It's Hockey, Hockey, Hockey for Freshmen DuBois, Walsh

Many can remember a time at an ice rink when some five-year-old skating whizzes showed off their moves by flying around the rink and then rubbed it in by spraying ice on the less-skilled with a hockey stop.

Well, two of those little kids, Alice DuBois and Kyle Walsh, have grown up. They are now major contributors on the Harvard women's ice hockey team. In fact, the outstanding play of these two, along with that of six other freshmen, is a major reason why women's ice hockey looks to have a great future at Harvard.

Walsh, from Buffalo, New York, has been playing competitive hockey for 10 years, and she has been skating for as long as she can remember. The last three winters, Walsh's club team captured the New York State Championship and competed on a national level.

Walsh selected Harvard from a number of excellent hockey schools that recruited her.

"I wanted the challenge of a competitive Division I program. When I visited Harvard I was impressed by the coach and the program and especially by how happy the players were with the team," remarks Walsh.

So far, Walsh has been incredibly satisfied with her decision. In this young season, she has already tallied three goals and four assists, giving her the second highest point total on the team. Her high level of play has clearly impressed her teammates.

"Kyle is really quick to the puck, she definitely adds a lot to out offense," senior forward Ellen Frump says.

However, Walsh is quick to give her teammates all of the credit for her success.

"I have been lucky enough to play on some great lines with fantastic players like [junior] A.J. Mleczko and [co-captain] Holly Lietzes... It is a privilege to be on the ice with them, and they clearly make me a better player," Walsh says.

DuBois has been on skates since she before she could walk. Her parents used to sit her down in a chair and push her around a frozen pond. She got her first hockey equipment for Christmas when she was only five, and she has been playing competitive hockey ever since.

"Both my brother and my dad played. I've have been around hockey my entire life," DuBois says.

DuBois played in a boys' league when she was little, and then she graduated to a co-ed team a few years later. She then spent three years playing on a competitive girl's club team before entering high school. DuBois was lucky enough to attend a boarding school, Milton Academy, that had a women's hockey team.

After applying to many schools, DuBois narrowed her choices to Harvard and Yale. She says that the competitiveness of the hockey team was definitely a factor in her ultimate choice.

"It's nice to play on a team that actually wins games," DuBois says, referring to the Elis' 0-5-2 record.

DuBois is incredibly impressed with the high level of play that she has found here.

"Everyone on the team is so good. It is great to play and practice with people who are this talented, I think that it has really helped my game," she comments.

So far, DuBois has had an impressive season. In just 10 games, she has racked up three goals and three assists. And, although it is no longer the case, both her and Walsh have spent a good part of the season skating on the first line.

Her teammates also love having DuBois around.

"Alice is such a funny kid. [Whenever] she comes into the locker room ... you can tell that she is really excited to be there," Frump says.

While all of this success has been nice, both DuBois and Walsh insist that the best part about being on the team is the chemistry among all the players.

"I love it. The team is filled with great people. There is just a great camaraderic between all of the freshmen and also with everyone else. I love playing hockey here, it's awesome," Walsh says.