Gemma Flaming started figure skating at age 4 and soon thereafter was competing. Figure skating quickly became the biggest part of her life, particularly because she was good.
She competed all over the U.S., won a regional championship and placed top ten at nationals.
“However, the better I got, the less I loved it,” Flaming said. “Figure skating is a sport that puts so much pressure on you in every aspect of your life; you must look a certain way, act a certain way, dress a certain way, etc. It’s also an individual sport, so if you don’t do well at a competition, it’s 100 percent on you. All these things made me want to leave the sport, but I was afraid (to quit) because, I thought, it was the only thing at which I was really good.”
Then she happened to read a newspaper story about the co-op Burlington West Grizzlies, founded in 2021 for female players attending high schools in west suburban Chicago.
“I didn’t even know that girls could play hockey,” Flaming said. “I was intrigued; hockey was something new that I could do that wouldn’t throw away all that I had dedicated my life to up until that point. It seemed like the perfect solution. So, I reached out to the team.”
At her first-ever hockey practice, she quickly learned a hockey fact that, well, hits every team, every level, every rink, etc.: “I remember thinking how gross the gear was,” she said.
“Up until that point, I had practiced in Lululemon leggings and light shirts so putting on all the smelly gear was something new. The skates also felt different from figure skates. It felt weird to skate without a toe-pick. The second thing I remember thinking was how welcoming the girls were. The hockey culture was so different from figure skating culture in the best ways possible, and I could tell just by how the girls interacted with me.”
As a sophomore on the Grizzlies, Flaming said she was “absolutely terrible, but the girls never made me feel bad for it; they encouraged me, and that made me want to get better.”
After her first season, she practiced daily, stickhandling, shooting and more – on the ice and in her garage.
“Hard work really does pay off, and it helped me grow into the player I am today,” she said.
Flaming, 17, who lives in Hinsdale and is a senior at Hinsdale Central High School, plays defense for the Grizzlies in uniform No. 18. She is now a three-year player and the team captain. She also skates for the St. Jude Knights.
“A lot of skating skills translated very well,” from figure skating to hockey, she said. “For example, I am a very good backward skater which helps me as a defenseman. It’s also easy for me to use my skating to make people think I’m going to do one thing, and then quickly change directions. This helps in corners and with puck protection.
“I rely on my skating skills a lot to protect the puck and skate around others. I’m a very good, fast backwards skater so I’m good at defending against the rush.”
Flaming praised all her past and present teammates for helping this hockey newbie improve. “They made me want to get better and supported me when I wasn’t good,” she said. “They also made me look forward to coming to the rink. Also, the Grizzlies coaches have taught me so much and been positive role models.”
The Grizzlies lost their season-opener: 4-0 to Fenwick.
“(We) know how to work together and genuinely have fun when we are playing, and that gives us a big advantage,” she said. “As captain, I want to make everyone on my team feel just as welcomed and loved as I felt these past few years. I want people to look forward to practicing and know that they are appreciated for everything they do. Fostering a good team environment is more important to me than if we win or lose.”
Flaming also competes on Hinsdale Central’s varsity dance team and the varsity speech team. “I compete in public speaking tournaments and have earned medals in the state finals every year of high school so far,” she said. “I also coach figure skating and hockey skating, doing individual lessons and group lessons.”
SLAPSHOTS WITH … Burlington West Grizzles Defenseman Gemma Flaming
Favorite NHL Team: Chicago Blackhawks
Favorite NHL Player: Jake Ottinger (Dallas Stars)
Favorite Sports-themed Movie: Miracle on Ice
Favorite TV Show: Gilmore Girls
Favorite Pre-game Meal: Chick-fil-a nuggets
Favorite app: Instagram
Celebrity You’d Like To Meet: Connor Bedard
Best Hockey Tip: “If you’re too worried about making mistakes, you’re going to end up making more.” -Tom Stanivslavski
Hockey Career Highlight: Winning the Founders Cup last season
Best High School Uniform (other than the Grizzlies): Hinsdale Central boys
Hobbies: Photography and painting – “I often take photos for the high school boys hockey teams and I (paint) sports photos.”
Long-term Career Goal: “Something that makes me happy, though I’m not sure what it will be yet.”