By Annabelle McIntosh – Opinions Editor 

For 2024, I decided to make a goal. I decided that I wanted to learn how to play ice hockey. Little did I know that starting a new sport later in life would help me with personal development outside of the ice. 

I grew up in a hockey household. There was a game on the television every night, and I had two brothers who played it, so I found myself at an arena multiple nights a week. Despite my love for the game and being very involved in sports (rugby, soccer, ball hockey and dance, to name a few), I never tried hockey as a kid. By the time I was a teenager, I felt it was too late to begin. 

In December 2023, I spontaneously decided to go to a stick-and-puck skate with my younger brother. For those of you who may have never heard of the term “stick-and-puck”, it is essentially an open ice event at an arena where people can practice their skills. I hardly had any experience with ice hockey, and I could count on one hand the number of times I went to the local outdoor rink growing up. Even though I could barely shoot the puck, I had a great time skating around and having fun. I decided at this moment that I wanted to learn how to play and develop my skills. 

First off, let me just say that this is a humbling experience. I laced up my skates and went out to my local arena for my big 2024 debut at the stick-and-puck. My brother and I skated out on the ice and started off with some passing drills. Moments later, students from Ontario Hockey Academy stepped out onto the ice to practice. So, picture me -– someone who has been on the ice with a stick no more than five times – surrounded by hockey players who go to an actual hockey academy playing a scrimmage and hammering slapshots into the net. This was so intimidating.

It is also quite humbling to ask my “little” brother (he’s a whole adult now, but still) for help. This was definitely a bit of a discouraging first step since I was a bit too nervous to go and try to shoot on the net and let alone do much else. 

Despite my first skate of 2024, my second time out days later taught me perseverance. Once again, I was surrounded by seasoned vets of the sport. I was still a bit hesitant to go and shoot on the net and grab a puck. A woman skated over to me and offered a puck. I accepted and explained I was still a bit shy to go up to the net since I was just a beginner. 

“How old are you?” she asked. I told her that I am 22, and then she gave me some important wisdom. “I was 24 when I started playing hockey. I started out just like you, going to the stick-and-pucks and public skates, so I understand the feeling. Just keep at it, and you’ll be able to keep up with them soon.” She also told me about how she plays in actual leagues now. This gave me hope and some motivation for my goal. That day, I gained some confidence and even took some shots on the net. 

This journey is also teaching me not to be so hard on myself. Growing up as a competitive athlete, I wanted to be perfect and would sometimes lose myself in that competitiveness. It had been a long while since I played a sport with zero pressure to excel. With the pressure off, it has helped me simply enjoy a sport without worrying too much about if I am good or bad, and instead, I focus on whether I am having fun or not. 

Overall, I firmly believe that starting a new sport later in life has been a great experience so far. It is a wonderful learning journey and has helped me develop off the ice. For anyone considering trying a new sport, but are too nervous since they are starting later in life, you should go for it! You might learn a thing or two.