Winter Is for Ice Hockey

Hockey is Here

This month marks the beginning of my second winter here at Carleton, and with that, the commencement of my second ice hockey season here on campus. This sport has been a huge passion of mine for as long as I can remember, and I’m so glad I get to bring that part of my identity with me to college. I had a total blast last year and have been eager to hit the ice again since our bittersweet final practice of the 2024 season. After waiting for what feels like eons, I’m beyond excited to say that hockey is finally back! Woohoo!

This year, however, things are going to look a little different for me. Last fall as a freshman, I remember heading straight to the hockey table at the involvement fair to sign up to play on the women’s team (read the blog I wrote on this last year if you’re curious). At the beginning of this school year, I found myself in the same spot; except this time, I was helping run the booth (for both the men’s and women’s teams, no less)! 

Playing on Two Teams!

First, not only do I now play on the women’s hockey team (aka WHAC, Women’s Hockey at Carleton), but I also snagged myself a spot on the men’s ice hockey roster part of the way through last season. I played co-ed hockey all through high school (girls’ high school hockey isn’t very big back home in Colorado, so I grew up very accustomed to playing on a predominantly male team), so I had planned on at least trying to play for both teams once I got to Carleton. Still, it took shockingly little (and by little, I mean absolutely no) convincing for me to be able to skate at a men’s team practice. It seems the general consensus for Carleton sport clubs is always “the more, the merrier,” so they were happy to welcome me to the roster. I’m not even a trailblazer in that regard; the men’s hockey team’s starting goalies have been women for the past two years!

How I Got Involved, and How You Can Too!

I won’t hesitate to admit that I leapt into the Carleton College hockey program with a bit of an agenda. I had hoped to fill a leadership role on the women’s team at some point from day one. Even so, if you told freshman me she’d have gotten the opportunity to be this immersed in hockey by just sophomore year, she’d be stunned. 

Getting involved in the things you love here at Carleton is much more feasible than it might at first seem! One of our privileges as students on a small campus is that people pay attention to and appreciate the time and effort we put into things. When you find something you’re really enthusiastic about and want to be a part of, the community around you takes notice!

I started small by volunteering to handle women’s hockey’s social media presence last January (bit of a shameless plug here; go check out the account @carletonwhockey!). Putting a little of my free time into curating posts and announcements for the program went such a long way with my teammates. Especially when it comes to club sports, being passionate and invested is the best way to earn an influential role. 

Finding small ways I could help out last year’s leadership by coming up with ideas for fundraising and events put me on the track to earning my current role as one of WHAC’s two social captains! This means I’m now in charge of planning events and coordinating with other clubs and teams in collaborative situations. Things have been going great in this respect so far!

I made it a point last season to be outgoing and communicative with other players and explain the nuances of the sport to people less familiar with it, so this season, I’m also one of the acting on-ice captains for the women’s team. This means I also attend captains’ meetings, help plan practices for the team, and explain/lead drills when we’re on the ice in addition to fulfilling my duties as social captain. It’s a lot of responsibility sometimes, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be!

A Dual Commitment… Double Social Captain?

Juggling two teams with the rigorous academics Carleton has to offer has definitely been difficult, but it’s a challenge I’m fully committed to. When I first started playing on both the men’s and women’s teams, I knew it would require extra effort and time. But being able to participate in something I love so much has made the difficulty beyond worth it.

The more I got involved with the men’s hockey team, the more I found myself becoming an integral part of their club structure as well. As a result, I’m excited to say that next year, I’m slated to take over the social captaincy for the men’s team as well! I’ve already started assuming some of the organizational responsibilities for this as I prepare for the role.

It’s been a lot to balance—participating in practice and games for two separate rosters, planning drills for the women’s ice times, and maintaining my responsibilities as social captain for both teams, all while keeping in mind that I am a student first. Despite the commitment, there’s no place I’d rather be almost every night of the week than the Northfield Ice Arena. 

Why You Should Do What I Did!

For students who have strong passions that they want to pursue here at Carleton, I can confidently say there’s no more fulfilling way to do that than integrating themselves into a group of people who share those same interests. You don’t have to give up certain passions just because you move away to college! Taking a personal role in cultivating the club hockey environment here has been so much fun, and I’ve built so many personal connections with other like-minded people in the process.

Being a part of a club sports community is an awesome way to branch out, meet people, and make lasting friendships. Of course, I’m partial to the hockey environment here in particular; I truly think the atmosphere can’t be beat. Both programs welcome players of all skill levels, and we get players who range from seasoned athletes who have played since they started walking to completely new members who’ve never held a stick before. If you find yourself loving a club’s mission and environment as much as I do with hockey, dive headfirst into making yourself a part of it!

Leksi (she/her) is a first-year Carleton student from Colorado Springs, Colorado and a prospective pre-law Psychology or Cognitive Science major. So far, she could not be happier with her college decision! Northfield and Carleton have done an amazing job providing Leksi with the only five things she needs to thrive: local coffee, music, wilderness, the gym, ice hockey, and (of course!) her friends. She is involved in club ice hockey and the Carleton Association of Nature and Outdoor Enthusiasts (CANOE). If you’re unsure where to find Leksi on campus, your best bet is the group tables on Fourth Libe or hopelessly lost somewhere deep in the arb. Meet the Other Bloggers!