by Eric Zuerndorfer
“Maeghan Ouimet took a shot at the net. The puck deflected off the goalie and trickled in.”
“Maeghan Ouimet sped down the right side of the ice and found Bourdeau in the slot.”
“Maeghan Ouimet scored her first career goal for the terriers.”
It was a hockey life for 13 years. This was how she wanted it to be. This was how she dreamed it would be. But sometimes dreams change.
“I’ve been playing hockey since I was seven and I came to B.U. to play,” said Ouimet. “But somewhere along the way it just became sort of a job.”
After 13 years on the ice, Ouimet knew it was time to let go of her dream of being a Division I hockey player. By moving on, she had to drop nearly everything she knew and create a new life for herself. Ouimet had built up her physical strength most of her life for hockey, but she now had to use her emotional strength to know what was best for her.
Ouimet gave up hockey to focus on her new passion-- feature writing for magazine journalism. A junior at Boston University from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Ouimet is satisfied with her new path to work towards and enjoy. She hopes to write longer feature articles someday for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, or The New Yorker.
“At first, it was weird. I’d always been a hockey player,” said Ouimet. “But now I’ve accepted the fact and I’m happier doing things I know I can succeed in past college.”
“She’s always been a real competitor on the ice,” said Becky Zavisza, a former high school teammate who plays for Boston College. “I think that’s the sort of thing that will help her in the future.”
Celebrating her 21st birthday Monday, it’s clear Ouimet’s social life still reminds her of her previous hockey-concentrated life. She remains friends with all her teammates and coaches she’s had since high school. A year ago before she decided to give up hockey, other schools offered her scholarships to come play for them.
“I said no because I didn’t want to leave and have to rebuild friendships,” said Ouimet.
“She thinks of her friends like family,” said Cara Hendry, friend and former captain of Ouimet’s hockey team. “We’re close like that.”
Ouimet says she still has difficulty keeping herself busy. Previously, she had always been practicing, playing, or doing something involving hockey. Over the summer, she started babysitting twin three-year old boys. She sees them twice a week.
Ouimet still stays involved with the hockey team by helping out with camps and supporting them at their games.
“I’m happy to consider her a former player, but more importantly, a real friend,” said Brian Durocher, head coach of the B.U. Women’s Hockey team.
The only thing Ouimet knows for sure is that she cannot look back.
“It’s time to focus on my future,” said Ouimet. “It was a tough decision, but I’m happy now. I don’t regret a thing.”