Kelly Leslie: A girl’s passion for ice hockey

Senior Kelly Leslie loves ice hockey and is one of the top female players in the area. But starting this year, she ran into a problem: There weren’t enough girls in San Jose to make a 19 and under team.
That’s why every other week, Leslie must fly down to Anaheim and practice 17 hours with the Anaheim Lady Ducks 19U AAA.

“Traveling is exhausting. Normally it is four days of nonstop work with no rest,” Leslie said. “Thursday is a travel day. Friday, Saturday, and hopefully Sunday are hockey days. We get up early, we eat, we play, we eat, we hopefully have time to rest, we play, we eat, we pass out.”

Missing school days adds to Leslie’s already stressful life. Leslie always needs to figure out what she is missing in class beforehand so that she doesn’t fall behind in schoolwork. Traveling around has taught Leslie time management skills. She does homework wherever she can whether it be at the airport, on the plane or, if there is time, after games.

Once a month, Leslie also travels to the East Coast or Canada for tournaments. In February, Leslie will be going to Alaska for Districts. If her team wins, she will go to Nationals in Boston.

Because both of her parents played ice hockey themselves, they strongly support their daughter’s decision to play the sport, despite the time commitment and travel costs. According to Leslie, her parents do their best to attend as many local games as possible.

“This year, since I do not play very many local games, they come to watch me at my practices,” Leslie said. “They also drive me down to Anaheim for practice. I would not be playing hockey if it wasn't for them.”

Leslie began playing hockey at 5, so this year marks her 13th on the ice.

Moving forward, Leslie hopes to attend a college that offers both nursing, her major of interest, and Division 3 women’s hockey.

“Education will come first in making any decisions,” Leslie said.

Leslie has also coached a San Jose Jr. Sharks Girls' 8 and under team for the past three years.

“When I first started coaching, I was pretty timid and just helped out. Now I organize and run drills,” Leslie said. “I have also learned that it is OK to make mistakes. The girls don't mind, they actually find it very funny, and it shows them that I am still learning just like they are.”