A Rose is a rose

Junior co-captain Rose Alleva has played a big part in helping the Wingers go from just five wins last season to 14 wins and the No. 2 seed in the section this season.

A big difference this year is she has “quite a bit more assists,” Red Wing coach Scott Haley said.

Alleva is the second leading defensive scorer in the state, according to the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association Web site. Alleva has 22 assists and 28 goals this season for a total of 50 points.

Alleva, who has played varsity hockey since seventh grade, also excels in the classroom. She has been on the ‘A’ honor roll all through school.

She said she’s self-motivated to do well in academics and athletics, but added that the most inspirational people in her life are her brother, Josie, and her father, Bob.

It was Josie who got her interested in playing hockey, she said.

“I probably started skating at age 2 or 3, then shortly after playing hockey,” she said. “Our neighbors talked my dad into having my brother play hockey. Then my dad built a rink in our back yard, so I’d always watch my brother play and then I wanted to play.”

Due to head injuries sustained in a car accident in the summer of 2005, Josie can no longer play contact sports, but he still encourages his younger sister and helps her with her slap shot.

“He just motivates me then because he wants to play so bad,” Alleva said. “I guess I feel grateful because I can and he can’t.”

Being named co-captain along with fellow junior Jackie Friedrich is a responsibility that changed her perspective too. The two are the eldest team members, leading a group of primarily eighth- and ninth-graders along with four sophomores and two seventh-graders.

“I’m always used to being the younger person,” Alleva said, “and this year Jackie and I had to step it up in the leadership roles, which was really difficult because you don’t know what to do because you’re usually the one causing the trouble.

“You just have to step in when there’s a small fight or argument. ... You have to get the team pumped up for a game.”

Haley said the junior has done an excellent job of leading by example.

“She logs more ice time than probably any other player in the state,” he said. “She’s got a lot of responsibility ... A lot of times she’s out there to shut down the other team’s top players and yet she also leads the team in scoring.”

During the offseason, Alleva participates in two different programs - she’s involved in the Community Olympic Development Program and she plays for the Minnesota IceCats teams.

“I’ve been in the (IceCats) since U12,” Alleva said. “I think it helped me a lot, especially with my skating and stuff.”

Despite all her personal accomplishments, Haley said the most gratifying thing for Alleva is the success of the whole team.

“I know she takes more pride in that than she does in her own individual accomplishments,” he said. “Probably one of the most impressive things about Rose is she’s probably one of the most humble kids you’ll meet.”

Section playoffs

The Wingers, who received a bye in the first round of Section 1A playoffs, will face Faribault, a team they defeated in overtime during regular season.

“We’re pretty evenly matched,” Haley said. “We’ll have to play our ‘A’ game in order to come off successful. We’re both playing fairly good hockey going into the playoffs.”

Added Alleva: “Coach said the two E’s are execution and effort. So if we bring them we can for sure pull out a win.”