By Anna Corbett, opinion editor
The National Hockey League is moving towards the series of the playoffs, and I have the impression that now is the ideal moment to express my thoughts on my favorite sport.
Hockey has been part of my life since my birth. I grew up in Wichita in a family of hockey fans, and our main team was Wichita Thunder. I started going to games almost as soon as I was born and I continued to spend throughout my 21 years on earth.
My love for sport is deep and is strongly inspired by my loved ones, in particular my father, my grandfather and my brothers. I remember countless conversations on hockey statistics, which would be the next extensive player in the league, and why a player should have made a different game. And all this despite the fact that we shared an extreme lack of experience in sport.
However, our love is deeper than simple conversations. I remember a period when my grandfather had cancer; He would present himself in each thunder match despite the radiation, chemo treatments and imminent surgeries that would replace his jaw. Her love has never weakened because hockey was an escape from his daily challenges. It was like that for my whole family.
Having grown up in a sports family, my life has always been focused on sport, but none of the sports I have made or looked at in relation to the love I had for hockey. The quantity of skills, patience and coordination that it takes to be one of the best in hockey is intriguing enough for me, and from the start, the fights too. There is just something in a fight in a hockey match that brings the fans together. Fighting is not the only thing to love in hockey, but they seem to bring many new fans, which I find fascinating.
Although the fighting is fun, there is so much more to be excited about hockey. I recently went to my first hockey match in season to St. Louis with my parents, my brother and my fiancé, and I found the euphoric atmosphere. Looking at my favorite Canadian team, Vancouver’s cannucks, and my American team, St. Louis Blues, heading for the head was something I had always dreamed of. It may seem a very insignificant dream for some, but years ago, I could never have imagined that I would have the ability to see the two teams that I like most in person.
This NHL season has been very interesting and engaging. I grew up watching an ECHL team and more recently, I also started to follow the NHL teams. This sport has so much spirit and some of the best fans, who are proud and support their teams, regardless of their status in playoffs. My favorite team, the Vancouver cannucks, missed the playoffs in a few places, but I still have other teams that I can’t wait to support during the tournament.
Recently, I became a little obsessed with hockey statistics and I noticed that I want constant information on sport, which is why I find myself scrolling the statistics sheets and team media pages to get as much information as possible on players and teams.
I hope that hockey will gain more popularity in the United States, because it is really one of the purest sports in terms of emotion, and it shows more diverse horizons than some people think.
I want to inspire new fans wherever I go. For those interested, the playoffs start on Saturday and continue until the end of June. You can find most games on ESPN + or Max.
Photo: with kind authorization Anna Corbett, opinion editor