A Second Family

I've never understood what I like so much about hockey. Of course I love competing, and always having room to grow and develop my skills as well as my skills outside of hockey (leadership, the ability to have hard conversations, time management, commitment - the list goes on). But what has really kept me in it since I was 3 years old? Its actually very simple. Its not scoring goals, or defending a key player, its not winning games, or even getting rookie of the year for my accomplishments/successes. Its quite simply the people, and the relationships I've developed over the years. Without a team there is no hockey. I would not be where I am today without all of the amazing players and coaches that I've met along the way and will continue to meet. The lifelong friendships and memories are what make the experience unforgettable and I look forward to what new experiences and relationships hockey has to offer for me.

“The rink. A place where I've laughed, But also cried. Had my biggest successes, And my biggest failures. It is where I belong.”- Unknown

No matter what

Picture yourself moving to a new city, not knowing a single person, moving into a new house (with new people you also don't know), and not knowing your way around the city. This was me two years ago. I came to Edmonton (NAIT) to pursue post secondary education as well as to play at the collegiate level in women's hockey. I was very hesitant to move here because of the circumstances I've listed above. It sounds terrifying. Luckily I took a chance; and it paid off. My teammates are what made my move and transition of moving away from home attainable. Coming onto a team such as NAIT is a surreal experience. Edmonton has become my home, and my teammates family. Its crazy how close you become with complete strangers just because we wear the same logo and have a common goal. But it happens, and magically your family will do anything for each other. No matter what happens, whether it be on the ice sticking up for your teammates after a bad hit, or off the ice when someone tries to mess with your girls, you ALWAYS have each others back. Its a bond that not many get to experience and its tough to understand if you've never been on a team (especially college hockey). You spend everyday either training, practicing, studying, playing in games, volunteering, and some girls even live together (including myself). Thinking about how much time you spend with these strangers its not hard to understand how we form such an unbreakable bond with one another. These friendships are ones I will never forget and I will forever be thankful for them.