Michaela Miller :: Ice Hockey Player
I’d say most of the women I meet and photograph for This Vicarious Life have been pretty serious about their career or hobby for years. They’ve trained for it, gone to school for it, and in some cases, practiced it for decades. Somewhere along the line, they consciously selected “their thing” and actively pursued it. So it’s rare and slightly shocking when that turns out not to be the case. When it does happen though, it’s pretty magical. It’s as if this unplanned, unconscious thing tapped a woman on the shoulder and whispered, ‘Hey, check this out.” That’s exactly what happened to Michaela Miller. And when it did she casually turned, her contagious smile lighting up, and thought, “Sure. Why not?”
For Michaela that “tap” turned out to be sports, ice hockey to be specific. And what made Michaela saying yes to this particular suggestion so surprising was that she never had any previous interest in athletics. She didn’t watch sports, never participated in them growing up, never even considered them slightly intriguing.
But a few years ago one of her good friends gave her quite a generous thank-you gift: ice-level tickets to a professional Colorado Avalanche game. “I was so surprised,” Michaela confesses. “I was thinking, ‘Why did you get me these? I don't even like sports!’” Not wanting to be ungrateful, she decided to watch a game on TV beforehand — just one she figured — to see if she could get excited about going to the game. “And to my complete surprise, I very quickly fell in love with hockey. It looked like the players were having so much fun. I decided right then and there, while watching that game, that I wanted to learn how to play.”
Soon afterward Michaela started taking learn-to-skate classes, which she did for a couple of months before eventually signing up for a women's learn-to-play clinic. After the clinic, with her interest in the sport still growing, she decided to play on a novice women's team over the summer of 2023. Fast forward two years and as of 2025 she’s still playing, now in a mixed-level league.
She admits ice hockey can be exhausting, even for someone in decent shape. “The physical exertion in games where I'm swapping with only one person… I get so tired. That’s the hardest part.” But she says the experience has taught her that she’s stronger than she thought.
It’s also come with some valuable lessons that apply both on and off the ice rink. “Colorado Avalanche coach, Jared Bednar, often says that hockey is a game of mistakes,” she explains. “I love that aspect of the game. When you make a mistake, you have to let it go quickly, stay present, and keep going. I'm still working on that.”
Michaela’s favorite thing about playing ice hockey? “I love the community. My team has been playing together for about two years and it's such a great group to be a part of.” Not a bad response for someone who got into the sport just by following her curiosity.
So what advice does she have for someone who thinks they might be interested in trying out the sport? “It's more comfortable to fall on the ice with hockey gear on,” Michaela promises. “So I'd suggest joining a novice league, even with no experience.”
“To my complete surprise, I very quickly fell in love with hockey. ”
“Colorado Avalanche coach, Jared Bednar, often says that hockey is a game of mistakes. I love that aspect of the game. When you make a mistake, you have to let it go quickly, stay present, and keep going. I’m still working on that. It’s a good reminder for life, too.”
###