Time has flown by this season. I can’t believe we are already into playoffs. I couldn’t be more proud of the accomplishments that we have achieved this year. It’s the first time in the program’s five year history that we’ve had a winning record and it’s the first time we have beat RIT. Every member of our team has been a vital part of our success. The rookies have come in and have all contributed whether it’s points on the score board or just hard work winning board battles. The sophomores have all stepped up their game this year. The juniors, with two new additions, have helped all the way around by bringing puck skills to the next level. The seniors this year are having some of their most strongest games I have ever seen them play.
At the end of the year, a team is experiencing what we call the “wear and tear” of the season. Getting close to the end of the season, every team experiences injuries as your body goes into overdrive. What amazes me about athletes is that we put our bodies through hell and back through the season and we still come back wanting more. Even during the season, when we’ve sprained, strained or tore something, we still want to be out there. That is what athletes live for; where they are standing on the ice, looking up at the flag as the national anthem comes to a close. The moment when the puck drops or the puck crosses the line, those are the moments.
This year’s season has come and gone . . . way to fast. I feel like I blinked and now I’m on my last bus trip for the season. It’s hard to believe it’s all coming to an end. Thinking about the seniors leaving is really hard for any member of the team. I’ve spent three years getting to know these girls. Next year when I arrive at school and walk into the dressing room, all that will be left of them is a gold name plate in their stall to remind those who come after them that there has been a legacy laid before them. That’s the legacy of being a Laker. Being a Laker means pouring your heart and soul into a team, even when things don’t seem to be going your way. That every time you get knocked down, you get right back up. That at the end of the day you will do anything and everything for the success of your team. Wether it’s being a good student-athlete or being a mentor for others on your team. It’s all the small things that add up to the big picture, which is what being a Laker is all about.