Learning how to skate at just two years old, Andover Girls Hockey Co-Captain Indi Wagner ’22 leads Andover Girls Hockey with years of experience on the ice. Growing up, Wagner played in-line hockey on rollerblades with her dad every summer, which she credits towards her success.
According to Wagner, she finds joy in both the social and individual aspects of the sport. While the relationships created through hockey serve as motivation to her, she is also motivated by the satisfaction of constant self improvement.
“I guess I’ve just been motivated to continue playing because it’s a great way for me to hang out with my friends in the summer, and there’s always something new I can be working on everyday. It’s a never ending process. I really like the satisfaction of when something I’ve been practicing works. I like doing a lot of practice on my own as well. It’s very rewarding,” said Wagner.
According to Wagner, staying lighthearted and loose is directly correlated to success. With less pressure to succeed, Wagner believes the team will perform significantly better.
“This season, I’ve been working really hard to keep the spirits really lighthearted. I think I play better when I’m having fun on the ice and playing more loose instead of being nervous and anxious about who’s watching or my individual stats. So I think that’s one thing I’ve been striving towards this season is making sure everyone is having fun together. When you’re having fun, naturally, success comes easier,” said Wagner.
A more encouraging attitude allows Wagner to easily connect with her teammates, according to Co-Captain Rachel Neyman ’22. Each practice and game is a positive and enjoyable experience under Wagner’s leadership.
“I think Indi is a really great leader because she just gets along so well with everyone and she is just so relatable that it’s almost like you’re drawn to her, you want to follow her, you want her as your leader because she just connects so well with everyone and she just makes the sport so much fun. She makes you want to be at practice every day, she makes you look forward to game days. If you need someone to talk to, she’s easily the best person to go and ask for advice and talk to,” said Neyman.
As Wagner nears the end of her Andover hockey career, the annual tournament at Taft still remains as her favorite experience. Living in close quarters with the team at the start of each season was the perfect opportunity to form core memories and strong bonds.
“We sometimes get to leave school a few days early during that two week period between Thanksgiving and winter break. It’s a really great way to bond with the team at the beginning of the season. And just to get to know each other, live with each other for a few days, and play games together. It’s a really fun time,” said Wagner.
Wagner emphasizes the goal of having fun while also understanding the time to focus. With shifts in the skill of Andover’s opponents, no team should be taken lightly, according to Wagner.
“I think one of our main goals is having a lot of fun, but I think also knowing when to focus more and take a game really seriously. Know when we really have to dial in and get in the zone I guess before games. I also think this year because of Covid-19 and a year off last year, a lot of teams that we’re playing have changed a lot, so I feel like we can’t take any teams for granted, and we have to go into every game with the same mindset. We can’t really be satisfied or expect to win any games,” said Wagner.
Wagner will continue her hockey career at Harvard University next year.
