From the ice to the turf
From tying up their cleats to lacing up their skates, roommates Bridget Gardiner and Hannah Palmer have a strong passion for two sports — field hockey and ice hockey.
Assigned as roommates randomly, Gardiner and Palmer are sophomores on the women’s field hockey team. Both began their hockey careers playing ice hockey at around the same age.
“I started skating on my backyard rink before I was in kindergarten, probably around four years old,” Palmer said.
Gardiner agreed with Palmer.
“I’ve played ice hockey since I was four. My dad played it, my grandfather played in college, my brother played. It has always been in my family,” Gardiner said.
Palmer began playing field hockey during the summer going into sixth grade.
“I did a summer camp. A friend from ice hockey who was older than me played field hockey, so she said ‘hey try field hockey,’” Palmer said.
Gardiner started playing field hockey her freshman year of high school.
Gardiner and Palmer both believe the two sports are connected through their names, but the physical components that go into the game are different.
“When a penalty occurs in field hockey you can self start,” said Gardiner. “In ice hockey, players have to stop and do a face off.”
Gardiner also addressed how the substitution process is different.
“In ice hockey you do quick shifts on the ice that are usually around one to two minutes,” Gardiner said.
“You sub in and out quickly, coming on and off the ice. In field hockey, you have to stop the game in order to substitute people on and off the field. Often you can play in almost a whole game of field hockey, but that’s not very likely in an ice hockey game.”
Even though the sports are very different, Palmer believes the skills she learned while playing ice hockey have benefited her in her field hockey play.
“Personally, I am a lefty in ice hockey and field hockey sticks are made for people who are right-handed,” Palmer said.
“Because of this it has made it easier for me to be able to use the reverse side of my stick in field hockey. This is a technique that most people have trouble with when they are first learning, but for me it just kind of came naturally.”
Gardiner believes she developed good stick skills and good hand-eye coordination because she played ice hockey.
Gardiner and Palmer claim they enjoy both sports because of the team environment the sports contain.
“I enjoy the competition in both sports,” Gardiner said. “They both are team-based sports, you have to play as a team.”
“I like being on a team. I always have been so it is natural to me. Each sport has a different team aspect and environment. Ice hockey is a little more crazy and field hockey is calmer, but I believe they both compliment each other,” Palmer said.
Gardiner enjoys playing both sports but she admitted she prefers field hockey over ice hockey.
“Ice hockey is always going to be in my blood and I played it my entire life, but when I played field hockey it was this new and exciting thing. I fell in love with it,” Gardiner said.
Palmer had a different response.
“Honestly, ice hockey is my favorite sport ever. It always has been, but I love field hockey,” Palmer said. “I’m really lucky to be able to play it in college but I’ll always be an ice hockey girl.”
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