Commitment Alert - Rhaea Flint, News, U18 AA, PHP (Central York Girls Hockey Association)

The Central York Girls Hockey Association are pleased to announce that their 2024-25 Jr Panther Rhaea Flint has committed to play NCAA Division 1 Women’s Hockey for the Lindenwood University Lady Lions in Saint Charles, Missouri, for the 2025-26 season.

Rhaea was an integral part of the Central York Panthers Junior program for the past two seasons and she has left an indelible mark on the PHP program and all who know her. Rhaea has left a “legacy” here with the Panthers that will have a positive impact for years to come. Rhaea epitomizes everything that we are looking for in a player. Rhaea’s heart and passion for the Panthers has inspired the next generation of Panthers. Anyone that came to watch the Jr Panthers over the past two seasons saw a player that was completely committed to the Panthers in every way possible. Rhaea headlined a strong “team first” group that boasted several Team Ontario High Performance players and was geared to play a fast, upbeat style of hockey that prepared these players for elite hockey opportunities. Rhaea is a natural athlete who has always excelled in any sport that she dedicates herself to. Known for her elite level of compete and being a multi-sport athlete, Rhaea has shown that she can balance her demanding athletic workload and still excel in the classroom. Rhaea is an outstanding example to the younger Panthers of someone who thinks team first in everything that she does. Her energy, inclusivity, love for her teammates, positivity, integrity, passion for the Panthers, and unwavering friendship will be dearly missed by all of us. When Rhaea wasn’t spending time with her teammates she was out training to be the best teammate she could be for her team. Rhaea was a great example of someone who never took a shortcut to get her game to the next level.

“Playing for the Central York Junior Panthers these past two years has been the experience of a lifetime. I loved being a Panther. Once a Panther, always a Panther! This experience has molded me into the player that I am today. The dedication of everyone here to run a high performance program along with the expectations placed upon the players to be a positive part of the team culture has inevitably led me to the opportunity to take my game to the next level. Coaches Steve, Mark, Jamie, Peter, Carly, Anna, Ryan, Monique along with my teammates have played an everlasting role in my development, not only in hockey but as a person. I can’t thank them enough. I am thrilled to be heading to Lindenwood University this fall to play NCAA Division 1 Women’s hockey and hope to build on my legacy that I have left here with the Panthers. CYP Junior is a special program, one that I will cherish forever!!” exclaimed Flint.

Central York’s Junior Head Coach Steve Dempsey is ecstatic about this signing. “Rhaea is an amazing person. Most people only see the player on the ice that works as hard as anyone and is a dynamic 200 foot player. But it is the behind the scenes stuff that really shows you the tremendous character that she has. Rhaea has done so much for me and this program, I can’t thank her enough. She has so much love for this team and passion for her teammates that you feel inspired whenever you are around Rhaea. There are some people you will come across in your life that you will remember forever. Rhaea is one of those people. She has touched all of our hearts and we will all be cheering for her at Lindenwood. She has shown the players what it means to be fully invested in something. Rhaea has set the bar very high when it comes to us looking for future players for this program. She has left a “legacy” here and the players that will be here next year know that she will be watching them to make sure that they continue to build a program of excellence here. The work has only begun for this program but we are already so much further along because of the efforts of Rhaea and others. I am excited for Rhaea and her future at Lindenwood. They are very lucky to have her and we will miss her tremendously. You don’t replace someone like Rhaea. You are just very grateful to have had her with you for as long as you did!”