Norton High to Get Hockey Program Next Year

Next year, Norton High School will have the opportunity to hit the ice with their hockey sticks.

The Norton Hockey Organization presented the School Committee with an outline of how a hockey program would work at a meeting Jan. 7. Run by hockey parents, the Norton Hockey Organization (NHO) is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization that was incorporated in 2006 for the purpose of supporting a community youth hockey program for Norton residents at the middle school age level. The middle school program allows male and female students from various youth hockey organizations to play on a team that represents their community.

According to the group, this year Norton High School lost 14 potential students to other local schools who had a hockey program.

Up until now, Norton was the only high school in the MIAA’s Tri Valley League without a hockey program. The organization intends on joining the league by the 2015-16 season.

For each of the past seven seasons, the NHO has supported one or more middle school teams in the Foxboro Junior High School Hockey League with the hope of someday establishing a program at the high school level. There are 125 Norton youth hockey players ages 5 to 18.

Norton Hockey Organization will fund the high school program for a minimum of three years. They currently have over $10,000 in the account balance. They receive the money through athletic fees, donations, grants and fundraisers. The athletic fee for hockey will be $500. In the first year, the organization expects to obtain $8,500 in athletic fees, $7,000 in pledges, $12,500 from a golf tournament being held June 24 and a cookout fundraiser Aug. 17 at the Parks and Recreation facility.

For more information check out the Norton Hockey Facebook page.