Video: A happy mix of newcomers and veterans propels women’s club ice hockey

Kelsey McDermott ’17 of Boston didn’t start playing ice hockey until her first year at Bates.

“A senior goalie threw me in the net and said, ‘Let’s give this a try.’ And I fell in love with it,” says McDermott.

Three years later, she’s a co-captain of the 11-0 women’s club ice hockey team, which has its final regular-season game at 2 p.m. Feb. 12  at Underhill Arena vs. the University of New England.

The Bates team is a happy mix of beginners and more experienced players led by a coach who didn’t play hockey until he was 21.

“I’m kind of glad I got into it late because a lot of the women on the team got into it late,” says Jon Anctil, a Lewiston native and former member of the college’s grounds crew. “So I can relate with the frustrations and everything else.”