Franki DeVingo

Ice hockey was never really something that Norwood’s Franki DeVingo saw herself participating in, but years after her first introduction to skating, she has found herself as a second year captain for the Mustangs girls’ ice hockey team.
“I was involved in dance, but at the age of six I decided to quit that as I didn’t like people telling me what to do,” DeVingo said. “My father, who was involved in hockey in high school, enrolled me in a learn to skate program. I thought he was doing this to force me into hockey, so I almost immediately refused to play hockey, but by the end I saw others skating around with a hockey stick and I wanted that too.”
Once she got that hockey stick in her hands she didn’t want to give it up. She soon found herself participating in an instructional program on the Norwood Pond where she was taught the basic fundamentals on how to play the sport. After briefly playing on a U12 team, she found out that the town didn’t have a program for her age group and she had to join a league in Westwood if she wanted to continue playing hockey.
Upon entering high school, she immediately looked to play hockey for the Mustangs. Having originally been a center, she moved to the back of the rink to sure up the defense as she had a good vision of the ice.
“I was excited about trying out and was hoping to make the varsity team because they were going to be good that year," DeVingo said. "I also knew that they needed defense, but was unsure if I would make the team. It was a nerve racking experience, but I became one of three defenders to play regularly. Senior Shannon Gillis and junior Erin Kelly helped me get through the year.”
Following her freshman campaign with the Mustangs who got to the Division 2 Tournament, DeVingo found herself basically playing hockey year round. During the summer, she played in West Roxbury, and in the fall participated on a U19 team in Norwood. She also was a midfielder on the Norwood field hockey team and a defender on the lacrosse team. Norwood failed to make the tournament in her sophomore season and then once again last year as a junior.
“She’s been on the team since her freshman season and has shown leadership and dedication to the sport,” Norwood Assistant Coach Molly Barefoot said. “On the ice you know you’re going to get consistency from Franki; she rarely has bad shifts. She’s a very solid player that keeps her opponents to the outside and we’re very happy to have her playing back there.”
After being an assistant captain for the Mustangs last winter, DeVingo has been given the reigns as captain of the squad this season and she’s ready for the challenge.
“I’m always looking to improve so I need to be more vocal this year as the team’s captain," Devingo said. "I have worked hard during the off-season to improve skill wise, and I encourage the team to get involved as well. Our goal this year is to get back to the tournament. I remember how fun my freshman year was and how close the team was so I’m hoping to keep this team untied and ready to go each and every game.”
Although one of the shortest players on the ice at any given time, the 5’4” DeVingo brings a fierce tenacity to the game.
“She’s the shortest defender on the ice, but despite being small in stature she can keep up with just about anyone and plays a really tough game,” Barefoot said.
DeVingo believes that sometimes her game may be too aggressive.
“I may be small, but I may be too aggressive at times and it gets me a lot of penalties,” the Mustang defender said. “The opposition learns real quickly not to take me for granted.”
As the senior enters her final campaign with the Norwood squad, she is planning on using her overall hockey skills and communications to help her team return to the Division 2 Tournament.
“I’m a smart player on the ice, but I believe that I still need to not only push myself in practice but the rest of the team as well,” DeVingo said. "I need to improve my offensive skills by taking the space and skating with more confidence as well as improving my shot.”
Norwood is hoping that the senior defender will be able to master these offensive skills while keeping her hard-nosed defensive style of play intact as she leads the Mustangs back to the playoffs.