Passion for hockey runs deep

A forward and captain for the women’s hockey team, Keady was recently recognized for her outstanding achievements when she was named the winner of the 2008 Sarah Devens Award. Presented by ECAC Hockey and Hockey East, the award is given annually to the player that best displays her “leadership and commitment both on and off the ice.” Created to honor the memory of former Dartmouth tri-sport captain Sarah Devens, who passed away in 1995, the award includes a $10,000 educational grant for the winner. Of the hundreds of female student-athletes in the Hockey East and ECAC Hockey leagues eligible for this award, Keady was chosen. She is the first Tiger to receive the honor.

“I found out I was nominated a month and a half ago,” Keady said. “Then about two-and-a-half weeks ago, my coach told me I had won the award. I wasn’t expecting it at all. To be honest, I was shocked to even be nominated for it.”

Despite her humility off the ice, Keady was a monster to deal with on the rink, garnering 19 points in 28 games for her team this past season and recording double digits in scoring for the fourth-straight season. Though Keady was forced to play most of the season with four stress fractures in one foot and a bad back, she still managed to earn ECAC Hockey Player of the Week honors in February after she tallied three goals and three assists over the course of three consecutive Princeton victories.

“Sometimes it’s hard to handle everything hockey demands,” Keady said. “But going to practice is not a chore for me because I love it and it’s my favorite part of the day. So from the outside looking in, it may seem like a big commitment, but for me it’s something I look forward to.”

In addition to committing herself to her team, Keady is engaged in several community service activities. Incorporated into her busy schedule is volunteer work for the Ivy Athletes Charity Team, a group of athletes dedicated to raising money for local charities by getting their team to do odd jobs around campus, Toys for Tots and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Keady also helps organize and run the Skill N’ Drills program, where she teaches power skating, stick handling and other hockey skills to children.

“To be honest, the Skills N’ Drills program is just my cup of tea,” Keady said. “I probably have more fun than the little kids out there. Hockey is my passion, and that program is just one way I can help by sharing what I do with other people.”

Though most Princetonians consider the summer a time to rest and reenergize for next semester, Keady spent the time when she was not practicing hockey last summer participating in “Teaming Up,” a project dedicated to raising awareness for maternal health in developing countries.

“This past summer, my friend from Yale won the hockey humanitarian award because she started ‘Teaming Up,’ ” Keady said. “I got involved in it through her. I think when an opportunity like that presents itself, it’s sort of hard to see how I can not do it when the little I do helps so much.”

So with summer fast approaching, what will Lizzie Keady do next? Play more hockey, clearly.

“For the summer I’ll work at different hockey camps,” Keady said. “Then next year from September to April I’m going to train with the national program in Minnesota. I’m still not exactly sure what I’m going to use the grant for, maybe for when I go back to school. Ultimately my dream job would be to have my own hockey camp, run my own power-skating school and have my own gym. … That would be ideal, but obviously that’s a very long-term goal.”

An undisputed leader and top offensive player for the women’s hockey team, Keady, whose impressive skating skills landed her spot on the U.S. national team last year, will undoubtedly be missed when she graduates this spring. And the levelheadedness Keady has displayed time and again during matches certainly hasn’t vanished in the face of these accolades.

“I’m honored to get the award,” Keady said, “though I don’t really like the attention. I just think that what I do isn’t that special; I really wish I could do more. I’m honored to get this, but I know there are a lot of people who work just as hard as I do every day. So, while it’s nice when hard work is recognized, at the same time I know a lot of people out there do more than me.”