Photo provided by Paige Counsman University Liggett 2010 grad Paige Counsman stands with the Miss Hockey trophy she was awarded in March.

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

GROSSE POINTE FARMS — Paige Counsman remembers the days leading up to her sophomore hockey season at Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett. More importantly, she remembers an idea, somewhat ridiculous at the time, that her dad put in her mind.

“He told me about the Miss Hockey award, and that I should set my goals toward winning that some day,” Counsman recalled last week. “I didn’t know much about or think anything of it at first. That year, it really didn’t even cross my mind.”

But as Counsman matured, so did her outlook on just where her career could go, and how good she could be.

Despite leading the Michigan Metro Girls Hockey High School Hockey League in scoring as a sophomore, it was during the 2008-09 season when things started to blossom.

“Once my junior year started, I really focused on what my dad said,” she said. “I know he told me about it as a way of motivating me, and that’s what it became. It was motivation I needed to keep working and to play at the best of my abilities.”

Her junior year was solid, to say the least. For the second season in a row, she led the league in scoring and solidified herself as one of the best players in the state.

But it was her senior year when she would finally take home that award her dad had talked about.

Counsman, or Miss Hockey 2010, if you will, was a force for the Knights this past season.

In 18 games, she scored 26 goals, had 11 assists and 37 points, all tops on the team.
Aggressive, yet smart, she sat in the penalty box all of two minutes for the entire season.

“Her senior year was probably the most difficult because of the way teams approached her,” Liggett coach Laura Owczarski said. “She was double and triple teamed all year, and while her stats weren’t like the past two years, she still had the ability to come away with the puck and score two or three goals any given night. Coaches did their best to stop and game plan for her, but usually it didn’t matter.”

Counsman received the Miss Hockey award in mid-March at the All-State banquet.
She said it was an experience she won’t soon forget.

“To be around all those great athletes and get to interact with the guys and girls that were named All-State, it was pretty special,” she boasted. “It was an unbelievable experience.”

And one she hopes to carry with her to the next level.

In the fall, Counsman is set to attend the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Ca., where she’ll play on the school’s field hockey team.

“Right now, my goal is to get there and find a way to get as much playing time as possible,” she said.

Then again, maybe her dad will have an idea or two.

“Without a doubt,” she said with a laugh. “He’s always finding ways to motivate me.”

You can reach Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038.