Bard’s Journey to Colgate

Sydney Bard ’24 grew up a half hour from Colgate University, but her journey to Hamilton, N.Y., was much farther. 

Bard, who has become a force on the blue line for the women’s hockey team, hails from New Hartford, N.Y. As a kid, she knew about Colgate because her parents brought her to the ice rink for hockey camps. 

But as her interest in the sport grew, the family was faced with a problem: There were few, if any, local programs that offered girls’ hockey. 

Boys’ hockey was her only local option. She played in leagues throughout the region. She was on a boys’ team in Syracuse when she met Colgate coaches, who were impressed with her talent and began to recruit her.

While Bard was already familiar with Colgate, she had never considered the University until she met the coaching staff and learned more about the hockey program.

Everything she heard about Colgate intrigued her. And she had the opportunity to play D-I hockey at an elite institution that was closer to home. 

“The coaches were great,” she said. “The academics speak for themselves.”

Bard, who still had a few years of high school remaining, committed to Colgate.

Now with her college plans established, Bard had to continue searching for strong junior leagues. But more importantly, she wanted a girls’ program. To make it happen, she had to move away.

It’s a common path for those who live in parts of the U.S. where hockey’s popularity is limited. To find competitive leagues and play in front of collegiate hockey scouts, teens often must look to bigger cities — or Canada. 

After years of playing in boys’ leagues, Bard moved to Rochester, N.Y., at age 15 to join Selects Academy, a girls’ team that competes against the best in the state and plays in showcases around the country. 

It was a golden opportunity for Bard. But it came with a price: She had to leave her family to live in a city two hours away.

“It was hard,” Bard said. “It was hard on my parents to decide to send their daughter who’s so young to a different school. But I can’t see it any other way. It’s the reason I ended up at Colgate. I’m very lucky I could go on that path.”

Bard played two seasons at Selects Academy. She won two state championships and was twice named Most Valuable Player while playing as a forward.

After playing defense for most of her youth, Bard was moved to forward at Selects Academy because coaches believed her excellent speed and 5-foot-3 frame were better suited for the position, she said.

After Selects Academy, Bard joined the Toronto Aeros, where she played for one season. The opportunity allowed her to further refine her hockey abilities while facing tougher competition. 

The move meant finishing her high school education at yet another school away from home. She also had to live with a host family. Bard, at age 17, was learning much about life. 

“I definitely learned a lot about living on my own and maturing a little faster than if I stayed home to play,” she said.

When she arrived at Colgate for the fall semester in 2019, Bard was a forward for half the season before she was moved to defense to help fill a void that was caused by injuries. 

Returning to her old position required adjustments and extra time on the ice during practice. The upperclassmen on defense and the coaches were crucial in her transition back to a defensive role.

Playing a different position can be a tough adjustment, especially when that position is defense, where a single error could be catastrophic. Even though Bard had played defense before, she was now facing tougher opposition. 

The change in position, however, worked out better than she could have imagined. 

Today, Bard is a leader on the ice and an offensive-minded defender who has helped the Raiders win three ECAC titles in a row. 

Heading into the 2023-24 season, she’s compiled 11 goals and 73 assists for 84 points in 142 games. Last season, she was the team’s highest-scoring defender with 3 goals and 30 assists for 33 points, finishing one point ahead of fellow blueliner and roommate Allyson Simpson ’24. 

Bard made the ECAC All-League team before the start of the 2023 season. Her other honors include three ECAC Hockey Defenders of the Week, two Hockey Defenders of the Month, ECAC First Team, and ECAC All-Rookie Team. 

She’s also an assistant captain for a second consecutive year. 

“I’ve become much more confident in my game,” she said. “I feel much more aggressive with the puck and making plays. I feel more willing to take risks now compared to when I was a freshman.”

When Bard is not battling opponents along the boards or setting up her teammates on offense, she’s working toward a degree in psychology, with a particular interest in the  psychological side of sports, and hockey in particular. Once she graduates, Bard says she wants to enroll in a master’s program in sports nutrition with hopes of turning it into a career. She also wants to play professional hockey. 

Balancing her courses and hockey is a skill in its own, which Bard has developed through hard work. Her courses have been rigorous, but Bard said she wouldn't have it any other way. 

“It definitely keeps you organized and very prepared for whatever lies ahead,” she said. 

Bard said she has loved her experience at Colgate, and is savoring the time she has left on campus. But with one season left in her Colgate career, Bard has her eyes on a national championship. 

A preseason ECAC poll picked Colgate to win the league championship for a fourth straight year. In national polls, the Raiders were ranked No. 4 at the start of the season.

The team, with remarkable skill in every position, is primed for another big year. No Colgate team has ever won a national championship, but Bard and her teammates know they have a real shot at that coveted trophy. 

“The sky's the limit for our team. I’m confident that we can do something special this year,” she said.