Eden Greaves is just 13 years old and a Year 9 here at Riccarton High School. She has recently been selected for the Canterbury Under 15 and Canterbury Women's Inferno ice hockey teams!

Ice hockey originated in Canada and is played worldwide. It is a fast, contact sport played on an ice rink between two teams of six skaters and involves players using an ice hockey stick to shoot, pass, and carry the puck (a small circular disc) across the ice. While it seems similar to hockey, it really isn’t. Both games are very fast-paced and players must have good stamina but ice hockey is a very physical game, with body checking and blocking being a valid form of tackling. The aim of ice hockey is to try and score more goals than the opposing team.

Eden has been playing for about six years. Her father used to play ice hockey down in Alexandra and when Eden's family saw the Kidsfest 'have a go session', they though it might be something she would enjoy and encouraged her to try it. Six years later and Eden is achieving to a very high level and is now aiming to play for a team higher up in the league or even one day, as a professional. 

Eden fell in love with ice hockey because of the intensity, the skating side of it and simply how much fun she has while playing. Her favourite position is defence as she has been playing it the longest. “It gives me a lot of pride that I have made it this far and I look forward to what opportunities are coming next.”

If you have the opportunity to go and support Eden by watching her games, then I highly recommend doing so! Riccarton High School is super proud of how much Eden has accomplished and looks forward to hearing about her future success with ice hockey.