Penny Peters was the kid that everyone wanted on their hockey team. She played goalie and she was good. As in National Women’s Hockey League good. This 39-year-old Tourism Industry Development Officer for the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has spent a lifetime on frozen ponds and in frigid arenas cultivating her talent so it’s only fitting that this Akwesasronon covets the cold.
“I love winter and I don’t like summer. I don’t like the heat! My father was a trapper, mostly for muskrat and beaver, so I spent a lot of time on the marsh and snowmobile trails in the wintertime. Plus, I’m passionate about hockey. I’ve played and coached my whole life. When I was growing up, the only time I had access to ice was when the river froze over. So I really looked forward to that time of the year.
I have a daughter so I want to make sure she loves winter too. We spend a lot of time outdoors, making snow sculptures, walking, hiking and sledding. And because we live by the river, it’s easy to clean off a piece of ice and skate.
I’m that person who posts pictures of the first snowfall. And when spring comes around, I’ll post ‘Bring winter back!’ Many people pick on me about that. But I think they’re the ones who are crazy for liking summer.”
Illustration: Kyle Beaudette
