Fun on the ice

All too frequently in the world of competitive sports, coaches claim that the game is all about fun, only to forget their words after a devastating loss. Women's ice hockey head coach Jeff Kampersal '92, however, believes that his team is only at its best when his players aren't asking too much from themselves or from the game.

On and off the ice, Kampersal and Princeton aren't aiming for revolutionary goals this season. They just want to stay focused, maintain the momentum they have had for the past four playoff-bound seasons and, truth be told, have a lot of fun.

"Our team chemistry off the ice has always been good," Kampersal said. "Our players enjoy each other's company. We have some pretty funny kids and some that are easy to poke fun at. They do not take themselves so seriously."

More important than Kampersal's goals for his team is the fact that his players share them.

"The most important [motivation] comes down to the bare details, like what we do in the locker room before the game, stuff like whether we should play some good old rap or belt out the lyrics to Avril Lavigne's 'My Happy Ending,' our team's special favorite," sophomore defenseman Sonja Novak said.

For the Tigers, who are looking for their fifth straight playoff bid in the 2005-06 season, good times are not limited to the dorm, the 'Street' or the ice. Success is truly all about finding the right balance.

Princeton certainly will have to manage a solid balance this year. With seven new freshmen and the loss of junior forward Liz Keady, who is taking the year off to play for the U.S. National Team, the Tigers have some significant skates to fill. But no one seems to be overly worried.

"The freshmen look strong, and we're expecting a couple of them to step up right away," senior goaltender Roxanne Gaudiel said.

Junior forward Laura Watt agreed, saying, "They are definitely going to fill some big holes in our team."

Kampersal expects an equal level of excellence from every Princeton skater, as well as an understanding of the new ruling subtleties that the NCAA and the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Hockey Leaague have enforced this season. Though there may be more whistle-blowing this season — "we're expecting them to call everything they see this year," Gaudiel said — Kampersal remains steadfast in his belief that the Tigers will play as a unit. No one will ever appear as either a hotshot or bad girl.

This season especially, Kampersal and the entire Princeton squad will have to assert their unity more adamantly than in the past, even in the absence of key players. Gaudiel, junior defenseman Dina McCumber and junior forward Kim Pearce will break off from their teammates and travel to Yale on Nov. 1 to compete with the ECACHL All-Star team.

When asked about this impending separation from the team, Gaudiel denied that it would pose a threat to the Tigers as a whole. In fact, she asserted that the exact opposite will occur.

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"It's cool to represent the ECAC," she said, "but it's even better for us to have so much Princeton representation there."

As a sophomore, Novak believes that nothing could truly split up the team.

"Our team is pretty humble, and [being on the ECACHL All-Star team] hasn't changed any of the team dynamics, which is a good thing," she said.

But even with the added excitement, Kampersal wants to keep the team grounded during the first few weeks of the season. Princeton will focus on basic rules and solid plays.

"We do so much repetition that they can run their own practices," Kampersal said. "They know the rules — play on the forehand, control the blue lines, pass the puck hard and be good receivers."

As the Tigers face a difficult season against teams that will test every aspect of their game, Kampersal's strategy will hopefully give the Tigers an advantage in the ECACHL, even though the strength of Princeton's opponents is especially high this season.

"Every game on our schedule will be a challenge. Every team we play will be tough and well-coached," Kampersal said.

But with playoffs a distant though ever-present reality, the Tigers aren't worried about the post-season just yet. Right now, they're focusing on themselves — and the fun they're having.