Redmond Patch Whiz Kid: Olivia Clark, sporting pioneer

Welcome to Whiz Kids, a weekly feature on Redmond Patch. Each week, we'll be highlighting the accomplishments of one local young person or group of kids.

Do you know who our next Whiz Kid should be? Let us know in the comments field or send an e-mail to Caitlin.Moran@patch.com.

Without further ado, congratulations to Olivia Clark, our first honoree!

Name and age: Olivia Clark, 8

School: Wilder Elementary

Accomplishment: Playing competitive hockey in a male-dominated sport

Key to Awesomeness: At only 8 years old, Olivia Clark is already a young sporting pioneer. Olivia loves playing defense on her girl’s hockey team.

Female hockey has grown 350 percent in the past 10 years and that number is expected to increase as young players like Olivia continue to grow with the sport. Olivia likes playing hockey “because it's fun to play and fun to skate as hard as you can.”

The biggest obstacle that girls face when wanting to join a hockey team is often the
reluctance of their parents. Often parents view the sport as violent, but the violence that occurs in professional hockey is not what typically happens in girls hockey. With the proper coaching and training, this sport can be as safe as any other sport.

There are many benefits to hockey and it requires quick movements, concentration, focusing skills, team spirit and the need to make fast decisions.

“I feel lucky to be a girl hockey player because there are not a lot of girls that play hockey," Olivia said. "I think that more girls should play hockey because it's a really
fun sport."

If you are interested in girls hockey, you can go to www.whockey.com to learn more and find leagues in your area.

Do you know a kid or a program that everyone in Redmond should know about? Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to Caitlin.Moran@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator's Name
• Nominator's E-Mail
• Whiz Kid's Name
• Whiz Kid's Age
• Whiz Kid's School
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?)

If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you about getting a photo of the young person or team. For questions, e-mail caitlin.moran@patch.com