Center Ice Spotlight: Sage Rebello | South Brunswick, New Jersey

Picking up my brother from a second grade skating birthday party is where it all began. My brother had never skated before, yet he was a natural on the ice. I myself had never seen an ice rink before, and it looked very exciting.  At the end of the party, my brother came with his rental skates. He looked at my mom and begged her if he could play ice hockey. My mom sat staring at the ice and said, “only if your sister plays too”. My brother and I are a year apart- Irish Twins, my mom refers to us.  . 

That very evening we signed up for the intro to hockey program at Proskate. I was in third grade and after a few classes, I literally began to get cold feet. I finished the season with a lot of complaining- my feet were always frozen. I tried all sorts of foot- warmers, and thermal socks, but to no avail. I just hated the stinging cold and I finally quit after completing the 1st session. My brother continued, as I watched him from the bleachers skate like the wind. They nicknamed him “Rocket Rebello”.

As I grew older, I regretted that I quit hockey. I have never been a quitter, so it always bothered me that I did not push myself beyond the discomfort of the cold ice. Towards the end of  8 th grade at 13 years old, I decided to take another stab at hockey. I had matured, and realized that I would have to push harder due to the steep learning curve. I registered into the intro 2 hockey class. I was surroun