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Laura Wiemer had been the local arena in Roseville, Calif., quite a bit to watch her son play hockey.

As of two years ago, Wiemer had never laced up skates before, but when her son’s coach talked her into taking an adult learn to play class, Wiemer got on the ice.

“I can’t imagine not playing hockey now,” Wiemer said. “I’m 51 years old and I hope to play it until I break a hip.”

Wiemer’s son is now 9 years old and playing on a traveling squirt team. Wiemer can now cheer on her son and know exactly what he’s going through while playing.

“It’s a really fun bonding experience, especially this sport,” Wiemer said. “And it’s mom that plays, not dad. He’s very proud of me.”

After Wiemer started skating, she was quickly recruited to play for an all-women’s team, Pandora, which is located in the Sacramento Valley area.

“When you’re a woman and you come into Skatetown and start playing hockey, the captain of the team, Jillian Rainville, she’s right on you,” Wiemer said. “It’s cute, though, because she says, ‘I know you’re excited to play in the co-ed, but you don’t know how special it is to play with all women until you start playing with them.’

“She’s very diligent about reaching out to all the women hockey players.”

Pandora is a tournament team since the Sacramento Valley area does not have enough teams to form a women’s league. The team was formed in 2009 by Rainville and has grown from about 10 original players to well over 30 when it competes in tournaments. Wiemer said Rainville does a great job of developing players for the team.

When Pandora heads to tournaments, it usually splits into two teams, Wrath of Pandora (higher-level players) and Remorse of Pandora (lower-level players).

Ronnie Wagner is another hockey player who found her way to Pandora. The 15-year hockey veteran plays with Wiemer on Remorse of Pandora.

“It’s very competitive, there’s no beginner hockey,” said Wagner, who is 55 and has played with Pandora for a couple years. “You can’t just get out and get in a league, it’s tough to break in.”

Pandora competes in tournaments in California, but has also played in Washington, Las Vegas (playing one team as Pandora) and Denver over the past few years.

“We’re open to travel, it just depends on peoples’ work schedules and the cost issue, but they had a great time [in Las Vegas],” said Wiemer, who plays left winger.

In early August, Pandora competed in the USA Hockey Women & Wine Adult Classic at Vacaville Ice Sports in Vacaville, Calif. The Remorse of Pandora went 1-2 in the beginner division, while the Wrath of Pandora won the bronze division.

To help prepare for tournaments, Pandora has regular practices at Skatetown and Vacaville Ice Sports.

‘A Great Bunch’

The women who play for Pandora have quite a range of ability and age, going from early 20s to late 50s.

“It makes me feel old,” Wiemer said laughing. “But I love it.”

The Pandora women have a fun time on and off the ice. Wiemer loves hanging out and creating friendships with her teammates.

“The women, when we’re just playing on a team like that, we just form a tighter bond than the co-ed teams or even some of the men’s teams,” Wiemer said. “I can see us being friends through hockey, but from also just having all these experiences of sharing something that we love so much, it makes such a close bond, especially with girls.”

Wiemer also gets a lot of enjoyment in seeing the team do well on the ice.

“We get joy out of the competition and we are so proud of each other, there are just those moments where you can’t stop smiling because you’re thrilled to be with your friends,” Wiemer said. “You’re thrilled to be doing something so difficult that you think you’re doing pretty well and just that feeling that everybody wants you to do well.”

“They’re just a great bunch,” Wagner said.

The majority of the women who play for Pandora also compete in co-ed leagues in Roseville and Oakland. Wagner laces up in an Oakland area Silver C division, while Wiemer plays for the Honey Badgers in an Adult Bronze League.

Wagner and Wiemer like to play the co-ed game, but they prefer competing with and against fellow women.

“Playing with the women when you’re used to playing with men, you get more time with the puck and you’re not so concerned about incidental contact because they’re roughly the same size,” said Wagner, who plays forward. “You get more confidence I think playing on a women’s team.”

Wiemer is just happy she gets to compete in hockey.

“It’s a great sport and I feel privileged to be able to play it,” Wiemer said. “It’s a good time.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.