I am going to post this reflective piece written by Heather Day, who
played for the women's hockey team. It discusses some of her
experiences and observations as the team prepared to enter varisty
status. It's a two-part story, with the first running in today's Maine
Campus while the conclusion will run in Friday's paper. It's pretty
interesting.
 
Reflections in thought, Part 1
By Heather Day
Special to the Campus
 
        The road to recognition is often a very long and difficult one. The
University of Maine Women's Ice Hockey team has traveled down this road
for over a decade, finally reaching the end just last year.
        The grueling process of fighting for varsity status proved victorious
on one level, yet failed on another. Those who fought for Division I
fought because of the determination, dedication, and the love of a
sport that burned deep within.
We sacrificed ourselves, as athletes, by fighting for something that
needed to be fought for. Yet, with this sacrifice came pain, tears, and
anguish. Amidst the celebration, some were pushed away, never to return.
        The 1995/96 school year was my first season as goaltender for the Lady
Black Bears. We had practically nothing. The locker room was too small,
the equipment was old and few, we didn't have enough money for road
trips, our ice time was either after ten at night or at five in the
morning, and there was hardly any fan support and practically zero
school recognition.
Yet, none of that could waiver our happiness. We were having fun and we
loved it. We were all there for the same reason.
We loved hockey.
        Now, the fact of the matter is that we were all happy even without all
the glamour and glitter of being a varsity sport. Everyone liked
everyone. There were no petty arguments.
Favoritism was almost non-existent. There were laughs, lots of them. We
were one big happy family. After evening practices, a bunch of us would
cram into my small dorm room in Penobscot Hall, eat popcorn, watch
television, and talk about everything.
We hardly ever got sick of one another. And although we were a club
team, we were achieving more than any team before us had. We grew so
much as a team that year. Yet, with growing comes certain consequences.
        With Coach Stacey Livingston as our new coach, and a bigger outlook on
our hockey future, the 1996/97 season was going to be the one where we
showed everyone that girls really could play hockey.
We still had next to nothing, and this hurtled us down a new path. With
our new coach leading us, we began our climb to conquer varsity status.
We only wanted what we deserved, but what that?
        A bigger locker room? Yes. Better equipment? Yes. A little respect?
Yes! It was amazing all the things that we realized we wanted and could
only have if we were labeled Division I.
That entire season we were sprinting down a road praying it would lead
us to where we wanted to go. We played like we had never played before
and ended the season with an outstanding record, the best by far of the
Lady Black Bears.
We also clinched a playoff spot and would be going to Middlebury for
the championship games.         This only added more fuel to our fire.
Fighting for varsity status became an obsession.
We weren't playing for ourselves anymore. We were playing with stars in
our eyes. Our minds were completely focused on what we would gain, not
necessarily as a team, by going varsity.
        So, we played.
        We won.
        Yet, something went wrong. We began to fall apart as a team.
        By falling apart, I mean we really began to fall apart. Fighting for
varsity status was causing us to fight among one another.
Little things caused more arguments. Someone would become angry if the
water bottles hadn't been filled before coming out onto the ice.
Teammates began not getting along with teammates. Competition began to
explode at a larger level.
        Instead of having patience with a player that wasn't great at stick
handling, girls would get angry if passes were not passed perfectly.
Healthy competition is needed on every athletic team, yet when the
competition began moving from the ice to the locker room and to life
outside of hockey, the team unity we had prided ourselves on began to
fall apart.
We were all trapped in this downward spiral and you couldn't help but
wonder who would survive.
        Would I?
 
 
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