Kayleigh: “I’ve been playing hockey for nine years, it all started when I transferred schools, I didn’t really know anything about the sport or even how to play it. When we heard there were trials, my mom and siblings convinced me to try it out as they played it when they were younger and thought I’d enjoy it. I immediately fell in love with the sport. I eat, breath, sleep hockey as it has now become my first love. I’ve worked very hard to achieve what I have so far and I am truly grateful to my coaches and Alberton High School for their great support in getting me to where I am. I am proud to represent Alberton High School and I am looking forward to growing and becoming successful in my hockey career.”

Chinazah: “My name is Chinazah Ezeala, everyone calls me Chichi, this is my Hockey Essay. I can remember like it was yesterday when my mom took me to join Alberton Junior Hockey Club. At first I didn’t understand the game, maybe it’s because I was just 9 years old. The more I learned all the Hockey basics, and hockey sturns – it excites me each time I master a hockey sturns. I wanted to do more for some reason, I wanted to be the best I felt like hockey has been waiting for me. Now I think hockey is the most the fun game on earth. I love watching, playing and dreaming about hockey, it brings my whole family together not only my parents, grandparents, aunts, friends, it is a community sport. I love the fact that I can play Indoor and Field Hockey, it is so inclusive and it doesn’t matter if you are a girl or a boy or who you are and where you are coming from as long as you are a passionate hockey lover, you can play this game. I can proudly say hockey is my identity and is a part of my history and my future. I live, breathe, dream think about my favourite sport and always looking forward to my games. Everytime I hold down my hockey stick I feel like I am a part of something that is much more than just a game. It’s a sport where your teammates not only becomes your friends but your sisters, your family, that is why I see hockey as a family sport, even our parents get to be together just as we are as players. Hockey teaches me things that will help me in life beyond the field, things like fair play, sportsmanship, respect, patience, pesevarance and discipline. Each time I play hockey I feel like I can do anything, I put my mind my time to it. Hockey has provided me with so many opportunities, meeting great coaches, friends travelling. Without hockey my life will never be the same, I appreciate everything that hockey has thought me, it is the coolest game ever. It brings people together, and I can tell you now that I would rather play hockey, hockey is my identity.”