Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Rhoda Peterson, Ice Hawks Hockey

Rhoda Peterson has always enjoyed playing hockey. It was something that she shared with her late stepfather, and it's also a sport she has been playing for the past 10 years.

In fact, Peterson enjoys playing hockey so much, she plays the sport for three different teams, and one of those teams is the Havre Ice Hawks, which play at the high school level of the Montana Amatuer Hockey Association.

Not only does Peterson play for the Ice Hawks, she also plays for an all-girls team in Havre, as well as a girls team that represents the state of Montana.

"I play for the Ice Hawks, then an all-girls team here in Havre," Peterson said. "Then I play with the state girls team. And I play different positions for all three teams."

It's easy to see, that in terms of hockey players, Peterson is quite busy. But right now, her focus is on the Ice Hawks and Bozeman, the team that is coming to the Havre Ice Dome to take on the Ice Hawks this weekend. Havre and Bozeman will play two games this weekend, the first coming Friday at 8 p.m. The second game between the two teams will start Saturday at 10 a.m.

One thing that will make the matchup exciting from an Ice Hawk's perspective is the fact that the team hasn't played at home in eight games. Yet, the eight contests away from home weren't all bad for Peterson and the Ice Hawks, since the team managed to score three wins on the road, which has it tied for seventh place in the MAHA standings.

For her part, Peterson, a defender, has been a solid contributor for the Ice Hawks. And even though she plays mostly at the other end of the ice, she does have two assists this season for an Ice Hawks team that has scored a total of 29 goals.

However, in terms of being an athlete, Peterson is very well rounded. She also plays for the Hi-Line United Soccer team and plays in the marching band at Havre High School, where she is a sophomore, and runs cross country for the Blue Ponies.

Peterson, who is in her second season playing for the Ice Hawks, caught up with the Havre Daily News for five questions leading up to her team's home doubleheader against Bozeman, which begins Friday.

HDN: How exciting is it for you guys to play at home?

Peterson: "We are excited. I think that it will be fun to be home and to have some fans come and watch us that aren't just the parents. They will be tough games, but it will be fun to have friends and family watch us."

HDN: You play both hockey and soccer, do you think those sports are similar?

Peterson: "I know I use a lot of the stuff that I use in hockey and use it to become a better soccer player and vice versa."

HDN: What has been your goal for this season?

Peterson: "Last year I played a lot of defense, but I didn't hit as much as I needed to. So I have been trying to hit more this year. I really just wanted to earn my position and earn respect among the boys which is hard to do sometimes."

HDN: Do you get treated different during the game because you are a girl?

Peterson: "I guess I either get hit harder because I am a girl or not at all because they don't want to hit a girl."

HDN: Are you a fan of hockey, and if so, what's your favorite team?

Peterson: "The Penguins. My stepdad was a Blackhawks fan and a Kings fan. I never got into football and so when it came to hockey, I just decided to like them so I could kind of create a rivalry."