From Rival to Role Model: How Paige Sorensen is Shaping the Next Generation of Eden Prairie Hockey

This post is part of a four‑part series highlighting the Eden Prairie girls’ hockey assistant coaches — the women shaping the next generation of players through leadership, connection, and community.

High school hockey is often remembered in snapshots — the locker room laughter, the long bus rides, the friendships that outlast the final buzzer. For Eden Prairie assistant coach Paige Sorensen, those moments matter just as much as the on‑ice development. When we spoke, she shared a coaching philosophy rooted in connection, joy, and meeting players where they are. Paige brings a rare blend of Division I experience, multidimensional interests, and genuine empathy to a program she once faced as a rival. Her story is a testament to how the game grows when former players return not just to coach, but to care.

From Wayzata to Merrimack — and Back to Minnesota

Paige’s hockey journey began in Minnesota, where she grew up playing for the Wayzata program. After graduating, she went on to play four years of Division I hockey at Merrimack College, double‑majoring in Environmental Studies & Sustainability and Music. During her time there, she served as a three‑year captain and earned both Hockey East academic and athletic honors.

Her leadership experience at Merrimack continues to shape her coaching today. She describes her style as “leading from the bottom up,” meeting players where they are and building trust through connection rather than command.

“Leadership shouldn’t be static. You have to adapt to the needs of the group to make things successful.”

Coaching With Connection, Care, and Perspective

When I asked Paige what she hopes players take away from a season with her, she didn’t hesitate: fun, connection, and the feeling of being genuinely cared for.

“People aren’t going to remember individual coaching advice 10 or 15 years later — they’re going to remember how much fun they had, how their coach made them feel, and how much they cared.”

Paige is intentional about understanding her players as whole people. She knows high school athletes carry academic pressures, social dynamics, and personal challenges far beyond the rink. Her goal is to earn their respect, build trust, and help them grow in ways that extend well beyond hockey.

Her multidimensional background — spanning sustainability, music, and now her career at Cargill — gives her a unique lens. She encourages players to embrace their own varied interests and reminds them that hockey can be a meaningful part of their identity without being the entire story.

“People are multidimensional. Hockey isn’t the end‑all, be‑all, and I want to understand what drives players outside the rink.”

The Importance of Women Returning to Coach

One theme Paige returned to often was the growing number of former women’s hockey players stepping into coaching roles — a shift she believes is vital for the sport’s continued growth.

“Having young female voices in the coaching space, especially in Minnesota, is super important. It’s a perspective that not every coach can understand.”

She sees firsthand how meaningful it is for young athletes to learn from women who have lived the experience of girls’ and women’s hockey. It’s representation that matters — and it’s shaping the next generation in powerful ways.

From Rival to Role Model: Joining Eden Prairie

Because Paige grew up playing for Wayzata, I was curious what it felt like to join the coaching staff of a program she once viewed as a rival. She laughed as she described the mental shift — walking into the Eden Prairie rink, remembering the intensity of past matchups, and suddenly seeing the space through a new lens.

But the transition was smoother than she expected. Former teammates and opponents reached out with excitement and support, and she quickly felt at home within the EP community.

“To be at a program that has such a history of performance and excellence is really great to be able to contribute to that.”

During her second season, both the girls’ and boys’ programs underwent full locker room renovations — a moment that reinforced for Paige just how deeply the community is invested in the long‑term growth of Eden Prairie hockey.

A Coaching Staff With Depth and Balance

Paige has been coaching for about five years, but she’s surrounded by colleagues with decades of experience. She sees that diversity — in age, background, coaching style, and hockey history — as one of the program’s greatest strengths.

Each coach brings something different, and Paige believes that ensures every player has someone they naturally connect with. It’s a staff that values collaboration, communication, and a shared commitment to developing confident, well‑rounded athletes.

Looking Ahead: Building Players, Not Just Hockey Skills

Paige’s approach to coaching is grounded in empathy, adaptability, and a deep understanding of what it means to grow up in the Minnesota hockey world. She pushes her players to work hard and strive for excellence, but she also recognizes the importance of balance — especially at the high school level.

Her hope is that players leave the program not only as better athletes, but as more confident, connected, and self‑aware young women.

Talking with Paige reinforced just how much heart goes into building a program like Eden Prairie’s. Her blend of experience, empathy, and perspective creates an environment where players feel seen, supported, and challenged in all the right ways. As girls’ and women’s hockey continues to grow — from local rinks to the PWHL — leaders like Paige are shaping a generation that understands hockey as both a sport and a community. Eden Prairie is lucky to have her, and I’m grateful to share her story.