Empower Her: Break the Ice, Build the Future with Alabama Head Coach Anya Laxton

The bump of the wagon along the path leading to the power line clearing, which turned into an outdoor rink, brought Anya Laxton her earliest memories of hockey. Winter air stung her face, a pair of skates lay next to her, and her siblings were all excited to get out there. 

This was her introduction to skating, no comfort of a plush indoor rink, just her family, the ice, and freedom. Laxton’s journey took her from frozen outdoor surfaces to club hockey, and eventually to a successful NCAA hockey career. Now, as a coach, she is trailblazing her own path while fostering a strong team culture and new opportunities for her players.  

Facing Her First Major Challenge

As Laxton’s love of the game deepened, she soon encountered her first significant hurdle. When the time came for club hockey, Laxton and her twin sister faced an unexpected challenge: the local boys' hockey club would only allow one girl on its team. 

Fortunately, Laxton’s parents were determined not to let this limit their daughters' opportunities. Their parents searched for another club that would welcome both girls, ultimately finding one that offered them a place to play together. That season, the twins proved their talent and determination by defeating the very club that had refused to accept them. This victory ignited a drive within Laxton, fueling her passion and determination to overcome any barrier.

More than Just Smooth Skating: The College Years

Anya’s collegiate journey began in Massachusetts, where she played for Becker College. As she found her rhythm as a student-athlete, the unimaginable happened. Becker declared bankruptcy and announced it would close its doors, leaving Laxton without a university or her team.

Rather than letting their team be forced apart, Laxton and her teammates did something remarkable. They came together as a group, advocated for themselves, and started a program at a neighboring university, Worcester State. There, Anya went on to play three seasons of NCAA Division III hockey and win three consecutive conference championships.

Anya’s fifth year brought a major turning point in her life. Anya had one year of eligibility left and wanted to explore something new, so she decided to enter the transfer portal. What she did not expect was a call from the University of Alabama.

A Call that Changed Everything

The call from Alabama was an opportunity to coach. With no prior plan to head south and no expectation of no longer playing, Anya made a leap of faith. Now, she could not imagine her life without being a coach. Laxton started as an assistant but quickly found herself leading the Frozen Tide as their newest head coach, soon after joining the program. 

Stepping into a head coaching position at a school with the motto, “where legends are made,” Anya knew she was stepping into a place where potential is realized and recognized through hard work, determination, and opportunity.

In her first year with the program, the Alabama Frozen Tide won the 2025 Women’s College Hockey South conference tournament, forming an identity for the Tide.

Building an Identity

For Anya, culture is intentional. She believes in creating an identity before the puck ever drops.

“Look great, play great”, she says, a mantra that reflects confidence, preparation, and pride. The Frozen Tide wants to do more than just compete; they want to be remembered. They want to be in every opponent's mind and be the team others hate to see on the schedule.

Laxton wants her players to be vocal, underscoring that communication is critical to the team’s overall success. She focuses on the importance of both veterans and rookies speaking up during practice, fostering an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and valued. 

She also emphasizes the importance of purpose and that everyone on the team has one. She wants her players to find theirs, buy into that purpose, and use it to develop their skills on the ice. This has led to a team with a shared identity and belief in what they are building together.

Anya also strives to celebrate her players off the ice. She makes a point of recognizing her players’ achievements in academic or leadership roles and celebrating their personal milestones. Through Laxton’s encouragement of her players’ interests outside of hockey, she fosters a sense of balance and belonging, building stronger connections with them and allowing them to bring their best selves to the rink.  

Leading the Change & Empowering the Next Generation

As Laxton began her coaching career at Alabama, she soon learned that she was the first female head coach many of her players had ever had. Laxton understands the importance of female representation in coaching roles and the vital role of exposing female athletes to women coaches at every stage of their athletic journey, and hopes to see more female coaches in hockey. She believes that visibility plays a crucial role in empowering others. 

For Laxton, empowerment is not about titles or trailblazing alone. It is about widening the path, so those who follow have an easier journey. 

In addition to her commitment as a coach, Anya is passionate about growing hockey in the south, finding new players and fans of the sport. She sees the opportunity to grow the sport and the potential for programs to continue expanding, developing, and receiving support.

For Anya, “Empower Her” means instilling in her players the message to never give up. Her philosophy is that there will be setbacks, uncontrollable circumstances, and people who think you cannot do it, but you find a way to keep going. Laxton wants her athletes to learn resilience, to keep moving forward despite setbacks, and come out stronger because of it. Her hope is to empower her players on and off the ice, celebrating all their many accomplishments, and importantly, fostering an environment where they empower each other.

As the Frozen Tide continues to carve its place in College Hockey South, Laxton continues to help them break down barriers and believe in themselves and each other.  With every practice, every shift, and every moment shared, she reminds her players that their strength lies not only in their skills on the ice but in their unwavering belief in themselves and those beside them. Because when you “Empower Her,” you inspire and open doors for women everywhere.

ABOUT College Hockey South: Founded in 2008, College Hockey South is a 29-school, 45 team intercollegiate hockey conference spanning eight southeastern U.S. states. College Hockey South is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization.