Princeton University Athletics
When the Ice Became a Classroom: Learning in the Visible Whispers of Women’s Hockey
December 15, 2025 | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
I watched as footsteps thundered across Baker Rink, seven hundred students weaving their energy into the space, their eyes wide, their voices alive. Field Trip Day on November 25 was supposed to be a simple early dismissal, but it became much more. It became a classroom without walls, a place where movement, curiosity, and possibility came together in ways I could feel in every heartbeat of the crowd.
Learning leaped from the pages of textbooks, into action. Students ran, danced, cheered, and listened, creating a chemistry that was palpable, yet invisible. Education, often confined to schedules and classrooms, expanded in the presence of Princeton Women’s Hockey. The game itself became a teacher: a tight 4–3 overtime win, each second revealing adversity faced head-on, resilience under pressure, and strength that endured until the final buzzer. Watching the final goal cross the net, I realized the students weren’t only witnessing a hockey game, they were absorbing lessons in teamwork, determination, and courage that would stay with them long after the rink emptied.
“All the kids leave with their eyes wide open. This serves as our Education Day,” Allison Helm, the school counselor at Carteret Junior High, told me. “They get to step onto a college campus and experience what learning looks like beyond their school walls. They’re introduced to a sport many of them never imagined seeing up close, a sport filled with creativity on the ice, strategy, speed, and skill. It opens their minds to new possibilities, new dreams, and new pathways.”
Field Trip Day was the definition of educational fun. Students from Carroll Robbins, Dr. Crosby Copeland Elementary, Indian Hill School, and Carteret Junior High engaged in activities. They observed a sport that challenged them to see themselves in new ways. The rink became a living laboratory, where lessons were absorbed through observation, reflection, and movement.
I am especially grateful to the Princeton Athletics marketing team, who helped facilitate the event. Their vision shaped Field Trip Day into more than an event; they created joy in new forms, inclusion in action, and a breath of possibility for every student. Their creativity allowed the day to resonate far beyond the ice, into hearts and minds.
As I watched the students cheer and erupt in collective joy at the overtime victory, I realized that this was learning at its most unique yet impactful pathway. A single celebration, a shared gasp, a moment of awe – these were the visible whispers of learning. Through them, education expanded beyond words, showing what is possible when fun becomes meaningful, when play becomes instruction, and when resilience witnessed becomes resilience learned.
Princeton Women’s Ice Hockey Coach Courtney Kessel stated,” The energy the kids brought to the game was unreal. Seeing them in the stands was such a highlight! At one point, I turned around, and they all had their lunch boxes out. It was too cute. We can’t wait to bring this event back next season and hear their cheers again!”
Field Trip Day was more than a trip off campus for the students at Baker Rink. It was a lesson in possibility, an invitation to grow, and a celebration of the transformative impact of learning together. And in that moment, on that ice, I saw the true power of inclusion, curiosity, and community come alive.
