For the first time in the history of interscholastic sports at Boothbay Region High School, there is an ice hockey player. Her name is Emily Densmore, a senior at BRHS. Emily just completed playing for a cooperative team of Mt. Ararat, Lisbon, Morse, Lincoln Academy, Oceanside and Boothbay Region.

I sat down with Emily and asked her about how she got started playing hockey and what did it require for her to play this season?

When did you start playing hockey?

I started playing hockey in seventh grade when I was 12 years old.

What position do you play?

I am the goalie, but when I played in middle school, I was a winger.

How did you choose this position?

A week into this season my coach said they needed someone to be a goalie for junior varsity. The girl who played goalie last year wanted to skate out as a regular player. I offered to try it out at practice and I ended up loving it!

What team did you play for?

I played for a co-op team including Lincoln Academy, Lisbon, Morse, Oceanside, Boothbay and Mt. Ararat. Mt. Ararat was the host team.

What teams have you played for in the past?

I played for Yarmouth middle school girls in seventh grade and Hebron Academy/Oxford Hills Co-Ed in eighth grade. I was the only girl on the team.

Where do you practice this season?

Our team practices at Sidney J. Watson Arena in Brunswick (Bowdoin College).

What time did you have to be there and what time did you have to get up?

I had to be on the ice at 4:55 and at the rink at 4:20. I woke up at 3 to leave at 3:30. On days when we had earlier practice, I would wake up at 2:30 and leave by 3.

What do you like about hockey? Anything you do not like?

I love pretty much every aspect of hockey. One of the things I like the most is the outlet it provides. When I step out on the ice, whether it's a practice or a game, all of my attention and energy is focused on playing. Nothing else matters. The only thing I don't like about hockey is the misconception that women can't/shouldn't play. While more and more people have started supporting women's hockey, there are still some people out there who strongly believe it's exclusively a men's sport.

Your favorite player/team? Your favorite player?

My favorite team is the Boston Bruins. My favorite player is Patrick Roy, who was a 2006 inductee in The Hockey Hall of Fame.

Future plans after you graduate?

I plan to go to a four-year university where I could play intramural or recreational hockey

Who has been helpful/supportive for you to help you play hockey?

The most supportive person has been my mom, Stacy Hecker. She helped me through each season and every game. When I first told her I wanted to play ice hockey I was joking, but she just said okay and was ready to sign me up. Every time I got discouraged, every time someone told me I shouldn't play, she would be there to keep me going. Hockey is a very time demanding sport, especially when you have an hour commute. My home rink for my eighth grade season was an hour from my house. My mom drove me to and from practice every day. When I found out about the Mt. Ararat cooperative team I knew driving to Brunswick for practice and games would be difficult. I spoke with my mom. She helped me realize it was worth a try. When I found out that I was going to be able to play on the team, no one was more excited for me than her. My entire hockey career would not have been possible without my mom in my corner. She is my #1 supporter and fan.

Other sports you have played?

I played field hockey throughout middle school. I was the goalie for several years. Most people would think this would give you an advantage going into the ice hockey goalie world. I found it's almost a disadvantage. In field hockey when playing goalie, one of the main ways you can block a shot is to kick it. If you try this in ice hockey, the puck will go right under your skate. Having to retrain my brain to block shots from field hockey to ice hockey was a lot more difficult than I anticipated.