When Alyssa Wruble’s on the ice, playing hockey is all that matters.

The 17-year-old East Allen Township girl was so focused on her game she didn’t see the sign posted by a fan intended to taunt her.

She’s the only girl on the Northampton Area High School varsity hockey team. The team was eliminated in a playoff best-of-three series by Parkland on Wednesday. When she got home after the game she saw the sign on social media.

It asks “Alyssa gender reveal?” and has a blue box and a pink box.

The sign opened the floodgates to more than 800 comments when Alyssa’s aunt posted it on Facebook.

So here it is… My first serious rant on social media. Those of you that know me, know that I generally do not do a lot... Posted by Donna Bloss on Saturday, February 29, 2020

“Disgusting behavior,” wrote one commenter.

“What ridiculousness on all levels,” wrote another.

Most commenters lambasted Parkland and its fans over the sign posted on the rink glass so that players could see it while they skate. Parkland School District condemned the sign in a statement issued Sunday.

“There is no place for unsportsmanlike conduct or personal harassment in our school, or any where, and anyone involved will be disciplined according to Parkland policy and procedures,” the statement says.

The sign wasn’t posted by any Parkland players, coaches or their families, according to Mike Byelick. He was president of Parkland Ice Hockey but stepped down in the days following the controversy. He said he and his family have been subject to threats over the sign.

“We do not agree with it nor condone it. It’s unfortunate. We are handling it internally and working with the school district as well,” Byelick said.

Parkland Ice Hockey’s Vice President Rob Bilger agreed the sign was posted by a “random fan.” He said he sent a direct message to Alyssa’s mother, Heidi Wruble, a few days ago.

“I asked if I could personally offer an apology to Alyssa and her family,” he said Monday.

Heidi Wruble said she hasn’t responded to Bilger. She was disappointed that the message took days to arrive and only came after hundreds of commenters vilified Parkland on Facebook. She got the message late Saturday and spent Sunday focused on Alyssa’s championship game win with the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers.

Her Flyers junior team is associated with the Philadelphia Hockey Academy where Alyssa is a student. Alyssa’s participation in the hockey academy requires her to live in West Chester from Monday through Thursday and attend classes and hockey practices down there. Her participation brings her closer to her dream of playing Division I college hockey and perhaps playing for the U.S. Women’s team.

Alyssa Wruble plays ice hockey for Northampton Area High School.Photo courtesy Alyssa Wruble

She comes home on Fridays to participate with the Northampton Area team on weekends. She’s been playing ice hockey since she was 6, most of the time with boys. So she’s unfazed when players and fans take shots at her gender to get her off her game. She said fans cheer louder when she gets hit than if a male teammates gets hit.

“I laugh at that,” she said. “I take the hit. I know I what I signed up for.”

Byelick said his daughter plays hockey for Parkland. She’s been threatened and grabbed too, he said. Bilger said female players for Parkland have been taunted and this sort of misbehavior has to stop. He believes the league needs to take bullying more seriously. An email sent to the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League wasn’t returned.

Heidi Wruble said the sign wasn’t up when the game started. She couldn’t see it on the other side of the rink, but when she did she was shaking with anger.

“You don’t want to see something like that about your child,” she said. She discussed the sign with another parent who brought it to the attention of the rink manager. The Parkland High School principal took down the sign, according to a statement from the school district. He gave it to the rink manager, who gave it to Heidi Wruble.

Alyssa said the sign isn’t just a shot at her. It’s a shot at anyone who’s transgender, gay, lesbian or any female trying to play a male-dominated sport. It’s not acceptable.

But she won’t let any sign stand in the way of playing hockey at the highest level.

“It’s always been her dream,” Heidi Wruble said. “She just fell in love with this sport. It’s her passion.”

3/2/20 Post updated to remove pictures at the request of person in picture. Parkland High School and Parkland School... Posted by Parkland High School on Sunday, March 1, 2020

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.