Warren resident Eva Joslin, 17, got to live out many children’s dreams earlier this January — to play at Fenway Park in Boston. But this wasn’t Major League baseball; Joslin and the rest of the Kimball Union Academy’s girls’ hockey team had the opportunity to scrimmage Governor’s Academy on the iconic baseball field-turned-rink on January 10, 2023.
Frozen Fenway is a college men’s and women’s hockey doubleheader in which New England teams played on the field on January 6 and 7, 2023, in addition to the Frozen Fenway high school scrimmages, which brought 20 boys’ and girls’ high school teams to the field to play from January 4 to January 13, 2023.
Kimball Union Academy (KUA), which is in Meriden, New Hampshire, defeated Governor’s Academy from Byfield, Massachusetts, a team they had lost to last season. This was the first time the KUA girls’ team participated in Frozen Fenway (the KUA boys’ team played there a few years ago).
“It’s something I’ll never forget,” Joslin said. “That was probably the coolest game I’ve played in. It was an incredible experience, the highlight of my hockey career.” The team got to use the Red Sox locker room and walk down the halls under the stadium. “It was such an unreal experience.”
As a junior at KUA, this is Joslin’s third year playing for the boarding school. She said the team has had a strong season so far, despite some rough patches. “We have a lot of girls with really good talent. I’ve been playing at my best,” though she said the team hasn’t “gotten a lot of the results we wanted. There’s a lot of good competition.” She said most of her teammates are working towards playing college hockey. She added that living on campus together “creates such a tight bond. Friendships reflect onto the ice.”
When not playing hockey, Joslin is a member of KUA clubs such as the Green Team, One Love, which works to prevent violence in relationships, and Penny Fellowship community service projects. She plans to return to The Valley this summer to work at Sugarbush, in addition to training and playing in showcases. She said hockey skills she is focused on improving are speed and decision making on the ice as a defender. “I’m working on making my game faster,” she said.
Joslin hopes to play DIII college hockey and is looking at schools such as Middlebury College, Amherst College and Bowdoin College. She is interested in studying environmental law and advocating for climate change mitigation. She said growing up in The Valley has prepared her for her future and for being involved in her community.
