That’s right, girls too. Wesley Chapel’s Ben Maronn, 12, took the three-day camp with his 7-year-old sister Nora.

“I try to tell her where to shoot,” said Ben, a goaltender for the past two seasons.

Jeff Maronn said his daughter was inspired while watching American gold medalist Kendall Coyne race against National Hockey League players during the all-star game activities in San Jose, Calif.

Emilee Runnels, an instructor who plays for the Florida Women’s Hockey League, welcomes young girls to the camps. After all, she knows first-hand what they are dealing with.

“We want to show them that hockey is a fun sport,” she said. “Hockey’s a girl’s sport too and it shouldn’t be so intimidating. I think the Lightning have a good program to get girls into it.”

Instructors at camps throughout the Tampa Bay area have included Tyler Johnson, the team’s fourth-leading scorer last season, former Lightning defenseman Jassen Cullimore, who played on the 2004 Stanley Cup champion squad, and Mathieu Garon, an ex-Lightning goalie.

The goal of the camps for youngsters from ages 5-15 was simplified by Garon, who said, “It’s getting them to have fun playing hockey and learning the game.”

Mark Ruiz, who plays hockey in the adult league, watched his son suit up as a goalie for last week’s camp. Skyler Kasoff, 9, has played hockey for one year. Ruiz and wife Michele Kasoff, also have a daughter Hayden who has just started playing hockey. The 7-year-old figure skates as well.

“It’s good for them to be out there, it’s the challenge,” Michele Kasoff said.