Fire on the ice

The swirls had been cut into the ice a million times before this weeknight practice. The same worn in skates had been laced, the same swift and smooth tasks performed almost flawlessly in the same drill. Everything started out the same, but in what seemed only a few seconds for sophomore Kelli Doll, suddenly everything wasn’t.

This past January, Carroll Senior High School’s only female hockey player faced a major concussion that kept her off the ice for the rest of the school year, and almost permanently. However, during the last few months, Doll has made her way back to the rink to represent the Dragons in the upcoming season starting October 12th.

“Everything was going really well that night, until we practiced one drill and one of my teammates hit me from behind. I blanked out for a few seconds but I said I was fine so I could finish practice,” Doll said.

Doll, a member of both Southlake’s JV team and the Texas Jr. Brahmas, has spent over ten years playing on male dominated hockey teams. Prior to her recent concussion, Doll was never hurt badly playing in leagues where she was at a higher risk. Differentiation between her and her teammates has made playing hockey a unique experience she wouldn’t change if she could.

“The guys definitely treat me different than they treat each other,” Doll said. “Some of them can be mean but others have a lot of respect for me.”

Since learning to skate from her father, who coached both of her brothers’ hockey team, Doll has been able to hold her own on the ice.

“I said I was fine, because after growing up with older siblings, I learned when you’re hit you’re fine,” Doll said. “It wasn’t until after I got home when my parents asked if I was ok that I knew I really wasn’t.”

Her smile radiates while reminiscing over her childhood playing hockey to the point that it seems almost impossible for anyone to imagine her doing anything else. However, after certain news came at a shock from her doctor, Doll was forced to rethink if returning was what she really wanted to do.

“The doctor told me if I get another concussion I won’t be able to play ever again,” Doll said. “Going back meant taking a chance.”

Despite the obvious risks, family and close friends helped Doll get the chance to take her first steps back on the ice this past summer. Doll’s closest friend since moving to Texas, Alexis Walker, witnessed first hand her recovery.

“She really was upset,” said Walker. “However, she was constantly working to get better and return as soon as possible.”

Upon her return, it was clear that part of the battle for Doll was overcoming the idea that she was too delicate to practice the same as she once did with her team. Despite how familiar hockey felt to her, many things had changed.

“My teammates were so cautious around me that almost every five minutes they would stop and ask me if I was ok or if I had a headache. I actually had to tell my team that it was ok to hit me and I still wanted them to play against me,” Doll said.

However, her teammates weren’t the only ones worried for her. Doll’s manner towards the sport had changed dramatically since January.

“I was definitely more cautious coming back, I became more aware and I started keeping my head up at all times. I really haven’t been as physical as I was before,” Doll said.

Despite the many changes, many of her teammates got over their initial reactions and have been thrilled to see her by their side again. Sophomore Saunders Penn, a teammate of Doll’s, is appreciative towards what she has done to change their team for the better.

“Kelli was the most important person on the team, never leaving anyone feeling alone or not included,” Penn said. “[Now] she has encouraged new girls to try out and I’m very excited to see how she will help make the team better this year.”

Doll currently is working towards earning a Varsity letter at CSHS in the upcoming years and hoping to play Division 1 in college. Her next game is this Sunday, October at 3 o’clock in Euless playing for the Southlake team.

“It would mean a lot to me to see students from Carroll coming out to support myself, my team, and our school all together,” Doll said.