Junior Ava Dahl may be new to the game of hockey, but she is familiar with the atmosphere and the team. Dahl has many close friends on the girls hockey team and enjoys taking photos from the sideline. When Junior goalie Evie Jenkins suffered a season ending injury, Dahl was asked to step up for the JV squad.

“I’m friends with a lot of girls on the team and growing up I’ve always wanted to play hockey but my mom wouldn’t let me. So when they offered me the opportunity, my mom was pretty optimistic about it so I thought I would try it out,” said Dahl.

On Jan. 31, 2026, Dahl made her hockey debut playing goalie against the St Croix Valley Fusion. Although she has little experience on skates, she still had a positive mindset about it.

“I’ve never played hockey before so I went in not knowing how to skate and just tried my best,” said Dahl.

While she is new to hockey, she is familiar with playing in the net. In the spring, Dahl will be the starting goalie for the varsity soccer team where it helps her carry over those skills on the ice. This propels her to have a better awareness of where the puck is and how to get to it as quickly as possible.

“It’s kind of the same but getting around is a lot different. Spatial awareness and getting to the ball kind of translated over to me which made it easier,” said Dahl.

In total, Dahl started six games for the JV team. The junior was filled with gratitude as her teammates and coaches showed all of their support, welcoming her with open arms.

“I think it went really well. The team is really positive and inviting. Knowing I don’t know how to skate, they really helped out. When I got scored on, they picked me up and told me it was okay. They didn’t have high expectations,” said Dahl.

Dahl plans to continue to play goalie next year for her senior season. She has enjoyed her time with her teammates and hopes to continue that bond.