Article by Peter Ryan
If I had to define what ice hockey means to me, I would describe it as an escape. Throughout my career, ice hockey has always been an escape from the real world. When you walk into the rink, all your outside worries disappear, and for the next one to two hours, your focus is ice hockey.
The sport hasnโt only given me an escape; it has helped develop me as a person. Ice hockey has helped me develop so many transferable skills, from time management to collaboration.
The sport has allowed me to meet so many fantastic people. I have made lifelong friends on many teams I have been part of. Whilst teams and opportunities change, I am still friends with many who donโt play or play on other teams.
I'm grateful that the sport not only allowed me to make lifelong friends, but I am fortunate to have met my wife through a previous teammate. If it wasnโt for ice hockey, I may never have met her. I am always reflective and thankful that the sport allowed me to meet her.
I think it would be important to mention that hockey doesnโt just affect my life; its reach also extended to my family. I consider some of my fondest memories, and they involve my parents and other family members. My parents sacrificed their time and money (Hockey is not cheap!) to enable me to play the sport I love. I will always be grateful for their selflessness.
My Mondays would also consist of phone calls between myself, my grandmother, and late grandfather asking how the weekend games went. The fact that hockey reached this far into my family shows truly that hockey is part of my livelihood.
Life is always changing, constantly evolving. We all need something consistent, an unshakeable presence. For Elis Sheppard, that presence is ice hockey. The sport, as it has for so many others, gives him a platform to be his best self.
The beginning
My dad owns his own company and one of his employees also was the match night Zamboni driver at the WNIR (Wales National Ice Rink) for the Cardiff Devils. We were fortunate to receive free tickets to the game. I remember watching the game with a Devils team that included characters such as Mike Ware, Dennis Maxwell, and Jason Stone (who I have since been on a team with and am currently on a team with his son!). I was instantly hooked on the sport and never looked back.
That one trip to a Cardiff Devils game sparked a passion that would last a lifetime. A passion that led him to sharpen his craft at great setups such as the Cardiff Devils and Slough Jets. Sheppard talks about his early days in the sport.
I was initially involved in the Cardiff Junior Devils set-up, but at the age of eight, I went to play under the Bracknell Bees organisation. After two seasons, multiple championships, and developing my skills, I returned to Cardiff. I spent a further five seasons in the Cardiff Junior set-up before moving to the Slough Jets set-up for three more seasons, until I aged out of juniors.
Each set-up provided a different experience. The Bracknell set-up was the initial team that taught discipline, tactics and the importance of off-ice preparation. The training included four coaches: some were ex-players, and others had a deep passion for ice hockey. The team was flawless and really helped me develop as an ice hockey player.
The Cardiff Junior setup focused more on developing mental and physical resilience. Unfortunately, during my time in Cardiff, the teams were never quite at the top of the table, and some results were quite demoralising. However, I think this experience was important in developing my mental resilience.
My final years in Slough were probably some of the best years playing ice hockey. I was able to train with the Juniors, the NIHL 2 side, and the EPL side while it was operating in Slough. I was given a leadership role, and again the coaching provided was fantastic.
I couldnโt let this question pass without mentioning my head coach in both Bracknell and Slough โ Lee Ealey-Newman. Without his guidance and wisdom, along with his trust in me as a person and ability, I may not be writing this piece today. Lee strongly influenced my decision to return to Slough in my final junior years. I will always be thankful to Lee for the generosity and for making the long journey more manageable.
Sheppard built his craft and a wealth of experience. He would eventually find a home with the Cardiff Fire, a place that he would end up calling home. When you speak to him, you can tell the club means so much to the coach.
Cardiff Fire
The Fire is my hockey home. I have been with the club since the age of eighteen, the youngest on the team, and now one of the oldest. I have been fortunate to wear the Fire jersey throughout its existence and represent this great club.
The team, the off-ice staff and the volunteers are all part of the โFire Family.โ The collective consensus that we are all one family really encapsulates what the team means to everyone.
The clubโs ambitions, along with its culture, are ones that I align with and want to continue to help grow the team.
He arrived as a player, but he took on more responsibility as a coach over time. For Sheppard, it is now a balancing act between being a coach and a player.
The best two words I could use to describe being a player-coach would be trying and rewarding. When results go your way, the high of being a player-coach is second to none; knowing you contributed to the win as both a player and a coach really provides a feeling like no other.
Nevertheless, when it becomes difficult, whether itโs results, managing the locker room or other trials and tribulations, it can be stressful. The expansion of social media can also mean it's much more present, too. I am fortunate that I have a team of coaches, off-ice staff and the support of Stevie to combat when the times get hard.
The Fire have looked great this season, and you can tell the team is growing. Sheppard talks about that growth.
Growth and the future
I think growth is never linear; there are always peaks and troughs. The Cardiff Fire organisation has faced its share of difficulties over its eleven years of operating. I think the global pandemic six years ago also caused growth to stagnate. However, I can comfortably say that if the plan for the Fire is executed over the next three to five years (pending no further pandemics), the club will only go from strength to strength. The aim is to return silverware to Cardiff at NIHL level.
Cardiffโs head coach also gave some insight into his future ambitions. Ambitions that stretch well beyond himself.
I donโt have any future ambitions in ice hockey from a playing perspective. I am content with the level I am currently playing whilst having other commitments, including a full-time job. From a coaching perspective, I want to contribute to the club's long-term sustainability and growth while developing players to progress through the levels of British ice hockey. The current structure the Fire has in connection with Strong Cardiff Junior Devils, Bristol NIHL 2, and NIHL National has already reaped many rewards, which I hope will continue.
As someone who has been involved in senior hockey since the age of 16, I feel as though I have a lot of guidance I can pass on to the younger generations to help them reach their full potential.
For Sheppard, it's not about how many goals he can tally, but helping future players get the best out of themselves. For him, it's all about making sure Cardiff has a prosperous future ahead of them.
