Kyra Connelly has never played organized hockey, but she still believes that hockey is for everyone.
That motto is what inspired the 19-year-old from Reading, Mass., to create the cover for this month's issue of USA Hockey Magazine.
Growing up in such 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 as she followed as her classmates made a deep playoff run and played at the TD Garden in Boston.
"I've been always looking for fun organized things to do, and going to hockey games became one of those things," Connelly said.
Besides following the on-ice action, Connelly also started drawing regularly while attending Reading Memorial. 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 has continues to expand her portfolio now, 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."