Claudine started playing hockey at the age of eight, when girls in ice hockey were virtually unheard of in New Jersey. She started her youth hockey career playing in Northern New Jersey clinics, house leagues and summer camps, taking every opportunity for any ice
time that she could get.

As a high school freshman, Claudine made goalie on the high school varsity boys’ team eventually earning the starting goalie position
and assistant team captain. Her success as goalie helped the Verona High School hockey team earn a berth in the NJSIAA state tournament in 1992. At that time, she was featured in Sports Illustrated (02/08/1993 issue) for her outstanding playing ability, dueling against the opponent’s goalie. She also had extensive media coverage by a Japanese news outlet and several national television stations and newspapers.

Claudine was awarded “Athlete of the Year” of her 1993 graduating class. She earned four varsity letters in boys’ ice hockey, four in softball and three in soccer. During high school, she also played in goal with the Ironbound Bandits (Newark, NJ), a mid-Atlantic Women’s Hockey League senior- level team, playing throughout the mid-Atlantic region and Canada.

Claudine was recruited by several colleges and universities, but chose Boston College, an NCCA women’s hockey team as goalie. Claudine forged the way for other girls to play, opening the doors as a pioneer in women’s hockey. In 2022- 23, she managed the Cinco Ranch High School Ice Hockey Team in Katy, TX, which she enjoyed with her son Brendan.

Claudine Peitrucha