Pittsburgh, Pa. – Colonials fans who attended any Robert Morris University women's hockey games at 84 Lumber Arena this past season will remember watching local youth players excitedly skate out to the blue line with their favorite RMU student-athletes as their names were announced during the pregame protocol. But that is just one small part of the Big Sister Little Sister program.
 
A new venture as of last year, the Big Sister Little Sister program was created by RMU women's hockey assistant coach Chelsea Walkland with the help of the U10 Pitt Elite program and two its team managers, Jen Hewitt and Cristy Meinert. Walkland wanted to find a way to connect the Colonials with the local youth hockey community and create a bond between the student-athletes and their "little sisters" for life.
 
"I think it kind of opens their eyes to what is ahead of them and what's in their future, and really gives them a starting point to set goals for themselves," said Walkland of the benefits of the program for the U10 athletes.
 

At the start of the season, the Colonials hosted a pairing ceremony during which each RMU player was assigned a "little sister" from the U10 Pitt Elite program to mark the official beginning of the program and the start of what Walkland hopes will be a tradition for Robert Morris women's hockey for years to come.
 
"Our girls are great role models and great ambassadors for women's hockey," Walkland said of the Colonials. "They really get a lot out of giving back to the sport and also serving as a mentor for the younger girls."
 
One of Walkland's main goals for the program was to help develop relationships in which the members of her team at Robert Morris would serve as role models for the younger athletes.
 
"I think our girls kind of feel like they're celebrities," Walkland joked, "and they really get a kick out of that."
 
For the "little sisters," Walkland hopes this experience inspires them to work hard and will be used as a motivational tool to teach the youth athletes what they can aspire to be some day, on and off the ice.
 
 
Follow RMU Women's Hockey:
@RMUWHockey
@rmu_w_hockey
Robert Morris University Athletics