USA Hockey Adult Hockey

Jenni Ojala didn’t start playing hockey until a year and a half ago. That might be surprising considering she grew up in Finland, a country with no shortage of ice.

“We played sort of hockey at school, because everyone in school of course has to skate in Finland,” Ojala said. “I kind of played, but we didn’t have the proper gear when I was growing, because it’s expensive.”

Ojala, 31, has lived in the United States for five years, and when she moved to Denver in 2015, she wanted to get involved in an activity to meet new people.

She Googled “Denver women’s hockey beginners,” and up came the popular Denver Women’s Hockey League. Ojala was quick to sign up and has since fallen in love with the sport.

“The part that really makes it fun to play hockey for me is that I’ve watched hockey all my life and only now that I’m actually playing hockey I feel like I can really appreciate what those guys are doing on the ice who are actually playing at the national level,” Ojala said.

Ojala is playing this season for the Northstars, which is one of three teams in the recreational division. This particular division is made up of players who are new to hockey or only have a couple years of experience on the ice. With only three teams in the league, one team isn’t playing on each league night, so the team with the bye can have its players sub in for missing players from other teams.

“Many of us are working and have other commitments, so sometimes we do need substitutes for the games to just have enough people playing,” Ojala said.

At the beginning of each session, the three teams are constructed by the coaches. They are balanced out to be as competitive as possible.

Meghan Morrissey is also playing on the Northstars in the fall session. It’s her fourth year on the rink, something she didn’t figure she would be doing after suffering a stroke in 2011. A friend asked Morrissey, who played hockey at Michigan Tech University, to come out and play.

“And I fell in love with it,” Morrissey said.

“I love playing in the Denver Women’s Hockey League because it’s really a lot of fun. The coaches are really good and helpful.”

Morrissey and Ojala enjoy getting out onto the ice and letting their minds go in the heat of competition.

“I just get out there and play and I don’t care about anything else,” Morrissey said.

Said Ojala: “Sort of releasing all that energy and being able to get out there. For me, it’s about exercise, of course, just pure and simple. It’s fun, and that’s the biggest reason to go out and play.”

Every week at the rink presents a new challenge for the ladies, who continue the learning process.

“It’s not like, ‘Oh my god, we have to win this game.’ It’s nice if it happens, but it’s more like learning the different techniques of how to play the game, positioning yourself on the ice,” Ojala said.

The Northstars are made up of women ranging in age from about 18 to 50.

“They’re a good group of ladies,” said Morrissey, who following her stroke quit her job as a research professor at the Colorado School of Mines and formed a nonprofit organization, Sensory Outings Company, for Alzheimer’s patients that organizes visits to assisted living facilities and runs activities with the patients.

“They take the game seriously, but they have fun at the same time. We enjoy each other, but it’s a recreational league, but we are competitive.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.