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10 // AUGUST 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM PHOTO COURTESY OF Kyra Connelly COVER She's Got You Covered By Ryan Williamson O F F T HE D R AW Massachusetts Artist Creates A Cover That Shows That Hockey Is For Everyone K yra Connelly has never played orga- nized hockey, but she still believes that hockey is for everyone. That motto is what inspired t h e 1 9 - y e a r - o l d f r o m R e a d i n g , M a s s . , t o create the cover for this month's issue of USA Hockey Magazine. G r ow i n g u p i n s u c h a hockey-rich area, Connelly had plenty of opportunities to fall in love with the sport. As a young fan, she watched the likes of the Boston Bruins, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern and a number of other teams with Beantown ties. Once she enrolled at Reading Memorial High School, she was a regular at her school's games. She followed her classmates as they made a deep playoff run. "I've always been looking for fun organized things to do, and g oing to hockey games became one of those things," Connelly said. B e s i d e s f o l l o w i n g t h e o n - i c e a c t i o n , Connelly started drawing in high school. What started with portraits of her friends soon became a regular hobby. Currently, she is attending the University of New Hampshire where she is a mainstay at UNH games and has joined the school's fan section, which is called the 'Cat Pack.' She also keeps up with USA Hockey action, watching each game of Team USA's run to gold at the 2017 IIHF Men's World Junior Championship. As for the artistic side of things, Connelly continues to expand her port- folio, and has even created signs for students to wave at UNH games. With a strong passion for both hockey and drawing, Connelly said the Create the Cover contest was an exciting opportunity to get her message across that "hockey is for everyone." "One of the reasons why I love this sport is that it is for everyone," she said. "No matter your age, gender, size, ethnicity or ability, hockey provides a unifying, electric atmosphere for any player or fan. Hockey brings people together, promotes inclusion and is a thrill to watch." P "Hockey brings people together." Ushering In A New Ice Age U.S. Hall of Fame Class of 2017 A Bonanza Of Bay Staters AUGUST 2017 $3.95 AN INSIDE LOOK AT U.S. HOCKEY'S HALLOWED HALL OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR WOMEN IN HOCKEY VETS HELP YOUNGSTERS NAVIGATE PRO RANKS ONE TEAM, ONE LOVE Hockey Is For Everyone Under The Red, White & Blue Banner Kyra Connelly, Reading, Mass. CONTEST WINNER!