When someone asks me to tell them a little bit about my life, the first thing I think is that I play hockey. It has consumed my life since I was 5 years old.
Stepping on to the ice this year, one fact was clear: this would be my last season of organized hockey ever. I will not be playing varsity hockey next year in college.
The first time I stepped on the ice to play hockey, was inspiring. Ending this chapter of my life is the most bittersweet moment I have had.
Hockey has not only been an enjoyable activity for me, but has also become a major de-stressor, a place where I can forget all of my problems and live in the moment.
My teammates, past and present, are part of my family; unchosen and people I wouldn’t know or talk to if not for our sharing seemingly endless hours at the rink.
The times when coach would scream, and yell at each one of us individually or as a group, threatening to bench certain people; the days when we weren’t allowed pucks for a practice and just conditioned on the ice, we were there to pick each other up. When we had any success, including losing to Benilde — a hockey powerhouse — only by nine goals, was celebrated. These are the ladies who sometimes get on my last nerve and then save me from huge mistakes on the ice.
To see it all coming to an end is devastating, because it has been such a huge part of my life for so long, but also I’m gaining some part of my life and time back.
Through the years, I have learned so much from the sport about life, including discipline, accountability and respect.
The girls’ hockey team has seen little success during the last five years while I have been on the team. Despite the frustration, I always find myself yearning for the ice.
I often find myself looking back at this time and wishing I had taken better advantage of the ice that I wasted to become a better player before my final year.