Email: "Vermontville native heading to Division I"
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For the past five years, Stephanie DeMars, a native of Vermontville, has proven that she belongs among the elite athletes who play for the National Sports Academy’s girls hockey team. 


    For her efforts, she’s been rewarded with a full athletic scholarship to Providence University in Rhode Island. The signing was announced recently at a special ceremony at NSA. At the same time, Rebecca Morse, of Westfield N.J., was also honored for receiving a full athletic scholarship to the same university for women’s hockey. The two are currently co-captains at NSA.


    “We’re really happy,” said DeMars, who said she was surprised her friend will be joining her there. “We’ve been together for a long time.”


    Morse is a defensive player. DeMars plays both center and defense.


    DeMars’ coach, Bill Ward, said she is very versatile. Ward praised DeMars as someone who can play physically or control the puck.


    “I describe her as a power forward with the versatility to play defense,” Ward said. “She’s just a strong two-way player. She’s really good in the defensive zone.”


    In her five years at NSA, DeMars has scored 45 goals and had 99 assists for 144 points. Last season, she had 18 goals and 27 assists (for 45 total points) in what was the best season ever for NSA’s girls hockey team. The team finished 45-20-9. She also led the team with seven power play goals.


    DeMars is also well-rounded in the classroom. She’s an honor roll student and has won a community service and two faculty awards (for her dedication in the classroom) at NSA. She is also president of the student body.


    DeMars  learned how to play hockey watching her brother, Jacques, and sister, Renee, play, as a little girl. Now, she has a chance to fulfill a dream.


    “It’s what I wanted since I was little: to play Division I,” she said.


    Ward thinks that her time at NSA has prepared her well to make the jump to the college level. In recent years, NSA has been playing the best under-19 teams in the U.S. and Canada.


    “She’s a player who has been here five years,” Ward said. “With her work-ethic, with her skill, she’s a player many people look up to. And she’s very coachable. It’s been a joy to coach her for five years.”

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