Izzy Paswaters has played the vast majority of her youth hockey career in Colorado, but starting next season, she’ll be enjoying a new venture playing NCAA Division III college hockey in New York for SUNY Canton.

According to the Northglenn native, committing to the school was a privilege.

“It was my first tournament this season in Boston and my coach Hannah (Westbrook) sent me (head coach Kalie Grant‘s) number and from then on, we started talking,” Paswaters said. “In January, I went out to tour the school and automatically fell in love with it. I loved the small campus vibe it gave out; you could walk to all the buildings in under five minutes. The academic side of it is so helpful, especially if you’re a student-athlete, as they have a lady there that helps you pick out all your classes for the four years and everything is all hands-on, which is super helpful.

“The hockey side of it has amazing opportunities. The program is partly sponsored by Bauer, so you get discounts on any Bauer gear. Their rink is only a few years old and it’s absolutely amazing. It’s very big and colorful and makes you feel very welcome. Coach Kalie is also an amazing coach. Watching her run a practice without having to stop for a new drill was something different and beneficial to all.”

Paswaters is also looking forward to ramping up her academics and making them more of a focal point of her next journey.

“I wouldn’t say (academics) has been a priority in high school because I was a three-sport athlete, so I didn’t have very much time for it,” said Paswaters. “Especially traveling, my first thought wasn’t always school, which I kind of regret now, but I’ve learned how to balance them over the years.”

At Canton, Paswaters plans to major in Psychology with a potential minor in Criminology.

Back home, Paswaters said she started playing roller hockey at the age of four at Skate City when she and her brother saw a flyer for ice hockey when they went on a field trip and wanted to try it out. Once she was was eight, Paswaters made the move to ice hockey.

“I wouldn’t say the Avs played much of a role,” admitted Paswaters. “I wasn’t really a fan of them growing up.”

She then skated for the Boulder Bison for five years before moving to the Rocky Mountain Lady RoughRiders for a year.

“During that year, I had also been on the 14U NAHA tournament team,” explained Paswaters. “Since then, I’ve played for Team Colorado AAA the last four years. One of my biggest influences for hockey has been Bobby Dominski. He brought me into playing boys hockey and even though I was a girl, that didn’t stop him from treating me differently. I would also say Karen Rickard has been a great influence. She brought me to play AAA hockey and saw potential in me and let be play 16U hockey as a 14-year-old.”

Moving ahead, Paswaters is excited to see what the future holds for her, on and off the ice.

“A short-term goal for hockey is that I want to be consistent for my first year or two (at Canton),” said Paswaters. “I want to be able to prove that I can play well all the time and not some of it. For school, I want to be dedicated to it and not just focus on hockey and cross country while I’m out there. My academics will be the thing I need further in life, so I want to make the most of the schooling I’ll be getting.

“A long-term goal for hockey would be to go play in Europe or somewhere out of the country for a few years. A long-term academic goal would be to either get a master’s degree for Psychology or possibly major in another field.”

Photo provided by Izzy Paswaters

— Matt Mackinder

(February 28, 2023)