When Layla Reinhart was eight years old, a backcheck set her up to go forward as a hockey player.
It was the final game of her first season playing hockey, and she hustled back, knocked the puck away from an opponent and saved a goal. Something clicked in that moment, and from then on, her father knew his daughter had something special from watching the way she helped her team and fed off that energy.
“The crowd erupted when the play happened,” Sam Reinhart, Layla’s dad, said. “I remember talking to her after the game, I can tell the light bulb went off, she realized that she hustled and contributed to her team winning that game. Seeing that glow was really special.”
Now in her fourth season playing hockey, 12-year-old Layla is playing for the New York Islanders’ Girls Tournament Team consisting of 17 hockey players ages 11-13. Layla and her team are set to compete in the Wickenheiser Female World Hockey Festival – also known as WickFest – in Vancouver over the weekend, where young athletes showcase their skills internationally, and will proudly represent the Islanders at the highest level for their age group.
The Islanders team is coached by former NHL forward Arron Asham, who played for the Isles from 2002-07. Behind the bench alongside him is his daughter, Oceane, who played NCAA hockey at Minnesota State. The experience of having a former Islander, and his daughter is anchoring the team as they prepare for tournament action.
“It’s really cool, I respect him and do everything he says,” said 11-year-old center Nicolette Anselmo. “He’s just like every other coach but he’s special because he was a pro player. So, I can take his advice and learn from his knowledge.”
Between the pipes for the team is 13-year-old Abby Grossman. She plays with a ton of heart and sports the number 31 on the back of her jersey with great family pride. Her grandfather, known by the family as “Poppy P,” who wore 31 in every sport he played, and left a lasting impact on Abby and her family.
“She’s a warrior, she takes every shot, stays in every game, she keeps working,” said Michael Grossman, Abby’s dad. “She has trained over the summer and through this season and she’s come a long way. She’s a little star.”