Growing up, my siblings and I used to play inline hockey on the street in our neighbourhood so my taking up ice hockey shouldn’t have come as a surprise. However, my first great love in sports was for water in its unfrozen state: swimming at the nearby indoor pool. As much as I enjoyed it I eventually I missed the team spirit. I have never been a lone warrior.

While I was at uni, my childhood dream of playing ice hockey caught up with me again. Because of this, I joined a recreational team with the heroic name ‘The Pinguins'.

I’ve been a part of this diverse squad for a good 10 years now. The mix of young and experienced players and personalities from different walks of life makes for a thrilling experience. The excitement before each new season and every single game is huge. Due to COVID-19, all we’ve been able to do this year is distance training without games. This experience just makes me even more excited for when we can get back to it, while working on my skills in the meantime!

At first the speed of the game is definitely a challenge. Your movements on the skates, handling of the puck and coordinating with teammates all require great concentration. Bam! And then, all of a sudden, you have to regroup out there on the ice. Hockey is the sport that fascinates me the most because of the extraordinary demands on both the body and the mind all at once – 30 to 60 seconds of going full-bore, a short break on the bench and then you’re on again.

Since hockey is team sport, you need to have a shared understanding of the game and good communication. Communication is key, whether it’s on the ice, on the bench or in the locker room. Obviously, we don’t always see things the same way, but on the ice we all have the same goal.

Unsurprisingly, ice hockey involves not only knowing how to skate well, but also enjoying it. The quick turns and skating backwards can be a challenge. Most people who want to play ice hockey have the requisite stick-handling skills from floor hockey, but here are also a few rules you have to know ... and, of course, the puck is a bit of a special case! Because it’s flat in contrast to other game balls, it behaves differently. The sport requires a bit of nerve.

As a new player, you want to get rid of the puck as quickly as possible to avoid getting checked. I was no different. Now I’m more technically skilled and feel more comfortable with the puck. Of course, I’m far from having the intricate stick-handling skills of the Swiss National Team players ... I could watch them flying up and down the ice all day!

Physical fitness is certainly one thing! But one other thing I always notice is the reaction speed that you pick up along the way. Quickly getting my bearings in new situations, keeping calm and making decisions is generally a lot easier for me nowadays.

For the last four years, I’ve been involved with the technical committee for the team. In this role, I organise games and training camps, coordinate game schedules and ensure that the season goes smoothly. I enjoy this post because it allows me to contribute to the overall success of the team, and I can see the joy in the eyes of my fellow players.