducting targeted education programs, distribution of fact sheets on WNV and on reducing exposure to mosquitos and treating catch basins.

Additional information about WNV and reports on current and historical WNV virus activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website at: www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito.

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