The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 5 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on February 19, 2021.
By Ean Goldstein ’23
Staff Writer
Sophomore women’s ice hockey player, Cagla Celik ’23, is the first Turkish player to ever play NCAA ice hockey. At just 16-years-old, Celik was selected for the 2015 Turkish national team.
Celik hopes to help grow the sport of ice hockey in Turkey and recently appeared on a popular Turkish sports channel. Stentor staff interviewed Celik about what it is like playing ice hockey for Lake Forest College while also representing her country.
Stentor: What is your major?
Celik: I am a double major in psychology and business with a minor in entrepreneurship.
Stentor: When did you first start playing ice hockey?
Celik: I first started playing hockey when I was 12 years old in Turkey.
Stentor: What made you choose ice hockey, living in a country where it is not so popular?
Celik: I was a ballet dancer for seven years, and once I quit, my parents encouraged me to play a team sport. One day I went to an ice-skating rink in a mall and saw people playing hockey and instantly thought, “Wow, this is what I want to do.” I love being on the ice, it makes me feel like I am so free and capable of doing anything, anytime.
Stentor: What is your favorite part about playing ice hockey?
Celik: I like that it is a team sport, I love having a group of girls I can depend on. Every time I am on the ice and feel like I’m about to give up, I see my teammates skating next to me and it immediately makes me feel motivated. I also feel so lucky to be able to travel because of hockey. I have been [to] at least [six] countries because of hockey.
Stentor: What do you think can be done to grow ice hockey’s popularity in Turkey and around the world?
Celik: There are not enough ice rinks in Turkey, so the first thing would be to build the facilities. The next thing I would do is bring people in from different countries with the knowledge of the sport so there are more coaches available.
Stentor: What is the best part about playing for Turkey’s women’s national team?
Celik: I love representing my home country. There are 84 million people that I represent and it is a very honorable feeling.
Stentor: What is the best part about playing for Lake Forest College?
Celik: For sure, no doubt my teammates. They are so supportive and will always have my back. They are my go-to people. My coach is also great, she has been very supportive of me no matter which team I’m playing for.
Stentor: How is playing at Lake Forest College different than playing for the Turkish national team?
Celik: Recruiting for each team is different. For the Turkish national team, there would be many steps to making the team. You would go through a strict tryout camp. The size of the rink takes adjustment because the rinks the national plays on are Olympic size whereas NCAA rinks are a little smaller. [The] team dynamic is different, too. There is more freedom on this Lake Forest College team than [on] the national team.
Stentor: What advice would you give to other international college athletes?
Celik: My advice would be to never give up on your dreams and every day is another opportunity to improve and play/do what you love to do!
