Colorado Rubber

Colorado’s and Utah’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey

After successful youth career in Aspen, Martens off to play for first NCAA D-III team at Lawrence University

 

Growing up in Minnesota, hockey was Laney Martens’ world when she was 10 years old.

That love for the game continued once she and her family moved to Colorado and Martens skated for Aspen Junior Hockey and the Mountain Militia, a spring team.

This coming season, Martens will be a part of a milestone with the first-ever NCAA Division III team at Lawrence University, a school located in Appleton, Wisc.

“I was searching some schools to see my D-III options and Lawrence popped up with an opportunity to play,” Martens said. “I was super interested and that’s where things started to roll. I was talking to a couple of other schools and once I took the tour, it was done. I knew I wanted to go to Lawrence. I knew that being in the first class I would get playing time and would be making history throughout my time at Lawrence.”

Martens is aiming towards majoring in biology with a focus on pre-med.

“I am also hoping to go to grad school to become a doctor,” Martens noted.

During her time with AJH, Martens said that was where her game began to gain momentum to the point where she had potential to play NCAA hockey.

“All my coaches were super supportive through my process,” said Martens. “I always knew I wanted to play college hockey, but it wasn’t until Hannah Burns (an assistant coach who played for St. Thomas) came up to me and said I have a really good chance. Keith Howie (AA coach), Kirk Golden (AA and A) and Lindsey Holmbeck (high school coach) also pushed me to become a better hockey player, which helped in my push to get recruited.

“I started playing hockey in Fergus Falls, Minn., when I was 10 and the speed, aggressiveness, and the people got me hooked.”

Once she arrived in Aspen, the positives were there from the beginning.

“I have a lot of memories and highlights and it’s hard to choose, but I would say winning three district championships was definitely a highlight,” Martens said. “I would also say really getting to know and play with girls who live in mountain towns really expanded my love of the game.

“I hope to continue playing all through college and hope to coach after that. Hockey is a part of my life and I don’t think I can just give it up.”

As the girls game in Colorado picks up steam each season, Martens is hopeful that trend continues for years to come.

“I feel that girls hockey is still growing and continuing to grow the sport will lead to bigger and better opportunities here in Colorado,” said Martens. “Through my time in Aspen, girls hockey is continuing to grow, especially with the AA program which helped with my success. In the mountains, we have this special opportunity to come together and play as one team, and it is truly special to see the growth of girls coming in to this program and gain further success as they proceed through the game of hockey.”

(Aug. 29, 2020)

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