(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Eleven players returned after the inaugural season for the Arizona State women’s club hockey team, including sophomore forward Erin Rawls.
Hailing from Tempe, Arizona, Rawls didn’t travel far to join the team, just like her teammate and roommate Jordan Nash-Boulden.
But, Rawls’ start with the women’s club team was a bit different from the other girls. Not only does she room with with Nash-Boulden this year, but the two were roommates on campus for their freshmen year.
“I think seeing me leave every morning to go to practice and she came to the exhibition games against the Ducks last year made her want to be a part of the team,” said Nash-Boulden. “I think we were expecting her to jump on board.”
Before playing for Lindsey Ellis and the Sun Devils, Rawls spent her junior and senior years of high school playing for the Anaheim Lady Ducks in Anaheim, California.
She and two other Lady Ducks from Arizona would be driven by a parent every weekend to drive to Anaheim. They had practices and games each weekend, so the program could be more than accommodating to players who traveled from outside of California to play for their travel team.
While playing for the Anaheim Lady Ducks, Rawls attended Corona Del Sol High School in Tempe. She then made her transition to Arizona State, where it was simply fate that she would attend the school that her family is a part of everyday, as her parents and bother work at ASU.
Originally Rawls was a swimmer, wanting to follow in the footsteps of her older brother. However, she became burnt out of the sport and decided to focus her time elsewhere.
“My family is Canadian, so we watched hockey growing up all the time, so I was like ‘hey let’s try it’ and I got really into it and six years later here I am,” Rawls said.
At one point, she considered quitting hockey after having surgery on her hand and hurting one of her ankles, but Nash-Boulden saved Rawls’ career.
“I almost quit, but Jordan moved me to come play and I am so happy I did,” said Rawls. “I have never questioned playing hockey after that.”
With her time playing for the Lady Ducks, Rawls learned a lot about the fundamentals of hockey. The coach had the team spend time on skating and working their edges, shooting and stick handling before moving forward to the bigger picture.
Those skills that she learned have transitioned into her everyday play with the Sun Devils.
“She has really great hockey knowledge, she always knows where to be on the ice and she can fire that puck from anywhere in the offensive zone with a good shot,” head coach Lindsey Ellis said.
Last year, Rawls had three goals and four assists for the Sun Devils, finishing fourth on the team in points.
Scoring and having great hockey knowledge are not the only skills that Rawls has. Being a communications major, it is extremely important to her that people communicate with one another. Her communication with teammates is one of her best assets as a person and as a teammate for ASU.
“She’s always upbeat and always in a positive mood and no matter what’s happening on the bench or during the game whether it’s good or bad,” said Ellis. “We can always count on her to bring up everyone’s spirits and make a big presence on the ice as well.”
