Skates glide on frigid ice. The small puck slams into the goal and the roaring crowd cheers for the victorious team. These are the sounds of hockey. These are the sounds freshman Kinley Weber plays to hear.

“I started playing without even knowing how to stand up on skates, and now I am really good at skating,” Weber said. “I am doing things that I never thought I could.”

Weber takes lessons at the Aerodome one or two afternoons a week.

“I have been interested in hockey since January,” Weber said. “But I did not fit in at the lessons at first, because I was the oldest.”

According to Weber, her best friend freshman Claire Amyx encouraged her to start playing hockey.

“We were watching a movie, and she told me that she wanted to play hockey,” Amyx said. “I laughed at first because I did not think that she would be so committed.”

According to hockey coach Wesley Gilmore, Weber is already excelling in hockey, even though she has only been playing for a few months.

“Right now she’s still in classes but her technique has greatly improved, specifically her stance and form,” Gilmore said. “In her first week with the puck, gear and stick, she was a standout as one of the best at passing.”

According to Weber, the position can be challenging because the right wing requires the players to be skilled in using both sides of their body.

“You have a dominant side of your body,” Weber said. “So training both sides to do the same thing is difficult.”

Currently Weber is training for the right wing position.

“Her work ethic is good,” Gilmore said. “She puts a lot of effort in. I frequently see her at the rink practicing.”

Weber hopes to continue taking classes, make a team and one day become captain of a team.

“If she consistently keeps working hard, she has a good chance of getting on a team and playing the great game of hockey,” Gilmore said. “It is really hard to not only play hockey, but to skate and handle the puck effectively.”

According to Gilmore, Weber’s work ethic is good and she always listens to instructions when playing.

“I just love being on the ice,” Weber said. “I want to play for a very long time.”