Field Hockey Player Goes On ICE At U.S. Nationals

She�s been playing both sports for most of her life, so making the transition from field hockey to ice hockey hasn�t been too difficult for Houghton College senior Amy Petersen.

After winding up a successful career as a goaltender for the Highlanders field hockey team last fall, Petersen swapped sticks and took to the ice as a member of the Buffalo Saints women�s club hockey team.

The switch proved to be a good move for Petersen, who helped guide her team to a runner-up finish at the USA Hockey�s Women�s National Championship in Anchorage, Alaska, in early April.

The Saints, who captured the New York State championship in March, finished 3-0 in pool play, and earned 3-0 and 2-1 wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, before having their luck run out in a 4-0 loss to team Connecticut in the championship game of the 12-team tournament.

Despite the disappointing ending, Petersen said she wouldn�t trade the experience for anything. It was incredible. The entire tournament was well organized and a lot of fun, says Petersen, who scored one goal in the tournament. The competition was the best I�ve ever played against. It was fast. I don�t think I�ve ever skated so fast for so many shifts. We played really well as a team. We came together and everyone worked hard.

Petersen grew up playing ice hockey with her family in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, and then joined organized leagues throughout high school. I like the speed and intensity of the game, the aggressiveness of it, says Petersen, who plays right wing (not goalie) for the Saints. There�s always something happening and it�s exciting.

She took up field hockey, ski racing, and rugby later on and continued to compete through high school. It was field hockey, though, that brought her to Houghton. Going to a Christian college was important to me, and I knew I wanted to play a sport, says Petersen. Houghton is close to home and had a strong field hockey program. I also met Donna (head coach Donna Hornibrook) and liked her a lot.

Last summer she had the opportunity to work as a counselor and coach at ice hockey camps in New Brunswick, Boston, and Minneapolis. That experience rekindled her love of the sport and prompted her to pursue playing opportunities after her fall field hockey season, in which she started 18 games, recorded a 1.18 goals against average, and had four shutouts for the 15-4 Highlanders.

She joined the Saints in October and spent the winter making the hour-long trek to Buffalo for games against teams from Western New York and Ontario, Canada. Her team is made up of women that range in age from 17 to 42, however the majority are in their late 20s to early 30s. It�s difficult to relate to them sometimes. Some are married and have kids and their own homes, says Petersen. When we won the state championship to go to Alaska, I was all ready to go. A lot of the others had to check with the jobs and family first.

I�ve enjoyed is how they care for each other. There is a core group that has been together for a number of years. But they were very welcoming to me.

Petersen almost wore out her welcome after the Canadian men and women won the Olympic hockey gold medals in February. As the only Canadian on the Saints, Petersen felt that it was her duty to share her joy with her teammates. I sent my whole team an email that evening and rubbed it in a little bit. But they took it well, jokes Petersen.

Though she graduates in May, Petersen still has to complete her student teaching as a physical education major in Buffalo in the fall. But that�s perfect for Petersen, who hopes to rejoin the Saints and their quest for a return to nationals.

Houghton is a Christian liberal arts college of 1,300 students located in western New York. Houghton's 21st century vision is to be a model in Christian liberal arts education, developing servant-leaders in a world-class learning community, building people of Christian character to solve real-world problems.

For more information on related products and services, please choose from the following menu of items:

About The Author:

Ashton Kapa is a successful author and publisher of http://www./. Find hockey apparel, bags, gloves, gear, sticks, skates, training aids and much more.

	Field Hockey Player
Field Hockey Player Goes On ICE At U.S. Nationals