Hockey was My Life!
My senior year of high school was the most stressful time of my life. I was a 17-year-old kid, and all I knew was that I wanted to play hockey in college. Hockey was my passion and my life revolved around this sport. I HAD to play college hockey. Not only did I want to play hockey in college, I wanted to play for a Division 1 program. I also wanted to attend school on the East Coast, particularly a top academic institution. I suppose you could say I had pretty lofty goals, but regardless of how impossible my ambitions seemed, these were my dreams and I was determined to achieve them. Now where did I begin?
Knowing what you want to accomplish, and knowing how to do it are two entirely different concepts. I knew I wanted to play hockey in college, but I wasn’t sure how to attract coaches’ attention, or which schools might be good fits for me. I was fortunate, however, because women’s hockey at that time was a relatively small sport, and I had a short list of schools to choose from. These factors made it possible for me to send a resume to every woman’s college hockey program and attend a few showcases and well-known tournaments. My skills and grit got me noticed, and the next thing I knew, my mailbox was filled and the phone was constantly ringing. Still, I was completely overwhelmed.
Coaches at some of the most elite colleges and hockey programs in the nation were telling me I would be accepted to their schools. High school guidance counselors told me that all coach’s lie, and I should stop communicating with them. I could go on and on but the point is, I needed some guidance! I needed someone to tell me what to say to coaches on the phone, what to look for on my visits, how many schools to apply to. For me, this mentor did not exist and my head spun.
I am very lucky. My recruiting story has a happy ending. I was accepted at, and ultimately chose to attend, Yale University. I had a fabulous life and hockey career at Yale, and if I could turn back the clock I would make the same decision.
But this story is not about me. My time in the spotlight has long since past. Now it is your turn, and it is my job to make sure you have the mentor that I yearned for. The college recruiting process should be exciting and informative. I am eager to help guide you every step of the way. Where you attend college is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. Don’t leave it to luck.
