Only female on Tampa Jr. Bulls hockey wants to know what drills Stamkos runs in practice

TAMPA, Fla. - Even in practice, the Tampa Jr. Bulls hockey team is tough and competitive. It's an all-boys team – except Jordyn Kimmel.

Hockey is in her blood.

Her dad and granddad play and she picked up skating at a young age. 

"She used to watch me play as she was growing up and we introduced her to public skating at a very young age," said her father Michael Kimmel, who came on board as an assistant coach on the team after his daughter got involved. "She loved that. She got her first hockey stick in her hands at about three years old. She just wanted to keep at it."

He said he has no worries about her being on the ice with the boys.

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"She's always been very tenacious on her own, being very physical and aggressive when necessary. She's a strong skater so I think that helps her to be safe in a sense. They don't cut her any extra slack which I think is good but they don't treat her any different in a negative connotation either she's just another member," said Michael. 

Jordyn has played on girls teams, too, but there's something that she likes about competing with the boys. 

"Because they're more fast and physical," she said. "They're really rough and they stand up for each other. I mean, it's pretty fun, they support you."

Jordyn joined the Tampa Jr. Bulls the same way anyone else would. 

"Playing, working and trying out alongside everybody else and earning a spot on the team," Coach Adam Raschke explained.

At just 10 years old, she's already becoming a role model.

"The kids that she plays with have little sisters that will watch and some of them actually have started to play hockey and they come to the games and see her play so I think she can kind of influence a lot," said Jordyn's mother, Nikki Kimmel.

Raschke said more girls come into the sport every year and the interest is only going to grow.

As for Jordyn, there's one member of the Tampa Bay Lightning she looks up to. 

"Steve Stamkos. Because he's right-handed and he's the captain of my favorite team. I want to know what drills he does for practice," she said.

She may be the only female on the team, but she stands out for other reasons.

"We wish everyone would be as tough and hard-nosed and digging the pucks out in the corner as Jordyn, so there's no hesitation, there's no fear in her game. She's one of our hardest playing players on the ice," said Raschke. 

For more information about Tampa Jr. Bulls Hockey, visit https://www.tampajrbullshockey.com.