USA Hockey Adult Hockey

Paula Gray didn’t grow up on skates. It wasn’t until a high school friend took her to the rink at 14 that she even considered playing hockey. Now, at 47, she can’t imagine her life without it.

“I started playing for Assabet (Massachusetts) at 14, and I’ve been playing ever since,” said Gray. “I absolutely love it.”

Gray and the Assabet Over-30 squad took home this year’s USA Hockey Adult Rec Nationals title, defeating the 2015 defending champs and fellow Massachusetts squad, Nighthawks, 4-2. Gray explained the excitement of not only winning, but being on the ice as an adult hockey player.

USA Hockey: This year your team took home the nationals banner. Is it the team’s playing experience or the chemistry that made it possible?

Paula Gray: It’s a bit of both. I’m actually the only non-college player on our team. I went to Pittsburgh State – they didn’t have women’s hockey – but I continued to play through the (adult) program here up through college, too. These girls I play with are all pretty talented girls. I’m pretty fortunate to be able to play and get together with them. I learned a lot about the game through them and by playing with them. Not playing in college, there are a lot of things about this game that you don’t learn. When you play with these girls, you tend to learn stuff. I say the majority of girls on this team, we’ve been playing together for 10-plus years and I think that’s what helped lift us to the championship win.

USA Hockey: Sounds like there is a strong camaraderie there. Is that one of your favorite parts of playing adult hockey?

Gray: Absolutely. They’re a great bunch of women. We are very supportive of one another, on and off the ice. Two years ago my dad passed away, and a good portion of my teammates were there for me. That was huge. We are all over the state and it’s not like we’re together all of the time. We get together every Sunday and occasionally for other events, but we’re all kind of busy, too. But to have that one day to get together and skate, and know you have a good group of friends to help you through other things too is unbelievable. It’s a very unique group of women, and I can’t say enough great things about them. They’re funny. We laugh, we just have a good time. It’s our time, which is also great. I am a mother to a 16-year-old daughter, and to just have something for myself to go and do on my own, I think it’s just awesome to be able to do that. It’s available for all women of any age and capabilities, and it’s just awesome.

USA Hockey: What does that national title mean to you?

Gray: Winning nationals this year was just great. We’ve been competing in that tournament for quite some time, but I think the last time we won was in 2002. We always made it to the semifinals or the finals, but weren’t able to bring it home. This year we finally did. It was such an awesome event. To be able to go out there and compete in something like that is really cool. To win it all was an awesome feeling. All the girls were pretty excited.

USA Hockey: How have nationals and other programs in USA Hockey helped Assabet, and you as a player?

Gray: USA Hockey is very supportive of this great game at every level, starting with the youth and providing the opportunities for every kid to go out and play hockey. They run it the same way at the adult level. At nationals, they do such an awesome job. The rink was great. We got a hat and a bunch of other stuff for winning, including some USA Hockey gloves, which just blew my mind. They make you feel like you’re really important and that you matter. It’s an incredible feeling to still compete, and just like kids, as adults we want to have that good competition and we want to win. USA Hockey affords us that chance to compete at a higher level and keep playing this game.

USA Hockey: What would you say to someone who is considering joining a USA Hockey adult league for the first time?

Gray: It’s all about being with a bunch of women and playing a sport that you’re passionate about. You don’t have to be a former college player; you can be a beginner and still have a great time in an adult league. That’s really what’s so great about it – you can truly play at any level. At the end of the day, it’s not all about how good or bad you are. It’s about having fun and going out and playing with your friends and having a good time. You’re not thinking about work or other stuff in your life, but you just go out and play. It’s a stress reliever, and it’s a great time. Plus, there’s that camaraderie and the friendships that you make are forever. It’s a great thing to be able to do. I’ve met a lot of women who have started playing hockey later in their life and they said the same thing. They just love to be able to go out and play a game with a bunch of women. I don’t think that there are any other sports or leagues out there that have so many opportunities to play and bond like adult hockey.