Angela Sun ’17 is a captain and star defender on the Wellesley Club Ice Hockey team. An architecture and philosophy double major, the Vancouver native is in her second season playing for the team, which practices two mornings per week in Newton. In their biggest week of the season so far, Sun and the Wellesley ice hockey team will take the ice in their first competition of the year tonight at MIT. The Wellesley News recently sat down with Sun to discuss her experiences with the team, the advantages of club sports and goals for tonight’s game.
Anna Cahill (A.C.): When did you start playing hockey?
Angela Sun (A.S.): I started playing when I was five years old. My older sister, who’s five years older than me, also played and it was a big part of my childhood growing up. I played throughout high school as well. So when I heard that Wellesley had a club team, I was super excited to play for it and continue playing through college.
A.C.: What’s your favorite part about playing hockey?
A.S.: I like how much teamwork it involves. It’s very unselfish and you have to think of the big picture when you’re playing. I also like how much strategy it involves in setting up plays, especially when you play defense. It’s usually [the defense’s] duty to get things started and carry the plays that we learn in practice into games. So I think with the level of strategy combined with the physical demands of the game, it’s just unlike any other sport to me.
A.C.: How has playing hockey shaped your time at Wellesley so far?
A.S.: It’s definitely been great to have an instant family going into the team. It’s strange how once you play on a team and you compete together, there’s an automatic bond that is hard to find with any other organization. I’ve always loved playing hockey because it really gives structure to my life, knowing that these times of the week, I’m going to be working out or playing hockey.
A.C.: How do think club sports differ from varsity sports?
A.S.: Club teams are definitely less of a time commitment. I think you also get a mix of skill levels and it’s mostly for the best. Since there’s a lower level of competition, everyone is super encouraging and willing to help people who are newer to get used to playing. I love playing for a club team!
A.C.: What are your goals going into Wednesday’s game?
A.S.: I want us to be able to take everything we’ve learned from practice and really apply it. I want us to just give our 110% and not hold back and have a lot of fun playing.
A.C.: When did the team start practicing this year? A.S.: We started practicing mid-October.
A.C.: Wow, so you guys have been at it a while! A.S.: Yeah, we have – I think we’re ready!
A.C.: Finally, who is your favorite athlete?
A.S.: My favorite athletes are Lizzie Mann ’15 and Christine Galloway ’17 who are also on the Wellesley Ice Hockey team and they’re just super inspirational to me. They’re the other two members of e-board and there have been some rough points this season, but no matter what’s going on, every time I see them on the ice it’s so inspirational because they always have a lot of fun and work really hard.
Photo courtesy of Angela Sun ’17