She is leading the Wisconsin women’s hockey team in just about every way possible.
She’s played in all ten games this season and has currently taken the most shots on net. She’s leading the Badgers in goals and assists, and therefore overall points. The redshirt junior is off to what she called the best start of her college career, but one year ago Brittany Ammerman was thinking she might never be able to play hockey again.
As tough as this would be for any athlete, Ammerman isn’t your every day hockey player. She racked up 25 points in the 39 games she played in her freshman year at Wisconsin, earning her some awards along the way, such as being named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team. Ammerman’s momentum then carried over into the 2011-2012 season, when she recorded 30 points in 40 games.
Last year started similarly, with the forward recording two assists in the season opener, until two games later when Ammerman’s hot streak came to a screeching halt after being blindsided in open ice, a blow that resulted in the season-ending concussion. But a few months later, when her headaches had yet to subside, not only was it clear that she wouldn’t be returning to the roster for the remainder of the year, but doctors began talking about Ammerman possibly hanging up her cardinal and red No. 10 jersey for good.
“It was a dark period,” Ammerman said. “[Hockey] is something I’ve done since I was five years old. I came to the University of Wisconsin to play hockey essentially, so you kind of have do an identity check. Everyone knows you as the hockey player.
“It changed my mindset a lot, about going to practice every day and just having the opportunity to play. Having that little scare allowed me to realize that there’s more to my life than hockey.”
And there certainly is more going on in her life than just hockey.
Ammerman spent a month in Kenya this past summer as part of a women’s health program, and largely credits this experience to her new outlook on life: She says she might like to attend medical school at some point.
As far as her hockey career goes, the redshirt junior says she feels like everything is picking up right where she left off. Previously, Ammerman had a reputation for being a feisty, aggressive player, and while most would expect that returning to the ice after suffering an injury like hers would mean playing a bit more cautiously, she said that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“When [Madison] Packer and I used to play together, especially our freshman and sophomore year, we used to get into some scrums,” Ammerman said. “I think I’m more aggressive in different ways now. I’m not about that anymore, I don’t need to put myself at risk of getting injured, but I think after our first game against Japan I proved to myself that I can be more aggressive than I was, and more confident.”
Teammate Alex Rigsby agreed with Ammerman, saying she’s noticed this change in her style as well.
“She was kind of feisty before. She’d always be the one going to the goalie and kind of getting in her face, and this year is a little different,” Rigsby said. “This year I think she plays a different role. She’s more of a leader in a silent way. If you watch her in games she’s always working hard.”
Her hard work has been paying off already.
In just the first game of the season Ammerman tallied a goal and an assist in a performance that wouldn’t have anyone guessing she’d spent a year away from hockey. The next nine games followed suit, with No. 10 consistently appearing on the score sheet.
It doesn’t look like she’s skipped a beat, but it begs the question: Where would Ammerman be if she hadn’t missed last year?
“I guess you would call [spending time away from the ice] a blessing in disguise. It obviously was not how I imagined my four-year career to be here,” Ammerman said. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if I had played last year. I’m sure things would’ve gone great too, but I think last year definitely changed my mindset and my life in a good way.”
