About Us

The Connecticut Polar Bears are proud to be the first all girls ice hockey program in Connecticut. The organization is one of the premier girls hockey programs in the country and has placed more than 250 players in college. The Polar Bears have won 12 National Championships and had 9 players compete in the Olympic Games. 


Recent New England District Championships


2021-2022 Season

U19 Major Tier I

U16 Major Tier I

U16 Minor Tier 2


2020-2021 Season -- No Season (COVID)


2019-2020 Season

U19 Major Tier I

U16 Major Tier I


2018-2019 Season

U16 Major Tier I

2017-2018 Season

U19 Major Tier I



History of the Polar Bears


The Polar Bears organization was started in 1985 by a small group of people who shared a common philosophy of excellence in education and athletics for women.

In the early 1980's, only a few Connecticut girls played hockey in Connecticut, and those who did played on boys' teams. In other states such as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Michigan and Minnesota, many girls played in organized girls' leagues; those girls were identified and actively recruited by college coaches.

​As a result of the Connecticut girls being "hidden" on boys' teams, they were not identified and lost out on significant educational opportunities. The Polar Bears were started to allow Connecticut girls to compete nationally so that they could gain recognition and take advantage of the same educational opportunities as girls in other parts of the country.

​In the fall of 1985, the first Polar Bears team was organized at the 15U level. During that first season, the Polar Bears had no standard ice time. All of our players, therefore, also played with their boys' teams. When an hour of ice became available a game would be scheduled to provide the competition necessary for our team development. Our goal was to play in the U.S. Women's' National Championship Tournament. On April 6, 1986, the Bears played in and won the 15U National Championship. Not long thereafter, college coaches began calling to schedule scrimmages for the 1986-87 year. The Connecticut girls had arrived.


Today, the Polar Bears have a nationally known reputation for the high caliber of young women's' athletics and academics.

Through hockey, our young women gain leadership abilities, learn teamwork and are comfortable with competition. Many of these young women attend nationally known college preparatory schools while playing for our organization.


Our Responsibility to our Players

Our younger players think of college only as a distant event. To maximize their educational opportunities, our coaches remind them often that their present academic efforts will play a critical role in their future admissions prospects. When they begin their college tours as high school students academic performance will count. To discharge our responsibility as coaches, we continually emphasize the importance of academic effort to our young players so that the doors that hockey has opened will remain open.


Our Future

The major problem that the Polar Bear organization is facing is one that is common for "grass-roots" organizations - controlling operational costs. Reasonably priced ice time for the program is not available. We are concerned that due to the cost of the program, some excellent athletes and students that could receive college exposure through our organization may not be able to continue to participate. Therefore, we are seeking corporations and individuals who would be willing to become sponsors of our organization and assist us in creating an endowment fund which we can utilize to ensure the program will continue and be affordable for young women athletes from all income levels.


The Polar Bears organization is tax exempt under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3).

National Championship Titles

Year Location Level
1986 Detroit, MI U12 Tier 1
1990 Detroit, MI U16 Tier I
1991 Boston, MA U16 Tier I
1995 Syracuse, NY U12 Tier 1
1996 Bloomington, MN U12 Tier 1
1997 Boston, MA U12 Tier 1
1997 Boston, MA U16 Tier I
1998 Anaheim, CA U16 Tier I
1999 Minneapolis, MN U19 Tier I
2004 Rochester, NY U19 Tier I
2011 Anaheim, CA U16 Tier 2
2012 Frisco, TX U16 Tier 2
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