by Mat George |

There are many sports offered at LHS, but ice hockey isn’t one of them. For some athletes, hockey has become an addiction they have to fulfill outside of the school system, no matter how far from home it takes them.
Since there are not very many people in the Midwest who play hockey, these players have to travel for their practices.
“When I played, I traveled 45 minutes away, three days a week for practices. They were played at the Pepsi field,” senior Bryan Downer said.
When people play on any team, they create a special bond for their teammates.
“My favorite part about hockey is the competitiveness and building a bond with 19 other guys that become your brothers in a matter of weeks. You know you have those 19 guys who would sacrifice anything for you,” sophomore Preston McConnell said.
Another thing that hockey players have to do is travel a lot for their games.
“For games we go everywhere; from Boston to LA and Wisconsin to Dallas. We get to take a team bus,” McConnell said.
Although there is not a specific team for Liberty High School, there is a team in the area.
“I play on the Kansas City Fighting Saints. It’s a local team. There are players from Staley Oak Park and everywhere around this area,” senior Alex Steinman said.
Playing any sport will have both up and downsides.
“I stopped playing because there is a lot of traveling. I didn’t have very many friends. I missed a lot of school and I was always away from home,” Downer said.
People get started on hockey for many different reasons.
“My dad was into hockey and he was never able to play, so it was up to me. I started when I was four,” Steinman said.
“The early morning skate with the rink and the feeling of the cold air on your face is unbelievable,” McConnell said. “It’s crazy to think, but to us hockey is an addiction. We can’t go with out it.”