University is a tough experience. Especially when you are trying to handle being an athlete and committing 5+ hours a day, not to mention your whole weekend, to your sport. It’s a commitment that many people who are just regular students in University can have a hard time relating to and understanding. But I am so grateful for the University experience I was given.
I spent two years in the states at Cornell University with a great group of girls, but two concussions and a broken collarbone had me reflecting on what I really needed in my University experience.
I thought I had to go the “Division 1” route that so many other hockey girls also think is essential to be considered a top tier player; and in a sense, they aren’t wrong, as the majority of female hockey players do end up going and playing University hockey in the NCAA.
It’s a bit of a tough world in recruiting right now for young girls. Teams are recruiting and committing girls younger and younger, some are committing girls who are only in grade 8 or 9. To me this is a little sad but I understand why these programs are doing it. These teams have to commit girls so young in order to keep their rosters competitive, because that’s what everyone else is doing.
But to me it’s sad because how can a girl who is only 13 or 14 years old know what route she wants to take that is going to shape the rest of her life?
What she wants to be?
What kind of environment she wants to be surrounded by every day for 4 years of her life?
These people that she will meet at University will be the people who could potentially influence the rest of her life, through marriage, friendships, and even building connections for her future job.
Honestly, I wish that female hockey players could have the option to play for another year or so after high school, to help us figure ourselves out a little better before heading off to university, like many male hockey players are able to. I look at the person I was when I was 18 compared to the person I was when I was 20 and even though, yes, I was mostly the same person, my level of maturity and knowing what I wanted in life was different as night and day.
This isn’t to say that going to the States is a bad thing or that you should wait until grade 12 to commit to a school, I just hope that young athletes can try to take a step back and separate what everyone else is doing, from what would be the best collegiate situation to put themselves in.
I really am so glad that I got to experience both the NCAA and the CIS (now USPORTS), I got to spend two great years in the States meeting some people that I will be friends with for the rest of my life, to transferring to UBC and finding my love for the game again after some bad injuries had made me start resenting the sport that has given me so much.
I was so close to quitting at one point in my collegiate career but instead I decided to transfer. I know some people might see this as quitting, or giving up, or running away from my problems. But I see it differently.
So many people are unhappy in their lives, whether it be in their work life, personal life, or in my case,
a student athlete in University who was unhappy.
Transferring forced me to confront all my problems and I believe that it took strength for me to admit that I wasn’t happy, even though I did love my teammates and certain aspects of Cornell, and to move across the country to start over again with a brand-new team and school.
And to me, it’s paid off.
I found my love for the game again, I was a first team All-Canadian, I’m going to continue playing professional women’s hockey, and most importantly I can confidently say now that yes,
I am happy.
Kelly Murray, Pro Hockey Player.
Any individuals in sports and fitness who would like to share their voice, please submit to hank@hankfittraining.com.