“I love country music, especially HARDY, so if there’s a good song playing, you can bet I’m dancing. My hometown is Tupper Lake, a small town known for its lumberjack history and the otters at the Wild Center (they’re a big deal here). We spend much of our time making runs to Stewart’s gas stations or cruising around on our side-by-sides, which is the classic Tupper thing. The sunsets are incredible, especially by the lake after a long day. It’s a small enough place that you’re probably in the wrong town if you’re not waving at someone.
“I chose Northwood because it was the next step for me in academics and hockey. Growing up in a small Adirondack town, my honors classes were limited- either there weren’t enough teachers or enough students willing to suffer with me. Coming to Northwood meant more challenging courses, not just grinding through the New York State Regents curriculum and being taught to pass a test. Starting the day with hockey beats a half-awake homeroom any day.
“The people of Northwood must be my favorite part. I also appreciate the closeness of my teammates and how we get to know our teachers and coaches as actual people, not just for 40 minutes in class or an hour on the ice. They genuinely care and are always involved in our crazy sports schedules. It’s not just the hockey coaches who talk to us; it’s coaches from all sports, making the atmosphere even more supportive.
“I have two big things that I live by: ‘All good things take time’ and ‘Nobody cares, work harder.’ Sometimes, it feels like nothing is going right, but I always remind myself that eventually, I’ll get my ducks in a row- and yes, that’s a bit of a Jeep reference, but just like my Jeep, things get sorted out eventually. Everything always works out in the end. I tend to overthink, so I catch myself spiraling. I remind myself of the second motto: ‘Nobody cares; work harder.’ Whether it’s academics, hockey, or life, it’s my go-to reminder to focus and push through because results come from effort, not overthinking.
“Next year, I’ll return to where I grew up playing hockey, attending college at SUNY Canton. I’ll be majoring in Nursing, aiming to become an RN, with a possible future detour into Radiologic technology- though that decision is a little further down the road. I’m honestly just excited to get the chance to play college hockey on the Women’s hockey team. I’m looking forward to meeting new people along the way and being so close to home for the next four years. It’s also great to still have my two biggest supporters, my parents, close by to help with whatever I need- big or small.”
As told to Sophia DeAnzeris ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.