Out of all the sports our school participates in, roller hockey would have to be its most overshadowed. 

   It is similar to ice hockey but different in that it has one less player on the floor, is co-ed, and is more of a constant flow than on the ice, especially with the games lasting an hour with three periods. 

   The PHS team practices and plays in a roller rink at the Escondido Sports Center. In their first five games, they  won against Westview ( 6-2), Escondido Charter (5-0) and Scripps Ranch (4-3). They lost against Del Norte (2-5) and Scripps Ranch (2-4).

   Their team consists of both boys and girls of all different grades. Their captain and goalie, senior Destiny Provencio, is an essential asset to the team. 

   “We have great players and we work well together to win,” senior Provencio said.

   The team’s other leaders inlcude senior Richard Obert and sophomore Conner Liddle.

   They advocate for all of their games on social media through their Instagram account. Players do not see much difference to playing on a co-ed team. 

   “I appreciate everyone on the team for how they play and what I can learn from them,” senior Bella Grow said. 

   The combination of boys and girls on a team helps the players with their skill and their ability to play. While primarily on offense, Grow plays for whatever she’s put in. 

   “I grew up playing ice hockey with majority boys and me being the only girl, so I don’t feel any different than I normally do,” Provencio said. 

   With practices every Monday, this team has been working extra hard to go over basics that benefit their growth. Even their losses teach them new ways to improve.

   While the league is co-ed, not all teams contain both boys and girls. 

    Obert agrees that co-ed teams’ success all depend on how long a player has been playing

    “In this league because of how small the hockey community is in the area, it comes down to skill and knowledge rather than gender,” Obert said. 

    The Jan.11 game was an intense one, Cathedral Catholic putting up a fight. In the end Poway lost 2-6. They next play Escondido Charter on Jan. 30.