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 

goldsteineh@mx.lakeforest.edu

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.

Photo Credit: Lake Forest College

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!

Share.

Leave A Reply