The
Central York Panthers would like to congratulate our 2024-25 Assistant
Captain Klaire Essex on her commitment to McKendree University and
playing hockey for the NCAA Division III McKendree University Bearcats
women's hockey team. The path to get to this point for student athletes
can be very challenging and takes a great deal of dedication. We are
beyond proud of Klaire and her relentless pursuit of her dreams. This is
an amazing announcement for a lifelong Panther!
For Immediate Release
(April 7, 2025 Aurora, Ontario) – The Central York Girls Hockey Association are pleased to announce that their 2024-25 Jr Panther Klaire Essex has committed to play NCAA Division III Women's Hockey for the McKendree University Bearcats in Lebanon, Illinois for the upcoming season.
Klaire was an integral part of the Central York Panthers Junior program for the past two seasons and has been a Panther since she was 5 years old. Over the years of being a Panther Klaire has been a favourite amongst her teammates and prided herself on making everyone feel valued on the team. Her leadership qualities led coaches and teammates to choose her for leadership positions year after year. Klaire has always made it a point to give back by helping out younger Panthers at practices and skill development sessions. Her own skill development led her to be an impact player as she moved through the ranks of the Panthers High Performance program. Klaire is a highly skilled player that creates offense every time she steps on the ice while playing a strong defensive game that helps her team to create quick turnovers all over the ice.
“Central York has been my home away from home for the past 13 years, shaping me as a player and a person. Getting to play for the Jr team the past 2 years has been a dream - this team is my second family, and the culture built on character and unity is even stronger than what I was told. I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything. I want to say a huge thank you to the past Panthers who have paved the way for this program. I also want to thank my family, my teammates, Coach Steve, Jamie, Mark, Pete, Anna and Carly, who have all helped me grow and get to this point…. I owe everything to this organization and will always be a Panther! I can’t wait to take the next step with McKendree University. Thank you to everyone who has supported me - I am forever grateful”, Klaire Essex communicated in a statement.
In 2019 the Junior program made a significant effort to build a team first culture that would appeal to other like-minded individuals and Klaire has been a leading force in keeping that movement alive. Klaire has taken her role as a lifelong Panther very seriously and knows that more is expected of her both on the ice and in a position to be a strong role model for the younger Panthers. Her commitment to the program was undeniable as she combined her strong on ice play with a commitment to developing and implementing team core values that would set the stage for future years to come.
“I’m really excited to have Klaire join our program. She is a skilled hockey player and a great student. The leadership skills she learned while being a member of the Central York Junior Panthers will make her an even greater addition to our program”, pronounced McKendree University Bearcats Head Coach Derek Pallardy.
Central York’s Junior Head Coach Steve Dempsey is heartened by this signing. “Klaire was one of the elite players in the Panthers High Performance Program when I first took over and I will always be grateful to her for believing in me and what I am trying to do here. Klaire’s talent is undeniable but she is also a fierce competitor and it will help to set her apart at the university level. I think with the coaching she will get from Derek Pallardy that Klaire will be an impact player in the NCAA for years to come. I can’t wait to see her play for McKendree in the Purple and White”.
