The rink fills with the sounds of skates cutting through the ice, sticks clashing and the crowd applauding. Amid all this intensity, one player thrives and leads the rest of her team. Girls varsity hockey captain Izzy Paes, who was a league all-star in the Bay State Conference last season, does not just excel on the ice, but is a role model for the rest of her team.

Paes was introduced to the sport by her mother, and has been playing hockey for over twelve years. She has been playing for the varsity team since she was a freshman and currently plays left forward.

“Hockey is my main sport and what I want to do in college,” Paes said. “I’ve been playing it for so long, so it’s a really big part of my life.”

Paes said her leadership style focuses on building team unity and maintaining positive energy, even in tough moments. Senior, forward and captain Suejin Koo said Paes excels at leadership.

“She definitely is very positive in the locker room. She makes sure that everyone feels included and is a part of the team. If anyone needs help, she’s always there to help them,” Koo said.

In one game where the team was behind 0-2 against the Natick Redhawks heading into the third period, Paes said the team’s unity helped them regain a positive attitude and tie the game.

“We went into the locker room, and we have this chant that we do that gets us hype,” Paes said. “I told them that we were going to do the chant to get hype again, and we did it, and then we went out and tied the game 2-2.”
Paes said that supporting teammates through failure is just as important as celebrating successes, and that she aims to help mitigate the negativity that female athletes often feel toward themselves.
“I always try to stay positive, especially when we lose. When they [teammates] make mistakes, I’m always there to help them and tell them that it’s one mistake and to push past it and to just keep playing,” Paes said.

Senior, defender and captain Etta Reed has witnessed Paes supporting her teammates firsthand at games and practices. Reed said that Paes brings a positive attitude to the team.

“She brings a lightheartedness to practice and she always gets everyone in a good mood and ready to play,” Reed said. “She pumps up people by giving compliments and trying to bond with everybody, making sure everyone’s in a good place.”

Paes said that the responsibility of being captain while managing schoolwork can be demanding.

“Sometimes when I’m stressed it’s hard for me to be a better leader on the ice,” Paes said. “When I’m really stressed with schoolwork and stuff it’s hard for me to show my leadership.”

Reed said Paes’s leadership and positive attitude are key to the team’s unity.

“We’re in the running for playoffs this year, we feel really strong,” Reed said. “I think the team’s really united. Part of that is due to the leadership of Izzy and the other captains.”

Reed said she is grateful to Paes for her attitude, performance and her positive leadership of the team.

“She’s an amazing captain,” Reed said. “I’m lucky to be co-captain with her.”