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Cunningham Bounces Back in a Big Green Way
1/22/2010 1:00:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Passionate, dedication and grittiness. Three words Jenna Cunningham uses to describe herself as a hockey player and after her sophomore season those words got her back on the ice for the Big Green.
Passionate.
Her passion for the game of hockey began before she could even walk. Her father, Lyle, was an avid fan of the Calgary Flames and the intense following of one of the two Alberta NHL franchises rubbed off on his daughter.
“I grew up watching hockey with my dad and he was a huge Calgary Flames fan,” said Cunningham. “Since I was born that was the thing we did together. My mom always jokes that the only way she could get me to calm down was to throw me in front of the TV and put tapes of old Flames games and I could sit there for hours watching hockey.”
Once she was about to walk and get on skates, her passion grew. “I started playing when I was about 4 or 5 years old,” said Medicine Hat, Alta., native. “Both of my parents got me involved in playing hockey and to have them let me play a sport that was predominately male and knowing that I wasn't going to be able to play with girls growing up, was great because it allowed me to do what I wanted to.”
Her passion wasn't solely on the ice. In high school she was an all-around athlete, playing rugby and basketball. Cunningham played two years of rugby as an inside center at Medicine Hat High School and both years her team won the Southern Alberta Rugby Association Championships. She was the league's Rookie of the Year and was the league's leading scorer in 2005-06.
Basketball was also a love of Cunningham's. She played until her junior year and prior to concentrating on hockey, Cunningham would hit the hardwood right after the school bell rang and lace up the skates for evening practice at the local arena. She really enjoyed both sports and she mentioned how much it translated into her success as a hockey player.
“Basketball with its systems and dynamic is very similar, I find, to hockey,” said Cunningham. “Having offensive plays in the defensive zone and defensive plays as well. The team atmosphere between the two sports is very similar.”
As for rugby, it took on more of a physical similarity. “Rugby, when you look at it, helped me with footwork and staying strong on your feet.” Mentioned the Big Green forward. “Rugby played a big role in developing my quickness and my ability to stay on my feet.”
She continued her rugby playing in her freshman year at Dartmouth and would like to pursue a chance at coming back in the spring.
Dedication.
Cunningham arrived on the Dartmouth campus in the fall of 2006 and it was thanks to a familiar face back in Medicine Hat. Former associate head coach Rob Morgan recruited the “Hatter” to come to Hanover after Morgan coached Cunningham back in 2001-02 in Midget AAA.
“Definitely coach Morgan had an effect on my coming here,” said Cunningham. “He was my coach when I was 12 back in Medicine Hat. He gave me that home connection and he was real and let me know exactly where I stood. I knew he was someone I could trust and look to guide me and give the answers that needed to be given.”
The co-captain was an important asset for the Big Green in her first season back in 2006-07. She posted 15 goals and seven assists for 22 points on one of the most explosive teams in Dartmouth history. She has earned two USCHO National Player of the week honors in her three-plus years. Her sophomore season, Cunningham was breaking away from the scoring pack with 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in 17 games. That came to an abrupt halt on January 11, 2008, when she suffered a season-ending knee injury at Clarkson.
The unfortunate injury not only sidelined her for rest of the season, but according to Morgan, she missed an opportunity with Team Canada as they were tracking the sharp-shooter. She was able to move on from the tough injury, but not being able to help her teammates bothered the sociology major.
“The disappointment of not being with the team on the ice was tough,” said Cunningham, “and not experiencing things that you normally get to when you sit out. That was the big thing. Also when you're out, you start to realize you can't help the team out on the ice and you can't play your role.”
She had surgery and started on the road to recovery. She mentioned that the news that she would be able to play again was a big motivator and her dedication to her teammates to get back on the ice.
“Just wanting to come back and being part of the team again was a big motivator for me,” Said Cunningham. “I love the game of hockey and given the opportunity to play again. It was a big deal, getting that option to be able to play again. Knowing that my teammates wanted me back and their support and I believe once you find that thing you live in life it's really hard to step away.”
Cunningham returned the following season and was a first team All-Ivy selection and made the ECAC Hockey Second Team. She was second on the team in points with 35 on 13 goals and 22 helpers. Clearly there was never any setback following the injury, but she did have moments of cautiousness. “It goes through my head a little bit more when I am looking the opposite way,” said Cunningham, “and can hear someone behind me.”
Grittiness.
Grittiness is described as being courageous and persistent. Cunningham fits both of those definitions after coming back from a devastating knee injury, but being persistent leads back to her days in her family's garage.
In order to keep his daughter out of the street and keeping her from hitting cars with flying pucks, Lyle Cunningham built a make shift training center with plywood on one side of the family's garage. She would spend hours in the garage shooting pucks. Her persistence led to one spot on the plywood.
“My Dad was nervous having me shoot in the street because I might hit cars,” said Cunningham. “So he put plywood against one wall and I ended up shooting and hitting the same spot over and over until it went through the plywood and through the drywall.”
All three words have led to her earning a spot on Dartmouth's 100-point scoring list as she accomplished the feat earlier this season against Yale on Nov. 21 in a 6-2 win. She keeps climbing as she now has 109 points on a consistent 54 goals and 55 assists. Cunningham is one of 18 players in the history of the program to reach 50 goals and 50 assists in a career.
With her career winding down here on South Park Street, she realizes the young team that is out there on the ice. She also shows those three words in her senior leadership and knows the team is working hard to get back on track.
“We are getting better every day,” said Cunningham. “We are starting to see it and it is a matter of time before it starts paying off. We are confident in who we are and want we have. Having a young team and being successful is going to take some time and as long as we are patient and work on the things that need work, everything is going to work out.” (Matt Faulkner)
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