Jackson is back in Nova Scotia after her first season at the University of Maine and is busy preparing to return to the U.S. school in two months, where she will play goal with Black Bears women’s hockey team.
“It was a great season. We had our ups and downs as a team, but it was a super year for me,” said Jackson. “Because I was a red shirt this year, meaning I couldn’t play, and that was a little difficult, but overall it was a tremendous experience. I’m really excited about going back.”
The Hastings resident began her ultimate hockey dream last September when she started classes at the University of Maine, coming off a season in which she played goal for the Cumberland County Blues of the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League and was between the pipes for Canada’s Under-18 women’s team.
In her freshman year at Maine, Jackson was a red shirt meaning she could participate in practice and be around the team, but she was ineligible for regular season games. That enables her to maintain an extra year of eligibility.
“It was strictly a year of training, I did everything the team did, but didn’t play in games,” she said. “I went on the road trips and was with the team but wasn’t allowed to dress.”
Jackson said it was a big step to be with a university hockey team, adding it was a lot faster than what she was accustomed to. She said the style of play is different than anything she has seen before and feels being with the team this past season will help her throughout the remainder of her university career.
“It’s going to help me prepare for next season, that’s for sure,” she said. “The coaching I received this past year was brilliant. They are very good coaches who have helped me a lot with my own development.”
Besides working at her summer job with Baseball Nova Scotia, Jackson is again playing baseball, returning to the MacGregor’s Midget AAA program in New Glasgow as well as with the provincial Under-21 women’s team.
This past season, Maine finished with a 10-23-2 record under head coach Richard Reichenbach.
Jackson faces a busy summer of training. Besides baseball, she is also using boxing as a training tool and following a program put together by the school’s training director. She is also on the ice weekly and has several camps in July to prepare.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
Jackson is back in Nova Scotia after her first season at the University of Maine and is busy preparing to return to the U.S. school in two months, where she will play goal with Black Bears women’s hockey team.
“It was a great season. We had our ups and downs as a team, but it was a super year for me,” said Jackson. “Because I was a red shirt this year, meaning I couldn’t play, and that was a little difficult, but overall it was a tremendous experience. I’m really excited about going back.”
The Hastings resident began her ultimate hockey dream last September when she started classes at the University of Maine, coming off a season in which she played goal for the Cumberland County Blues of the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League and was between the pipes for Canada’s Under-18 women’s team.
In her freshman year at Maine, Jackson was a red shirt meaning she could participate in practice and be around the team, but she was ineligible for regular season games. That enables her to maintain an extra year of eligibility.
“It was strictly a year of training, I did everything the team did, but didn’t play in games,” she said. “I went on the road trips and was with the team but wasn’t allowed to dress.”
Jackson said it was a big step to be with a university hockey team, adding it was a lot faster than what she was accustomed to. She said the style of play is different than anything she has seen before and feels being with the team this past season will help her throughout the remainder of her university career.
“It’s going to help me prepare for next season, that’s for sure,” she said. “The coaching I received this past year was brilliant. They are very good coaches who have helped me a lot with my own development.”
Besides working at her summer job with Baseball Nova Scotia, Jackson is again playing baseball, returning to the MacGregor’s Midget AAA program in New Glasgow as well as with the provincial Under-21 women’s team.
This past season, Maine finished with a 10-23-2 record under head coach Richard Reichenbach.
Jackson faces a busy summer of training. Besides baseball, she is also using boxing as a training tool and following a program put together by the school’s training director. She is also on the ice weekly and has several camps in July to prepare.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
