NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nathan West has been around hockey his entire life.
These days, he plays in an adult league at the Ford Ice Center in Bellevue — and the number on the back of his jersey tells a story all by itself.
West plays on a team called the 'Cold Hickorys' and for him, Monday nights on the ice are a chance to get back to his roots.
"I've literally known hockey since, basically I was born," West said.
His love of the game once took him far beyond a recreational league. West was cast as a player in the 2004 film Miracle, which tells the story of the 1980 U.S. Men's Hockey Team's upset over the heavily favored Soviet Union.
"Lo and behold, there was an opportunity to be in a movie – called Miracle," West said. "They wanted authenticity, so they wanted real hockey players."
West played the role of Rob McClanahan, one of the legends from that historic team. Preparing for the role required intense study of the real events.
"We watched every single play, every game, every moment, and then we'd break 'em down," West said.
But after the cameras stopped rolling, West stepped away from the game for years. It was a family outing that brought him back.
"I came out and brought my kids out for an open skate like this," he said, referring to an open skate in Nashville. "It had been well over a decade since I had put my skates on and skated. I took a break for a long time."
That day on the ice reignited something he had been missing.
"It just felt so good to get on the ice, to feel that cold air hitting your face when you're taking off around the rink, and the smells, it just brought me back to my childhood and all the things that I experienced," West said.
He didn't wait long to find a way back in.
"So when I got off the ice, I went straight to the front and I just started asking them, 'Hey is there like, adult hockey here,' you know?" West said.
For the last 7 seasons, West has played in a league where the score matters a little less and the people matter more.
"I have built such a huge community and a group of friends in playing hockey again and picking that back up," West said.
And the jersey he wears is a nod to the role that defined a chapter of his life.
"I was like, you know what, I'm gonna do 1980 and I have War On Ice on my jersey in the back," West said.
The league has programs for beginners and experienced players. More than 1,000 players participate in adult leagues at the Ford Ice Center. There are two seasons — fall and spring. For more information, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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