Submitted Photo Rochelle Dickie (left) and Leanne Dulle smile in the locker room Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 at their weekly hockey practice.
Like many hockey moms, Leanne Dulle and Rochelle Dickie keep busy transporting their kids to practices during the week, and games and tournaments every weekend.
With three boys each ranging from five to 10 years old, they are at the rink a lot! But where Leanne and Rochelle also earn their hockey mom badge is on the ice, where they play on a Sunday night ladies hockey team.
Leanne never played hockey growing up but when another mom invited her to come out on a Sunday evening to play last year, she was interested in having a workout that didn’t conflict with all the boys’ activities. From the first night out she loved it and was hooked.
“I phoned my parents when I got home and asked them why they didn’t put me in hockey when I was little,” she laughs.
Rochelle was also invited by a friend who was looking for moms to join the team. She played ringette when she was seven or eight and stuck with it until high school. Rochelle then switched to hockey when a girls team started in Medicine Hat.
She had friends who were going to play on the team, so they all gave it a try. Now in her second season with the moms Sunday night team, she has enjoyed coming back to play. Some of the friends she played hockey with in high school are on the team and it has been fun reconnecting.
When asked what their boys think of their mom’s hockey skills, Rochelle states that her boys thinks it is cool that she plays hockey, although they don’t get to see her play often except during tournaments.
After spending all weekend at the rink with the boys, she notes that “Sunday nights are just for me, too late for the boys.”
Leanne says her boys thought it was hilarious that their mom was playing, but when they finally got a chance to watch her, they were super excited to see her play.
“My greatest compliment from them was ‘mom, you actually didn’t suck!’ They are always trying to give me tips now like how to raise the puck or take a slapshot.”
Both moms say they had good role models when they were younger, encouraging them to be active. Leanne reflects that her mom was active in sports such as curling, volleyball and baseball. Growing up she went along to all her mom’s events and then was active herself.
Rochelle laughs and states that her parents put her in ringette and told her she needed to go. She further explains the importance the social life ringette provided to her parents as well as the friends she made growing up. Now that her boys are active with sports she also relates to the importance of the social life it provides.
It also adds some balance to her life.
“It is nice doing something for myself once a week,” Rochelle says. “It is really easy to skate and forget about everything, the time on the ice flies by.”
As every parent can relate it can be challenging to get out the door Sunday night after a busy weekend. Rochelle’s boys are good at reminding her about her hockey night and encourage her to go even when she is tired. Leanne agrees and states that her family encourages her to have time just for her.
“My mom knew I would love it, so she is happy that I am playing now,” says Leanne. “The majority of us playing on Sunday nights are moms so we are all in the same boat of needing time to unwind, visit and get a sweat on.”
The other benefit that both women agree on is that the dressing room smells better than their boys’s.
Both plan on playing for as long as they can. There is a range of women playing from their 20’s to their 60’s so it is a great group. They have made new friends as well as reconnecting with old friends.
Rochelle and Leanne recently went to a tournament. Compared to playing shinny on Sunday nights, three games was a lot of hockey in one day. They loved the competition but by the end of the day were exhausted.
“My family came to watch which was great,” says Leanne. “I didn’t have to worry about getting everyone to the rink except myself.”
To learn more about FAME and how to become involved to advocate and support opportunities for females in sport and physical activity go to famemedicinehat.com.
Kimberlee Brooks is a Sport Dietitian with Alberta Sport Development Center SE and is a Females in Action Moving and Empowering committee member. Email feedback to famemedicinehat@gmail.com or follow FAME on Facebook at FAME Medicine Hat.
