Cape's 'Cookies' don't crumble at tournament time

Barbara Dougherty - one tough Cookie, a nickname she's had for years - made a return visit to Cape hockey's Halloween practice Oct. 31 to speak to the team about hockey and health, friendship, sportsmanship, tradition and more hockey, a sport the 72-year-old Cookie has carried with her since she played at Notre Dame Academy in Baltimore, Md.

Last Halloween practice, the Cape team presented her with an autographed hockey stick courtesy of Carrie Lingo and the United States Olympic team. This year after the on-field coalescing of costumed characters, Dougherty presented each team member with a 2014 Survivors Calendar from the Beebe Health Care Tunnell Cancer Center. She is a survivor of primary peritoneal  cancer and fittingly appears for the month of November,  when the hockey state tournament is played. Last year, Cape won the championship and brought the championship trophy to Barbara, who was in Beebe recovering from heavy-duty surgery.

Barbara closed her message to the players by saying, ”I wish you all the best of luck as you go forward. Your coaches, family, friends, school and community are all behind you. Rebound your shots, know every corner is a potential goal, keep your sticks down, respect the opposition, stay loyal to each other through life, and always be tough cookies."