For Abby Gallaher, this meant white figure skates were just not going to do. 

 

Brought to the rink by her sister to try figure skating, the session ended with a typical toddler-esque temper tantrum.

 

It was the source of the temper tantrum that wasn’t so typical. 

 

Under no circumstances did she ever want to wear those white skates again. That was when her older sister’s boyfriend introduced her to hockey, and the kind of skates she would wear.

 

Now a 17-year-old left-winger playing for Austin's varsity squad, Abby started her hockey career playing for the boys because she didn’t think the girls' team would be ‘rough enough’ for her. 

 

“She said she didn’t want to play with ‘those girls,’” said Tom, Abby's father. 

 

But, after practicing with the girls' team a couple of times, she decided that maybe playing with girls would be just fine. Abby has found that the girl’s game can be just as rough and tumble as the boy’s.

 

"I love the intensity of the game,” Abby said. “I love every minute of it.”

 

She has thrived playing on the girls' team, and her love of the game is evident when you look at her stats. As of the beginning of Monday, Jan. 16, Abby had 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points. She leads the team in both assists and points.

 

The senior captain is also planning for her hockey future after high-school is over. She has been in contact with three colleges that are interested in possibly recruiting her. 

 

Not too shabby for a girl who almost never played hockey.

 

 

*Since this article was written, Abby has made a verbal agreement with Finlandia College.