My women’s hockey team is celebrating our 10 year anniversary! An entire decade of on (and off) ice antics. Minus a few years of global pandemic.
The Goaldiggers are a fun and ever-evolving group of amazing women from all walks of life. And all skill levels – all of which are better than mine. But that doesn’t matter to me! Because I joined this hockey team ten years ago, and became a a real-life hockey player for the first time in my real-life.
We play in the Adult Safe Hockey League (ASHL) out of Canlan Ice Sports in Winnipeg. As one of the ‘older’ ladies on our team, at first glance it may seem like I’ve played a lifetime of hockey. Like I should be very experienced at hockey. But as soon as the first period of play unfolds, it’s usually quickly apparent that I haven’t. And I’m not.
Latecomer to women’s hockey
I started officially playing hockey at the age of 45. To my credit, I did prepare for my hockey career, and the big hockey draft. Yes, I was actually drafted to join this team! But that’s because my cousin was one of the organizers and invited me to play. So I was automatically in. Fortunately, she hadn’t actually ever seen me play beforehand.
As mentioned, I was sort of prepared for this inevitable hockey career. At the age of 39, I began years of intensive training that included an intro-to-hockey program, hockey fundamentals, and hockey skills. I played a little bit of daytime pick-up with music industry folks, and participated in three seasons of ‘dragon lady’ power-skating with a bunch of kids. All of whom were faster than me. Except the really slow ones.
Blame it all on ‘spongie’
Prior to all of that professional training, I played four full seasons of co-ed sponge hockey – aka “spongie” – wearing rubber-souled shoes while chasing after sponge pucks. I skated on river trails, participated at skating rink birthday parties, and spectated at kids’ hockey games. And even before that, I frequented community clubs and backyard skating rinks.
You see, I’ve always had my own pair of hockey skates. As a kid, they were handed down to me from my brother two years older. So I’ve skated a little bit, for a lot of years. Although never too seriously, or formally. Until ultimately joining a hockey team at the age of 45.
To this very day, I still find hockey to be exciting, exhilarating, and mostly terrifying. In fact, it’s proven itself to be a game of contradictions.
It’s about finding my stride and skating as hard and as fast as I can, while being someone who doesn’t like speed. It’s about going after the puck, and wanting it really bad! But at the same time, not wanting to touch it at all.
And then, if and when I finally get my stick on the puck, it’s about not being afraid to have it. To take off and skate with it, and try to do something smart with it. And something useful. Not just let the other team steal it from me.
Nine career goals achieved
It’s about trying my best, being confident, and taking chances. It’s about keeping my head up, and not going offside, or tripping over my own two right feet. It’s about going with the glide, going for the net, and hoping for a rebound. It’s about taking a lucky shot, and hoping for the best. And in my women’s hockey career, I’ve gotten lucky nine times! That’s actually nearly one goal per year. 😉
When it comes right down to it, though, what it’s really about is new friendships made. That’s what makes hockey the best. It’s about sharing stories, taking silly photos, and making memories, on and off the ice.
It’s about teammates who encourage each other. Cheering from the bench. Laughter in the dressing room. And nachos in the lounge. Sometimes, it’s about taking road-trips together to play in small-town hockey tournaments. Where all the players are faster than me. Even the really slow ones.
I’m glad to have taken a leap to learn hockey later in life, and am grateful for the team that made me part of it. It’s been an honour to be a Goaldigger for a decade, and to share the ice with so many amazing women.
That’s what hockey is all about.
