Jan. 5 - Playing Hockey Has Profound Impact

Wealth. Acclaim. Individual achievement. Overcoming adversity. Fame.

These are words that often serve as sources of inspiration in today’s world of sports. Angela Treannie, the back-up goaltender for the Rider University men’s club ice hockey team, lives her sporting life in simpler terms. She is not looking for money, she’s not in search of attention, and she does not seek controversy. She just wants someone to shoot the puck, so she can stop it from hitting the back of the net.

“I absolutely love playing,” said Treannie, a senior biology major at Rider. “It can be difficult balancing my schedule with assignments and lab work, but I feel like I need to play hockey. It’s a great source of stress release and it’s something I look forward to every day.”

Treannie earned her associates degree from Mercer County Community College and after being accepted at Rider, used her junior year to adjust to the demands of her course curriculum. Now a senior, Treannie decided to give college hockey a shot. After surviving the tryout process in October, she was selected to the Broncs squad for the 2004-2005 season. And yes she is, by the way, a female playing on the men’s ice hockey team. The Rider team, led by head coach Ted Gerry, consists of 28 players – 27 males and one female.

“At first, I was reluctant to try out,” explained Treannie, currently a resident of Cranbury, NJ. “To compete with and against college-aged guys is different than playing in high school or a summer league. Players are a lot stronger, faster, and more aggressive. My friends and family were very encouraging,, so I decided to try out.

“Once I got out on the ice, I realized that I was able to stop these college guys’ shots. The off-ice training is very intense (with weight and endurance training), but I’ve kept up. I was just so thrilled when Coach Gerry selected me for the team and my teammates have been great.”

It might seem odd that Treannie makes little reference to the fact that she’s the lone women on a men’s team, but that’s simply because it’s nothing new to her. Treannie grew up in Massachusetts, but right before entering high school, her family relocated to Fort Worth, Texas. The lone child in the family, Treannie spent ample time with her parents while adapting to her new surroundings. Robert Treannie played ice hockey since he was kid, and when his daughter became bored rollerblading around the neighborhood, he placed a hockey stick in her hands. It wasn’t long before Angela was hooked on the sport. She joined her boy’s high school varsity team as a junior and has continued to improve her goaltending skills each year.

In deciding to try out for Rider’s team in the fall of 2004, Treannie had no agenda in mind other than playing hockey. She’s familiar with the Title IX legislation (she wrote several papers on the subject in high school), but was merely looking for an opportunity to continue playing the sport that has helped mold her character and personality.

“I remember going into the tryout thinking, ‘If I’m terrible, I should be cut,’” recalled Treannie, who is also the Treasurer for the Residence Hall Association at Hill dormitory. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. My teammates don’t take it easy on me in practice, either. I have the bruises to prove it.”

Coach Gerry quickly recognized Treannie’s passion for the game along with her skills in goal. Her presence on the team has been nothing but positive, and she has played very well in game competition.

“Angela is well accepted by her teammates and has earned their respect through hard work, dedication, and never complaining,” noted Gerry. “She loves the game and just wants to play. Being a girl doesn’t even enter into the picture to her.”

Besides having to get changed into her goaltending gear in some unusual places – she gets changed in a boiler room during home games at Lawrenceville School – Treannie is a full-time member of the squad. And that includes getting ice time in game competition. Earlier this season, she enjoyed her debut between the pipes for Rider at the start of the third period at Sienna. She allowed one puck to slip past her – described by her as a “garbage goal” – but also made several saves. It was an extremely gratifying moment for Treannie, but not because she was the star of the game or that she was able to prove a point for women in sports. It was special because she was able to play the sport that has had such a positive effect on her life. To date, she has appeared in five games, and in an appearance against Seton Hall, shut out the Pirates during the third period.

“I’m getting a great education at Rider and will pursue a career in cancer research after graduation,” said Treannie, who also minors in Chemistry. “The opportunity to play hockey at Rider has given me so much more. It’s broken me out of my ‘shyness shell.’ It’s taught me how to better manage my time, to interact with people in a unique situation, and to demand more out of myself as a competitor. It has been a wonderful experience and I’m very grateful.”

Stopping hockey pucks may sound simple, but for Angela Treannie, the impact has been profound.