The Lightning, an all-female hockey team from West Chester, is a tight-knit community with a strong sense of camaraderie across generations, writes Lisa Dukart for Main Line Today.

Members of the team are anywhere from their mid-20s to early 60s, with their eclectic work backgrounds as diverse as veterinary professionals to software designers.

The Lightning is a member of the United Women’s Hockey League. It was founded 15 years ago and has been playing home games at West Chester’s Ice Line ever since.

However, while most of the players are nimble on the ice these days, that was not always the case. Many had never skated before, so they had to take learn-to-play ice hockey and roller-skating classes before joining the team.

The team also has a few younger players who grew up around the sport, such as Danielle Speroff, who played at West Chester University.

While other teams usually focus exclusively on winning, that is just a bonus for the West Chester team.

“Not all teams would just accept people, but I don’t care,” said Elizabeth Cottle, one of the team’s founders. “You want to play? Come on.”

Read more about the Lightning in Main Line Today here.

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