by Camry Sturdivant
Hockey Day is one of the best days here on campus, as well as one of the alumnae’s favorite times to fellowship with their past and present Judson sisters. This special day is an annual tradition at Judson College. Hockey Day is always the first weekend in November. Judson faculty, students, and alumnae don their hockey sticks, shin guards, and socks and play hockey. The hockey field lies at the heart and center of the Judson campus. As soccer coach Justin Pino sprayed the hockey field lines on the field, excitement was flowing through the air for the weekend. The requirements to play on Hockey Day are quite simple: all you have to do is sign up! To participate in Hockey Day, you cannot be a basketball player because of the risk of injuries before the season. If you are a part of the soccer, volleyball, softball, or equestrian teams, all you have to do is ask your coach for permission to play.
Hockey practice began on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. The rain at the Judson campus postponed a couple of Hockey Day practices. When practice was held, the field was quite damp, so many students got down and dirty to show off their skills. After a couple of practices, the teams were finally formed. For the teams, there are the seniors, Jr-Frosh, all-stars, and alumnae. The Jr-Frosh are the sophomore and freshman players combined. The all-stars are the best of the best, and they are voted among the players to play against the alumnae. The captain of the Jr-Frosh team was Jyasmine Torres. The captain for the senior team was Megan Matthews.
Hockey Day finally arrived on November 3, 2018, and the campus was filled with laughter and smiles for the big day. Sophomore Jyasmine Torres said, “I have been waiting for this day to claim victory.” Sadly, this victory did not come. The seniors won their hockey game against the Jr.-Frosh, and the all-stars won against the alumnae. The time increments for the games were two 20-minute halves filled with hard work, hustle, and teamwork as the players scrapped for the hockey puck.
The students also had the opportunity to order hockey day shirts to keep that memory with them forever. The alumnae had the option to stay on campus to bond with their past and present Judson sisters. Quite a few of them revisited their old rooms in the Kirtley, Barron, or WMU dormitories and told stories of their times at Judson to the current students. This becomes a very loving moment and shows what Judson is all about.