USA HOCKEY COACHES CERTIFICATION - INTERMEDIATE (LEVEL 3)

Maria Dennis grew up in Connecticut, playing hockey since the age of 6 (skating since the age of 4). Her playing background is diverse: she played youth hockey until the Midget age group, then played with a girls varsity team at prep school in Connecticut, then for the women’s varsity team while attending Yale University. During her three years of law school at Georgetown University, she played on the men's team. Some highlights of her hockey background are as follows:

* She won a Silver Medal with the Women's US National Team at the World Championships held in Ottawa, Ontario in 1990,

* She held the scoring record for both the Men's Varsity Team and the Women's Varsity Team at Yale,

* She was the only woman to play in the Southeast Collegiate Division when she played for Georgetown University,

* She was a finalist for the 1998 US Women’s Olympic Team.

Dennis’ coaching experience is just as noteworthy as her playing experience:

* She was USA Hockey’s Head Coach for the New England District Development Girls Camp,

* She coaches the Jr. Kings Mite A Team (2008-09) and coached the Jr. Kings Mite A Team (2007-08), and Peewee A Team (2004-05),

* She operates her own women’s hockey clinics, called “Women’s Hockey 101” and “Women’s Hockey Workout”,

* She has been invited as a guest instructor at various USA Hockey Coaching Certification Clinics.

Dennis also represented USA Hockey athletes for over 10 years on the Boards of USA Hockey and the US Olympic Committee. In addition, she had the honor of being elected and serving on the Board of the Salt Lake Olympic Committee for the 2002 Olympics.

Dennis believes in playing a sport and enjoying all the goes with it: friendship, teamwork, the pursuit of excellence, learning and growing as an athlete and a human being.