13,000 2024 IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ACTIVITY BOOKS DELIVERED TO UTICA-AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 
Members of the Utica University Women’s Ice Hockey Team Deliver more than 400 IIHF Women’s World Championship Activity Books to Westmoreland Upper Elementary School
Utica-Area Elementary School Students To Attend Selected IIHF Women’s World Championship Games
Thirteen-thousand 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship Activity Books were delivered today to grades 2-6 students in 55 schools throughout the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison and the Madison-Oneida BOCES’. More than 400 of those were hand-delivered by members of the Utica University women’s hockey team to students at Westmoreland Upper Elementary School.
“We are so fortunate to have an event like this happening in our region. It gives our students the chance to learn more about women in sports, the challenges they face and what it’s like to be a woman who plays a sport,” said Superintendent Rocco Migliori, Westmoreland Central School District. “This activity book will not only help prepare our kids for the championship game, but it will also teach them about countries, where they’re located and the rules of hockey. We are so grateful our students have the opportunity to be a part of such an incredible event.”
The 12-page activity book is designed so that teachers can engage and build excitement for their students about the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, coming to Utica, N.Y. and the Adirondack Bank Center, April 3-14, 2024. It gives students the opportunity to learn about the exciting sport of women’s ice hockey by explaining the game’s rules, while delivering insight on the international origins of the players participating in the 10-nation tournament and festival. It also provides stats and guidance for cheering at a game. The interactive pages feature coloring sections, mazes, word searches and more.
“We really enjoyed our time with the students today, seeing the smiles on their faces,” remarked Utica University women’s ice hockey team player Erica Sheaffer (New Hartford, N.Y.), who was joined by teammates and Erica Sloan (Potsdam, N.Y.), Madison Novotney (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) and Whitney Caroline (Raleigh, N.C.), in delivering the books to the students. “The kids were so excited when they received them, and we really enjoyed being here to talk about women’s hockey and the upcoming tournament.”
“I’m very grateful for all that we get to do and how we get to learn and see these countries,” added Westmoreland Upper Elementary School student Lilliana Zimmerman. “I like how it teaches us and tells us when we can see the games and it teaches us how to play hockey.”
In addition to the activity guide, field trips have been arranged for area students to attend selected tournament games. The games include the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship opening game, when Denmark squares off against Sweden, at 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 3. The other games include China taking on Japan, 11 a.m., Thursday, April 4, and Germany facing off against Sweden, Monday, April 9. This game is also scheduled to start at 11 a.m.
“For many students, this is a once-in-a-life time opportunity to attend a global event,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “Oneida County is proud to be the tournament host and a lead partner, and we’re thrilled to able to give thousands of local students the ability to attend a game, feel the energy and see this amazing world-class event in person. We hope others will choose to be a part of the unique and historic experience as well.”
Tickets for all 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship games are still available and can be purchased by visiting 2024.womensworlds.hockey/tickets or stopping by the Adirondack Bank Center box office.
The 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship features the world’s 10 best hockey teams. The U.S. women’s team opens play April 3, at 7 p.m., against Switzerland. All 29 games of the event will be staged at the Adirondack Bank Center.
The 2024 tournament marks just the fifth time the U.S. has hosted the event and the first time since 2017 when the tournament was held in Plymouth, Mich. Other U.S. host cities have included Lake Placid, N.Y. (1994), Minneapolis, Minn. (2001), and Burlington, Vt. (2012).
The U.S. is the defending world champion, and since the tournament’s inception in 1990, has appeared in every gold-medal game.
To learn more about the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, click HERE.
Photos from today’s Utica University women’s ice hockey team visit to Westmoreland Upper Elementary School and 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship activity book are available for download HERE. Photos, courtesy of the Adirondack Sports Council (ADKSC), will be available for one (1) week.
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