Women's hockey's Park City Predators in a photo from a tournament in December where they ended up on the podium in third. Photo: courtesy of Janell Kurchinski

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City Predators Women’s Ice Hockey Team has been where Janell Kurchinski has spent the last 10 seasons.

On winter Sunday afternoons, the 18-and-overs gather at the Park City ice arena to train. They play other local women’s teams from Ogden, Salt Lake, Provo, Bountiful, and Logan, usually with a couple of tournaments thrown into the mix each year.

Their most recent game was on a Sunday against Ogden, in which the Predators lost by one point. “It was a really fun, competitive game,” Kurchinski told TownLift. Their next game is February 4, in Bountiful against the Vixen.

“I started playing hockey when I turned 25. I was living in Jackson, Wyoming and it was a really fun way to get involved in the community and meet new friends. It’s a sport that I’ve been able to take with me to all the cities I’ve lived in since,” Kurchinski said. “Playing on women’s teams has given me confidence and support and lots of laughs and friendships. The Park City Predators are a great group of women that I love playing hockey with!”

Kinley, her teenage daughter, is following in her mother’s blade tracks. She’s on a coed rec league team in Murray and has weekly practice and games. She also practices in Park City with the coed U14 travel team a few days a week.

In a first for girls’ hockey in Utah, the Utah High School hockey community is excited to hold its first annual Ladies Invitational on March 15, at the Salt Lake Sports Complex.