1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: like you, but don't ever feel like you don't felong. 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. 4 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, Emily here, You are listening to another episode 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 2: of Hurdle, a podcast featuring the mindset, secrets, and true 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: stories of the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, 7 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: empowering you to live a healthier, happier, more motivated life 8 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 2: and of course, conquer your own hurdles. This week, I 9 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: am joined by a powerhouse in women's hockey, Leyla Edwards. 10 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 3: Leila has been making. 11 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 2: Headlines is the first black woman to ever play for 12 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 2: Team USA, not only that, she's a national champion and 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 2: a prolific scorer, led the nation with thirty five goals 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: in her last season. In this week's episode, Layla shares 15 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: what life's been like after winning gold in Milan and 16 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: how she's managed the sudden influx of media attention. We 17 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: also talk about the nerves and pressure that come with 18 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 2: being a trailblozer and how she's turned those challenges into 19 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 2: an opportunity to inspire others. Layla opens up about her 20 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 2: transition from high school to a decorated college program at 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: Wisconsin and the mental shift required to go from being 22 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 2: a star player to earning her ice time. Of course, 23 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 2: Layla and I talk a little bit about the drama 24 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 2: post win with the men's team rolls eyes, but more importantly, 25 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: she doubles down on the lesson she hopes that people 26 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 2: take from hearing about her story, one where she was 27 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 2: often in spaces with people that did not look like her. 28 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 2: She says that if you love something, then you belong. 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: Make sure you're following along with Hurdle over on social 30 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: It's over at Hurdle Podcasts. You can also check out 31 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: Iheartwoman's Sports over at Iheartwoman's Sports, me over at Emily 32 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: a Body. Listen to Hurdle with Emily a Body on iHeartRadio, app, 33 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And lastly, 34 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,799 Speaker 2: I want to point out a through line here. Leila 35 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: is I think the third red bull athlete I've had 36 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: on the podcast in the last few months, and that 37 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: is a testament to the fact that this company is 38 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: investing in woman. It's something worth highlighting, It's something that 39 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: I love, and I am grateful for the team over 40 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: there for always keeping hurdle in mind when it comes 41 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: to helping me tell some of the special stories of 42 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 2: women in sport. 43 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 3: With that, let's get to it. Let's get to hurdling. Today. 44 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: I am sitting down with Leila Edwards. She is the 45 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 2: first black woman to ever play for and win gold 46 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: with Asterisk USA Hockey. 47 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 3: Welcome to hurdle, Leila. How are we doing good? 48 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 4: Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here. 49 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 2: I'm excited to have you here. You have a very 50 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 2: sexy radio voice. Oh, thank you, Oh Leila, after dark, 51 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: big city here in New York this week, a little 52 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 2: different than your usual yep. Also, when I was a 53 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 2: graduating senior, things I was not doing running around New 54 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 2: York City and obviously playing for Team USA at the Olympics, 55 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 2: an unconventional senior spring If you will, right, do you 56 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: like it like that? 57 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 4: I don't know it. 58 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: Any differently, So I like what I'm doing now. I've 59 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: been given some really cool opportunities. So yeah, I like it. 60 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 3: When you were. 61 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: Really onboarding for what would be this busy season of 62 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: your life, how did you mentally prepare as Laila the student? 63 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 4: Right? Right? 64 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: Honestly, I underestimated how busy I would be, you know, 65 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: going back and forth with my college team, the USA 66 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: Hockey team, and then obviously academics, but to mental prepares 67 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: a student, I was like, Okay, let me check in 68 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: with all my teachers and professors and let them know 69 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: the circumstances, and if any of them were incooperative, I 70 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: would either just have to figure something else out, which 71 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: I did, and yeah, just make sure I was present 72 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: when I was in class and not thinking about or 73 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: dreaming about a gold medal and a national championship, kind 74 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: of just trying to focus on lecture slides and stuff 75 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: like that. 76 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 2: I can't imagine that being present is all that easy 77 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 2: when you have those things on the back of your mind, exactly. 78 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: I mean, and I like to daydream a bit, but yeah, 79 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: it's just trying to find that balance of being present, 80 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: which I'm still working on it. 81 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, definitely challenging. 82 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: I cannot even fathom, especially in the aftermath, what it's 83 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: been like to try to go back to how things 84 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 2: were before the gold. 85 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, like exactly, I mean, before the gold it 86 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: was hectic in the best way, like all things that 87 00:04:58,640 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: I signed up for, but. 88 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 4: I didn't expect that much. 89 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: Media attention and media opportunities, and unfortunately there were like 90 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: a lot of things that had it turned down just 91 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: because I didn't have time for them. But my schedule 92 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: was packed. Yeah, I don't foresee myself ever being that 93 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: busy again, but you never know. 94 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: Well, I don't foresee myself ever being that busy again, 95 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 2: she says at twenty two years old. 96 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 3: Right, yeah, okay. 97 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 2: So let's also just highlight here that you have also 98 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 2: been a massively prolific scorer, leading the nation with thirty 99 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: five goals in your last season. So something tells me 100 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: at twenty two you still got a lot of runway ahead. 101 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 4: I sure hope. 102 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: So, yeah, people like to use that analogy a lot, 103 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,679 Speaker 1: which I appreciate this, and I've got a long runway, 104 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,359 Speaker 1: you know, high ceiling kind of can take things wherever 105 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: I want to, and that gives me a lot of 106 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: excitement and motivation as. 107 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 4: A hockey player. 108 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: But I think more importantly as like a person and 109 00:05:58,279 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: a leader and an inspiration. 110 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, especially because there are a lot of eyes 111 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 2: on you. When I say that to you, how does 112 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 2: that make you feel? I even introduced you again, as 113 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 2: most everyone does. Who should down with you? Reiterating that 114 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 2: you're the first black woman to ever play for Team USA. 115 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 3: It's a little heavy now. 116 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: Correct, Yeah, it is heavy, But you know, I think 117 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: I could take it one of two ways. I could 118 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: shy away from it or use it as an opportunity 119 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: to inspire other people and just be an inspiration and 120 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: a role model. I think that is such a blessing. 121 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: You know, it comes with a lot of attention and 122 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: nerves and pressure, which I'm still managing and figuring out 123 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: a way to you know, deal with. But it's it's 124 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: a great problem to have, you know, I have the 125 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: opportunity to change someone's life essentially, and I think that 126 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: is so cool. So any chance I get to do that, 127 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to take it. 128 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 2: Would you say that the nerves and pressure are perhaps 129 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 2: the biggest downside to all of it? 130 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I would say downside, But also it has taught 131 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: me so much about myself and I've learned so much 132 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: from it that it's also kind of been an upside. 133 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 4: You know. 134 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: At first, it was definitely a downside because I wasn't 135 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: used to it, But I've been finding ways to turn 136 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: all of this into positivity and that's something I'm still 137 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: working on but this is just the best way to 138 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: go about it. 139 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: Have you always been someone that's good and maybe I'll 140 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 2: do that in an air quotes good at looking at 141 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: the bright side. 142 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: Honestly, No, I think ever since things like this, I've 143 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: gotten better at it. I definitely wasn't a pessimist, but 144 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: I would not say I was the biggest optimist. But 145 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: with all that's going on and just everything that I'm 146 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: so grateful for, I think it's been beneficial to be 147 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: more of an optimist and look at the bright side 148 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: with all these incredible opportunities. 149 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: I've been given so many incredible opportunities, and yes, appreciate 150 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 2: you saying that I've been given, but you've been working 151 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 2: for this for such a long time. Took to ice 152 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: for the first time at age three, figure skating, but 153 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 2: didn't really stay that way for long. No. 154 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: I Yeah, so I started figure skating, and my dad 155 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: always gets mad at me because I get this wrong. 156 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: But I was also ice skating at the same time. 157 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: I was on the ice like a million days a week. 158 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: So I would do figure skating and then I would 159 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: do public skating in hockey skates, and I also did 160 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: speed skating, not many people know that, but yeah, I 161 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: was doing that forever. But I wasn't a big fan 162 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: of the figure skating outfits. I was a tomboy and 163 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: I just remember hating putting on the tutwo's and the leotards. 164 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: And as soon as my dad was like, Okay, we're 165 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: just gonna do hockey now, I was like, thank you 166 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: so much. 167 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 4: Don't don't get me wrong. 168 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: I have so much respect for figure skaters. I think 169 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: they're incredible. Just wasn't my thing. I wasn't great at 170 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: it either. My sister was better. 171 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 2: But yeah, and coming up with your sister who also 172 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 2: played hockey, that must have been a really cool opportunity 173 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 2: for the two of you. 174 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 4: Oh yes, so cool. 175 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: I mean it's like living out my dream, you know, 176 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: playing D one college hockey and then to do it 177 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: alongside your sister is incredible. We went to separate high school, 178 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: so we didn't spend much time together, and we kept 179 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: in touch, but we just got so much closer, you know, 180 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: being in college together. And of course that first year 181 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: was like she was trying to be my mom and 182 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: I was like getting annoyed. But then I found you know, 183 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 1: I found it really really cool, just to be alongside her, 184 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: and yeah, we got to win a national championship together, 185 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: and not many people can say they did that. 186 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 3: Not many people get to say they did that for sure. 187 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: And so for you coming up and playing hockey from 188 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 2: the get go, what was one of your favorite parts 189 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 2: about the sports? I know that team played a big 190 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 2: part into why you enjoyed it. 191 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: Definitely, Yeah, team, and then also it was just so unique. 192 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: You know, like when I told people at school that 193 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: I played hockey, they were like, what, Like a lot 194 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: of people didn't even know what hockey was, a lot 195 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: of people didn't know girls played, and a lot of 196 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: people just didn't have much interest in it. And it's 197 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: just such an interactive sport and it's so different. I 198 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: feel like it's a lot of different sports combined. And 199 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: I think it was challenging and I love that challenge. 200 00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: And yeah, I think I picked it up pretty quick. 201 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: You know, people called me a natural. 202 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 2: People called me a natural, But why do you think 203 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 2: that is? Why do you think that you were a natural? 204 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: Yeah? I think there's a lot of things that I 205 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: was good at that. You know, it's hard to teach. 206 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: You know, people say I have a really good IQ, 207 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: which you can get better at that, but it is 208 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: hard to teach, and that's not really something you can coach. 209 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,079 Speaker 1: And I was told I had good stickhandling skills, and 210 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: I think I was so in love with the game. 211 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: I just worked on it all the time, and I 212 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, I'm pretty good at this. 213 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 4: I'm gonna stick at it. 214 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: But yeah, I don't know why and how I was 215 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: such a natural, But I think all my siblings were 216 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: kind of like that, which was really cool. 217 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 3: Ran in the family. 218 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, my dad played. 219 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:47,439 Speaker 2: So Yeah, having him as a role model as you 220 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:52,319 Speaker 2: were really growing up within sport definitely something that played 221 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: to your advantage. And then also being surrounded by siblings 222 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 2: that were so excited about what you were excited about. 223 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 3: What was it like in the house? 224 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 1: Oh, chaos, chaos, things breaking left and right, arguments, screaming 225 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: at each other. But it's so cool because like we 226 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: were each other's biggest competitors, but we were also each 227 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: other's biggest supporters. But like, yeah, we played little mini 228 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: hockey in the house, something to break every time, got 229 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: a scar on my chin for my little brother hitting 230 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: me with a stick, and stitches on my lip. Like 231 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: there's so many stories and our garage doors broken because 232 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: I would shoot bucks. There's Yeah, my poor parents, you know, 233 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: made their pockets hurt for sure, But I'd like to 234 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: think it was worth it. 235 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:35,599 Speaker 2: I think I think now looking back on it, and 236 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 2: it was worth it. And I know that they got 237 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 2: to got to be there for you or you were 238 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 2: in Milan something that you had the privilege of doing 239 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,719 Speaker 2: with them. What did that mean to you? 240 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean privilege is the perfect word. Like, just 241 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: so grateful and everyone who helped them get there, because 242 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: especially because they knew how much it wouldn't meant mean 243 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: to me. Yeah, to have them there, I think that 244 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 1: was just so cool. I mean obviously all those people 245 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 1: who donated and then who were sharing the donation and 246 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: just trying to put it out there even if they 247 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: couldn't help, but which that was plenty of help. I 248 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: just thought it was so cool. And I like to say, like, 249 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: obviously my name's on the roster, but you know, my 250 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: family is on into They're the reason I got there, 251 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: and I like to share this metal with them that 252 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: you know, we won, and it's just so cool. They're 253 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: everything to me and very family oriented, So to have 254 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: them there was a great privilege. 255 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 3: It's such a it's such a beautiful thing. 256 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 2: You you talked about the people that donated the Kelsey 257 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 2: is a big part of your story here, also being 258 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 2: from Cleveland Heights. 259 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. 260 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: What did it feel like the first time that you 261 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 2: heard that the Brothers were talking about you on their podcast? Oh? 262 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean the first time. 263 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: I remember getting a text about it and I was 264 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: like it was from a number I didn't have saved, 265 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: and I was like, yeah, this is a prank or something. 266 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,079 Speaker 1: And I was getting more and more text about it. 267 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, well I need to go check 268 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: this out. And I saw the video and I was like, WHOA, 269 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: Like just hearing my name come out of their mouth. 270 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 1: You know, I've been such a big fan of both 271 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: of them, you know, especially growing up from in Cleveland Heights, 272 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: and they're obviously both very successful football players. But I 273 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: think it's been cool to get to know them as people. 274 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: They're really great guys who are just normal and down 275 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: to earth. I'm not saying we're best friends, like I haven't. 276 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: I haven't like hung out with them like besties, but 277 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: just the little bit I've gotten to interact with them, 278 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: they're really good people, and I really appreciate the support 279 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: they've shown me. 280 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: I want to talk a little bit about your journey 281 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 2: playing toward college. 282 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: Then. 283 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 2: Obviously something that you knew you wanted to do from 284 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 2: a young age, continue to play in college, But when 285 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 2: you got there, what was it about it that you 286 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:56,719 Speaker 2: expected and what was different. 287 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: When I got to college. I expected to not necessarily 288 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: because obviously I went from being one of the better 289 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: players on every team to you know, a freshman on 290 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: a very decorated team, very decorated program under an extremely 291 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: well known and successful coaching staff. So I didn't expect 292 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: to just get there and play a lot. But I 293 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: expected to get there and have a role that I 294 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: can play and then just keep getting better at Yeah, 295 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: I had to not work a lot harder than I expected, 296 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: but it was a challenge. You know, I didn't get 297 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: all the ice time that I wanted, but I'm not 298 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: saying I deserved it. 299 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 4: It's just like everybody wants to play, and so. 300 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: I had to work towards that and work towards it 301 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: all season and ended up, you know, getting a good 302 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: amount of ice time towards the end. But yeah, I 303 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: was and surprised at how everyone was so good. It 304 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: was so cool though, just like practice was so fast 305 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: paced and I was like, whoa, Like it wasn't easy 306 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: in it and having to keep up at the beginning, 307 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, I'm just you know, just a freshman, 308 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: but I had high expectations. 309 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 4: I don't know if any of that made sense. 310 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 3: No, it's totally sense. 311 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 2: And I hear that a lot from women that go 312 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: from that transition high school to college and then especially 313 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: if that transition from college to pro Right, there's always 314 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 2: like that next sense of leveling up that you anticipate, 315 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 2: but you don't fully get it until you exactly yea, 316 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 2: and when you didn't have the ice time that you wanted. 317 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 2: I mean, that's just one example of things that maybe 318 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 2: feel or are uncontrollable for you. What were you able 319 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 2: to do in the indrome that made you a better 320 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 2: player during that time? 321 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: Yep, definitely, that's a good question. I would just speak 322 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: to the coaches, and because they're the ones who decide, 323 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: I'm like. 324 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 4: What can I do. 325 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: I'm not going in there saying give you more ice time, 326 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: because it doesn't work like that, especially at the collegiant level, 327 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: and the best team in the country. So it's like, 328 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: what can I do to earn more ice time? What 329 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: can I do to make you guys more comfortable putting 330 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: me out there more oft end, they gave me things 331 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: that I worked on them, and they they didn't stay 332 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: truly their word, but I got better at those things, 333 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: so they rewarded me for which I guess, Yeah, they 334 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: stayed true to their word in that sense. 335 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 2: And that's so important in such a good example for 336 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 2: you knowing that just because you don't have something that 337 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 2: you want doesn't mean that there can't be something good 338 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 2: that happens before that. 339 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 4: Definitely, yes, exactly. 340 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 2: And as you're getting it to play, I mean, for instance, 341 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: having to switch positions. This is something that a lot 342 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 2: of people can definitely just pull out of their back pocket. 343 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 2: Talk to me about that process for you and how 344 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 2: you and your skill set were able to switch so easily. 345 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: I mean it started in conversation, I want to say, 346 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: the summer of the summer after the World's Tournament where 347 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: I won MVP as a forward at my first World's end. 348 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: I just like so, I played a lot of defense 349 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: growing up with the boys, and I was recruited to 350 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: Wisconsin as a defenseman's last forward. I don't even know, 351 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: but yeah, I just always had the skill set in 352 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: my back pocket, a defensive I hadn't played for years 353 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: or was speaking us saying, it was kind of like 354 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: they're very heavy upfront, the forwards, great forwards, and obviously 355 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: like I fit in fine. 356 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 4: It was great. 357 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: They didn't have any doubt in my position there. But 358 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: it was also like not as having on the DN 359 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: and I had those assets. So we both agreed, like, 360 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: let's try it out. Let's just try it. Yeah, so 361 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: we tried it, and yeah, I'm not I don't know 362 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: if it was I think it worked out obviously. I 363 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:27,719 Speaker 1: don't know how it would have worked out if I 364 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: was on forward because I don't know, but I liked it. 365 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:33,439 Speaker 1: I loved how dyance so much faith in me, and 366 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: they believed in me. I thought that was incredible and 367 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: just feeling that belief was really cool. But yeah, a 368 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: lot of it, like you said, it was those skills, 369 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: but more of it was mental for me because I 370 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: think I had all the physical abilities. Yeah, mentally making 371 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: that switch and trying to drown out the outside noise 372 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: because everybody, almost everybody disagreed with it, which I understand 373 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: and tell me about that. Yeah, obviously it was this 374 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: season because there was recent It was the season after 375 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,479 Speaker 1: I was the leading scorer in college and I just 376 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: want MVP at forward. So I understood where people were 377 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 1: coming from. But I also have the stature of a defend. 378 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 1: I'm tall, I get the one reach. I like to 379 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: see everything in front of me with you know, my IQ. So, 380 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: like I said, I get where people are coming from, 381 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: but I also could tell people weren't even trying to 382 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: get a like, get behind the fact. Even if I 383 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: was doing good, they were just like no, no shift 384 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: forward right. 385 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,360 Speaker 3: Like if it's not broken, don't fix it. 386 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, which, like I said, I understand, but it's 387 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: not their decision. 388 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 3: To make I feel like. 389 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 2: Also, you're the kind of person that appreciates the challenge, Like, yes, 390 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 2: it's like one thing to do something well and to 391 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 2: keep doing it, but this allowed you to flex in 392 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 2: a way that you hadn't been flexing and keeps it 393 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 2: interesting exactly. 394 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love the challenge, and having played D before, 395 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: it was like I can do this. Yeah, it's a 396 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: much higher level and much more complicated, but I can't 397 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: adapt quick and I had all the resources and yeah, 398 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: it was incredible. 399 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 2: It's so funny now knowing what we know, knowing that 400 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 2: you had those amazing goals that had the Olympics, to 401 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 2: look back and hear you say. 402 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 3: I'm not sure if it worked out how they. 403 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 4: Wanted, right, I'd like to say it did. 404 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 3: I think it did. 405 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,360 Speaker 2: Speaking of those goals in Milan, I want to talk 406 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 2: a little bit about being in your skates during those moments. 407 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 2: I mean, before we even talk about the actual Oh 408 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 2: my god, what are you feeling? 409 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:30,160 Speaker 3: What's happening here? 410 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 2: How do you typically come back to calm during high 411 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 2: intense moments. 412 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, kind of just for me, it's actually simpler because 413 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: I always try to stay calm no matter the moment. 414 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: That's just kind of who I am and how I operate. 415 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 1: I don't like to get too high or too low. 416 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: Obviously in certain moments I do get really you know, 417 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: a pilot where we tied the game at the end 418 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,120 Speaker 1: and what we want, of course, but yeah, I think 419 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: just taking a deep breath and reminding myself like this 420 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:00,640 Speaker 1: is awesome, this opportunity to grape. But it's like, you're 421 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: here for hockey, And when I was in those skates, 422 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 1: it were just like, okay, deep breath, the stakes are high. 423 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: You're at the Olympics, but it's the same game you 424 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 1: played your whole life. You know, the game hasn't changed, 425 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: so kind of just stick to what you know and 426 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: play your game. 427 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, stick to what you know and play your game. 428 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 3: It's reiterating what you know to. 429 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 4: Be true exactly. 430 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 3: I love the. 431 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 2: You've been doing this for a while. This is nothing 432 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 2: new here. Yeah, you're entirely capable of what you're setting 433 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 2: out to do. And sometimes that voice inside of our 434 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 2: head makes us think or question the things that we 435 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 2: already know. Is there a specific dialogue maybe that you 436 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: go to aside from you're capable of doing this? 437 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 3: You do this all the time pretty. 438 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: Much, or just like kind of like remember who you are, 439 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: Like you're here for a reason. Really Sometimes like after 440 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: I mess up or have a bad shift, I get 441 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: in my head and like it gets pretty negative kind 442 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: of just like stupid stuff, But just remind myself, like 443 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: you're here for a reason. You wouldn't be here if 444 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: you weren't good at Often I have like a smiley 445 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 1: face ran on my gloves just to look down and 446 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: like hockey supposed to be fun, Like I started it 447 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 1: because it's a game. I play it because it's fun, 448 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: and that shouldn't change no matter what level or how 449 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:11,199 Speaker 1: long I've been playing. 450 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 2: But I think there's something very special that separates you 451 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 2: and high performers from others in this sense, because you 452 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 2: have the ability to hear that negative voice, those negative 453 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 2: phrases and say like, Okay, I hear you, and I'm 454 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 2: gonna graduate from this. 455 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 4: Yeah. 456 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: That's challenging, Yes, definitely, And I think I haven't always 457 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: been good at that. It took a lot of work, 458 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,719 Speaker 1: you know, in full transparency, Like I learned a lot 459 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: of that from like seeing a sports psychologist who helped 460 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: me a lot, and that freshman year when I wasn't 461 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: playing a lot and things weren't going great and I 462 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 1: had a lot of those negative thoughts in my head. 463 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: And so since then, I've just been working on being 464 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: able to hear those counteractive thoughts that are more positive 465 00:21:58,119 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: and help me perform better. 466 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 4: Yeah. I agree with that sentence. 467 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: I like that about it separating high performers because I 468 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: wasn't the highest performer I could have been a freshman year, 469 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 1: and I feel like I'm getting there now. 470 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,640 Speaker 2: However, if you had been such a crazy high performer 471 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 2: freshman year then I don't even think we would be 472 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 2: here exactly, we would even be here right now. You 473 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,400 Speaker 2: also got to play on the team. With that said, 474 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 2: with a lot of veterans. Talk to me about what 475 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:27,199 Speaker 2: that meant for you and if intimidated when you when 476 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 2: you got on, I would. 477 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: Say at the Olympics, not so much, because I had 478 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: been around all these girls a ton, Like We've done 479 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff together these past few years. But yeah, 480 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: I mean there's a level of respect I have for 481 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: them too. Just I grew up being a big fan 482 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 1: of a lot of them, you know, especially Hillary Knight. 483 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: Big shout out to the Goat. I think she's incredible 484 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: and like she was like my biggest inspiration in hockey 485 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: growing up. 486 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 4: Just was so cool. 487 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: I was such a fan, still am such a fan, 488 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: But to be alongside hers, like at first, it was 489 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: very intimidating, and I still have so much respect for 490 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: her where it's still a bit intimidating, but I've got 491 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 1: to know her better now. Yeah, I would just say 492 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 1: I've become friends with like almost all of them, and 493 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: I think it was important that we build our relationships 494 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: before the Olympics, so that everyone was comfortable and yeah, 495 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: not so much of that intimidation anymore, which is good. 496 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 2: You said that you don't like to get too high 497 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 2: and you don't like to be too low when you're 498 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: in the locker room or on the ice with these women. 499 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 3: Who is it that they are seeing there? 500 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 4: Yeah? I think I try to keep it. 501 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: I got it on my crowd, so like there's younger 502 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: girls on the team, and I'll crack jokes here and there, 503 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,640 Speaker 1: but I try to keep I try to keep it neutral, 504 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: like exactly like low key, but still dialed in. You know, 505 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: I want them to know I take it seriously, but 506 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: at the same time, I'm not like, like super serious. 507 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 3: And why is that so important to you to be 508 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 3: so even keeled? 509 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think because that way, I just keep it 510 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: like I play the game simple, like I keep it 511 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: the I don't sorry, my game isn't necessarily simple, but 512 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 1: I I keep it consistent that way, so like I'm 513 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: not gripping my stick too tight, I'm not too loose 514 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: and just like, oh, like comfortable kind of thing. I 515 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 1: don't know if that makes sense, ye, but yeah, that way, 516 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: it's like when I say, not get too high. 517 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 4: It's okay. 518 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: If we're winning, I'm not just like a lot like 519 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: they're winning, right, And if we're losing, I'm not like 520 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: gripping my stick tight and worried, kind of just trying 521 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: to play that same game no matter what. 522 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, what I'm hearing you say is that by even keeled, 523 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 2: you're not letting your emotions maybe get. 524 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 3: The best ye correct, Okay, yeah. 525 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 2: Okay, So in these moments, do you ever feel as 526 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 2: though that desire to stay even keeled can work against you? 527 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 4: Yes? And I've been told that a lot. 528 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:44,920 Speaker 3: Oh that's interesting. 529 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, well yeah, sometimes I think people mistake it for 530 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: either not caring or like too nonchalant or things like that. 531 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 4: But I that's just how I'm wired. 532 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 1: I obviously people say I handle pressure really well, especially 533 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: like on the ice, but I think that's just how 534 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: I am. I don't want to get too over too under, 535 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: because that's just never been. 536 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 4: How I am. And I was gonna say my best 537 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 4: that's the best answer I have for that. 538 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 2: Well, because sometimes when we have a habit or behavior, 539 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 2: we are exercising it in that way because we had 540 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 2: an experience where something that was different or perhaps the 541 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: opposite didn't. 542 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:24,679 Speaker 3: Do us well exactly. 543 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 2: So That's where I'm going with this. Was there an 544 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 2: experience that maybe being at an extreme didn't serve you. 545 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: I think a good example and I've never said this 546 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 1: or talked about it since, but the gold medal game 547 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: was not my. 548 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 4: Best hockey game. 549 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: I was. I was so nervous, and I actually wasn't 550 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: for a big chunk of the game. I wasn't able 551 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: to be that even keeled that I usually am. But 552 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: as soon as I returned to that, I started to 553 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 1: play better. 554 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 4: So that was interesting to me. 555 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: It's because like, I've been this way my whole career, 556 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: and then I get to the biggest game of my 557 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: life and I struggled. I really did struggle, but I 558 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 1: pulled it together. 559 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 3: Oh well. 560 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: Actually a lot of credit to my teammates. I think 561 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,400 Speaker 1: they could tell I was in my head a little bit, 562 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: and my coach got me together, told me to dial 563 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 1: with the FN and I said word, and so I 564 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,360 Speaker 1: picked it up and I just remembered. I just took 565 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: a deep breath, and I was like speaking to myself, 566 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: like this is hockey. Like a few of my teammates 567 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: down on the defensive end, we're like hey, like, you 568 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 1: know who you are, you know you can do. And 569 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: I started to pick it up and just go back 570 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,439 Speaker 1: to my game, and they're like, there it is. And 571 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: I was just getting more comfortable. I wasn't too high 572 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: or too low. You though we were losing. So that 573 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: actually does the opposite of answer your question. 574 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 3: No, Sorr, there's so much good color in that. 575 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's why I felt it was actually I put 576 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: that there, but yeah. 577 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 3: So much good color in that. 578 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 2: And just this recognition, like a frustration, which is, this 579 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 2: is the biggest game of my career. Why am I 580 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 2: not doing what I know to be of service of me? 581 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 2: But that's so relatable. How many times are we like 582 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 2: in these big moments and we worry so much about 583 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 2: what it could look like if we choke, and that fear, 584 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 2: that anticipation, the feelings that surround these big moments. Sometimes 585 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 2: we let those feelings take them away, and rather than 586 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 2: let your feelings be the thing that stood in the way, 587 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 2: you recognize them. And then you said, all right, you 588 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:26,359 Speaker 2: know what, I'm going to be the one that's in 589 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 2: charge of what happens next exactly. 590 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 3: And that's so hard to do, yep, so hard to do. 591 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 2: I can't even imagine like being I mean, I think 592 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 2: I'm a tad older than you, and I can't even 593 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 2: imagine having the foresight to be able to think to 594 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 2: that I could do that. And so what a beautiful 595 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 2: place you're in right now at such a young age 596 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 2: to say this is really only the beginning. 597 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 4: Right, Yeah, I think you could do it. 598 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 3: Oh, thank you, thank you. I appreciate it. 599 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 2: Although I was nowhere near as athletically give did as 600 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 2: you twenty two, that's to say the least, coming now 601 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 2: out of this and obviously in the in the build 602 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 2: up to the Olympics, so many eyes and so much 603 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 2: attention on you. 604 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 3: What has been the most challenging part of that for you? 605 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: I think just being able to like handle it and 606 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:20,879 Speaker 1: manage it. I think it was great to have like 607 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 1: the ability to put my story out there and hopefully 608 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: inspire people. But it made me really nervous to like 609 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 1: mess up because I have a lot of critics who 610 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: but everyone does, so that is what it is. 611 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 4: But I was like, yes, this is a. 612 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: Great opportunity for people to get seen my story about 613 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: blah blah. But then it was so much more pressure 614 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 1: and like almost a magnifying glass of like if I 615 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: messed up or if I didn't, And for example, people 616 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: would say things like I don't know. I think it 617 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 1: was a lot of things that I would mess up 618 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: and people wouldn't notice unless I was getting all that attention. 619 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 4: So yeah, there's ups and downs. 620 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: To it, but I I there the outweigh the downs 621 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 1: by a lot. Yeah, that's probably the toughest part, is 622 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 1: just feel like I couldn't mess. 623 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 3: Up entirely understandable. 624 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 2: I think of it often as pressure is a privilege. 625 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 4: Yes, I love that saying yeah, I always say it. 626 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 2: It's not an easy stance approach to take. It is 627 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: something that you're getting what you want, which is you're 628 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 2: performing well. So there are eyes on you, and you 629 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 2: ask yourself, is this performance something that's worthy of all 630 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 2: of these eyes? 631 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: Right? 632 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 4: Right? 633 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: And so yes, I've said that saying pressure pressure is 634 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: a privileged a lot because it is. 635 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 4: But then there were times I'm like. 636 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: Why the hell would I ever say that, Yeah, I 637 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 1: hate this pressure. It doesn't feel like a privilege. But 638 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: then I'm like, look at all the good that's coming 639 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: out of it. It is very much a privilege. So 640 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: I just had to remind myself of that. 641 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 2: You said that you liked the opportunity to get your 642 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 2: story out there. In telling your story, what do you 643 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 2: think is something that maybe you've talked a little bit 644 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 2: more about. 645 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: Yeah lately, you know, one of the my favorite things 646 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: I've been saying is like, if you love something, And 647 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: obviously I play hockey and coming more specifically from hockey, 648 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:15,920 Speaker 1: but this goes to anyone, like, if you love something, 649 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 1: then you belong, like no matter who looks like you 650 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:19,719 Speaker 1: and who doesn't. 651 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 4: I think. 652 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: A lot of people ask you know, what kept you 653 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 1: going when you didn't see people that look like you 654 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: in the locker room or in the rink, And I 655 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: was like, I loved it. I loved hockey, And like, well, 656 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: did you feel like you belong I'm like, yes, because 657 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: I loved hockey. And if you love something in that space, 658 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: then you belong in that space. It's simply put so 659 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: more specifically, you know, in correspondence to my story for 660 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 1: young you know, minorities and honestly, anybody, if you don't 661 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: feel like you belong in hockey because you don't see 662 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: many people that look like you, that shouldn't be the 663 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 1: reason why, but it's easier said than done. 664 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 4: I get it. 665 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's hard to be in spaces that no one 666 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 1: looks like you, But don't ever feel like you don't belong. 667 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,040 Speaker 1: Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. 668 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 3: Exactly. It can be an and both situation. 669 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 4: Exactly. 670 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 2: You can feel like you belong because you share a 671 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 2: love of the game or whatever it is that we're 672 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 2: talking about, right, Yeah, and it can also be hard. Yeah, 673 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 2: it can be both totally. When you look back on, 674 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 2: you know, the last decade of playing hockey for you, 675 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 2: would you say that there was. 676 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 3: A moment where maybe it was the most difficult. 677 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 4: Yes, I mean I've. 678 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: Maybe in one tournament, but I've never had a teammate 679 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: that just looked like me. Especially when I was playing 680 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 1: boys hockey. Yeah, ten years ago, a decade ago, I 681 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: was the only girl, an only person of color. So 682 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: that was difficult. But I loved it so much where 683 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: it didn't bother me too much. There are times where 684 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: I was like, okay, whatever, like the weird looks i'd 685 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: get in the rink, the microaggressions, things of that sort. Yeah, 686 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: and then even th when I went to the high school, 687 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: the boarding school I went to the only person of 688 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: color in the dorms and in the program. But the 689 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: school was diverse, the actual school part, which was nice. Yeah, 690 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: there's not a specific time, but there were times where 691 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 1: I was like, actually, there was a good a lot 692 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: of times where I was like, I don't know if 693 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 1: I want to do this anymore, Like nobody, nobody gets it, 694 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:27,960 Speaker 1: no one is in my shoes, Like I'm sick of 695 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: being an outlier. All this stuff, But that was always 696 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 1: overpowered by how much I loved hockey. 697 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: What did you do in perhaps the most intense moments 698 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 2: of frustration, or in the moments that you wanted to 699 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 2: give up? What was your outlet in that maybe outside 700 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 2: of the rink. 701 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean often I would call my mom or 702 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:51,240 Speaker 1: dad or my sister and cry and complain about it. Yeah, 703 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: And that was that was tough. I hated those times 704 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: because of how much I loved hockey. I was like, 705 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: this isn't fair, Like it should not matter, you know 706 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: what the color of my skin is. 707 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 4: It's hockey. It's a game, you know. But it was tough. 708 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 4: And they always talked. 709 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 1: Me metaphorically off a ledge, yeah, like kind of thing, 710 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: and I constantly just had to remind myself, like, you 711 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 1: love this. No one should be able to take that 712 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: from you. Nothing should take that from you. And yeah, 713 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: it wasn't always easy, but it was worth it. 714 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 2: It was worth it, and to go back to where 715 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 2: we were before. It enabled and empowered you to get 716 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 2: to that place where you're scoring a goal on the 717 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 2: Olympic stage. So now put me in your skates on 718 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,840 Speaker 2: the ice. Yes, this is this is not a casual goal. 719 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 3: Nothing is casual about it. 720 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 4: No, I mean yeah, just my whole life. 721 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 1: I dreamt of going to the Olympics ever since I 722 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 1: knew what it was. And twenty fourteen, Sochi Olympics. 723 00:33:55,960 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 4: I was ten. They lost to Canada in the finals. 724 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 1: I remember being heartbroken, but I was like, but these 725 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: girls should be so proud of themselves, like blah blah blah. 726 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:09,040 Speaker 1: And then I met Kelly Stack and a silver medalist 727 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 1: from Cleveland. I got to see her medal. I was like, well, 728 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: that's cool, it's awesome. I want to get that one day, 729 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:18,320 Speaker 1: but in gold. Respectfully, I think silver is an incredible 730 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 1: feet as well. But I was like, if there's something 731 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:24,839 Speaker 1: cooler than that, I want it. And I remember twenty 732 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 1: eighteen and watching them win in Peon Chang. I believe 733 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: it was super cool. I was just so excited for them, 734 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: and long story short, I've dreamed of them my whole life. Yeah, 735 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:38,839 Speaker 1: to get there, it's a very small percentage of people 736 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 1: who get there to the Olympics, and the small percentage 737 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 1: of people who score at the Olympics, small percentage of 738 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: people who win a medal at the Olympics, and even 739 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: smaller percentage to win gold. So yeah, it was I mean, 740 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:54,839 Speaker 1: to put yourself in my skates, it was. 741 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:56,240 Speaker 4: Just like crazy. 742 00:34:56,239 --> 00:35:00,160 Speaker 1: I still haven't really sat down and processed it all. 743 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,840 Speaker 2: That was actually gonna be my next question, Yeah, is 744 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 2: if you haven't, as you're saying, like, what have you done? 745 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,960 Speaker 1: I got back from the Olympics, and three days later 746 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:12,839 Speaker 1: I was starting playoff hockey with my collegiate team Wisconsin, 747 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: and I was going back to class and I was 748 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: back into a different world and we just won the 749 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,320 Speaker 1: national championship with them in March twenty second. 750 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 4: I believe. 751 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been a crazy six weeks for you. 752 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 1: Yeah to say so, yeah, it's crazy. 753 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 2: I mean, do you have a way that you usually 754 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 2: reflect or do you think that this is just such 755 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 2: a mountaintop that it's almost hard to force yourself to 756 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 2: sit down and take a look back at it all. 757 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think exactly. It's it's been tough. I haven't 758 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,319 Speaker 1: had the opportunity. I mean, I'll scroll and see things 759 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: on social media. I'm like, well, that's cool, we did that. 760 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 1: That's awesome, and then that's that and move on and 761 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:51,279 Speaker 1: that's that a movie. 762 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:52,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I haven't had. 763 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: Much of a breaker, which is fine, It's what I 764 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 1: signed out for. But maybe once I graduate. 765 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 3: Maybe once you graduate, who knows, its just a quick 766 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 3: media day in. 767 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 2: New York before we go back to class and then 768 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:05,360 Speaker 2: get ready for finals. 769 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 4: Exactly. 770 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 2: I would be remiss if we didn't talk about the 771 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:30,920 Speaker 2: men's team. Yeah, yeah, I don't really want to talk 772 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 2: about the men's team, but I want to talk about 773 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 2: more so, how all of that. 774 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:36,840 Speaker 3: Made you feel. 775 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 2: Obviously, the people listening to the podcast are familiar with 776 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 2: the fact that there was all of this chat chat 777 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,800 Speaker 2: about the men's team going to the White House, Trump 778 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 2: making a joke about the women's team should be invited, 779 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 2: and then there was uproar. So being a member of 780 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 2: the team, having experienced that, what were your feelings on 781 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 2: the whole thing. 782 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, it really upset me. 783 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,319 Speaker 1: Yeah, to be honest, like that whole tournament, I thought, 784 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: you know, the men seems really nice to us. You know, 785 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,080 Speaker 1: we got along, We supported each other, We wish each 786 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:12,360 Speaker 1: other luck, we congratulated each other, we shared a training room, 787 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:13,640 Speaker 1: et cetera, et cetera. 788 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:18,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, and I was I was upset about the video, 789 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:20,759 Speaker 4: but I'm not. 790 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say understand, but you know, I wasn't in 791 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: their shoes without all went down. But yeah, it was 792 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 1: a little bit upsetting. I thought it was, you know, 793 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:34,279 Speaker 1: as Hillary Knight said, I my quota, it was a 794 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 1: distasteful joke. Yeah, and a lot of us had to 795 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,080 Speaker 1: go through media to explain someone else's behavior, which wasn't fair, 796 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 1: you know, and there wasn't many apologies with that aspect. Yeah, 797 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:51,840 Speaker 1: which is upsetting, but you know, to me at this point, 798 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:54,800 Speaker 1: it is what it is. But yeah, I, personally, among 799 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:58,320 Speaker 1: many others, were really upset about it, just because I 800 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: felt like, not that't necessarily. 801 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:03,839 Speaker 4: Oh what we're I'm looking for. 802 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 2: It's annoying to me. Let me tell you why it's 803 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:10,040 Speaker 2: annoying to me. It's annoying to me because you had 804 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:13,440 Speaker 2: such an unbelievable accomplishment, and then all of a sudden, 805 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:16,400 Speaker 2: people stopped talking about the accomplishment and stopped it started talking. 806 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 3: About this exactly. 807 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, the first time my history and the men's woming 808 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 1: team win gold at the same time. And it's like, yeah, 809 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 1: it's such a cool thing that happens. It's a cool opportunity. 810 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 1: And then it gets I wouldn't say ruined, because there's 811 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:34,320 Speaker 1: such a it's still such a very cool thing, but yeah, 812 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: for that attention to get taken away to something that 813 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,840 Speaker 1: didn't have any business right taking away from it was 814 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:42,240 Speaker 1: very upsetting to see. 815 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:46,319 Speaker 2: Totally heard, and I commend you on your grace on 816 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:49,680 Speaker 2: speaking on it because I'm sure that you know for 817 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 2: everything you're articulating now, there were so many other feelings 818 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 2: and thoughts and things said between teammates to be able 819 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:57,760 Speaker 2: to come home. 820 00:38:58,360 --> 00:38:59,880 Speaker 3: Did you feel like once. 821 00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:04,120 Speaker 2: You got home that sense of accomplishment, how excited everyone 822 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 2: was for you, that was reignited once you got on 823 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:06,720 Speaker 2: American soil. 824 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:09,239 Speaker 1: Yes, for sure, it was really cool. We got a 825 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 1: lot of cool welcome backs and that was awesome and 826 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: everyone was super super welcoming back, especially on our Wisconsin 827 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 1: team and our Wisconsin fans. You know, we're getting recognitions 828 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 1: a lot of places. It was really cool. Yeah, got 829 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:28,200 Speaker 1: asked about the situation a lot, and this is the 830 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 1: first time I've truthfully answered it. I kind of just 831 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 1: I don't want to say bs the other answers, but 832 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:34,360 Speaker 1: I was just like, oh, we want gold, let's focus 833 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:34,680 Speaker 1: on that. 834 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 835 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 2: But I and I to your point of like, it's 836 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:40,600 Speaker 2: unfair that this is the thing that gets to take 837 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 2: away from it. 838 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:42,640 Speaker 3: I totally agree with you. 839 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:46,239 Speaker 2: It's like kind of another one of those double edged 840 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:49,239 Speaker 2: sword situation. It's like, I want you to talk about 841 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:51,480 Speaker 2: how that made you feel. I don't care about what 842 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:54,239 Speaker 2: was said on my revisit what was said, but I 843 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 2: do think it's important that we as women talk about 844 00:39:57,719 --> 00:40:00,960 Speaker 2: how important it is that you deserve to feel all 845 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:03,560 Speaker 2: of the things you deserve to be excited, you deserve 846 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:06,840 Speaker 2: to celebrate your accomplishments, and that should never be overshadowed 847 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:07,960 Speaker 2: by anyone. 848 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:08,359 Speaker 3: Yeah. 849 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:12,719 Speaker 1: Definitely, And we were, you know, kind of directed to 850 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:16,399 Speaker 1: answer it by redirecting it, yeah, and just talking about 851 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 1: the team, which I understood at the time. But now 852 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 1: it's like, I don't know, I kind of feel like 853 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:24,960 Speaker 1: I can be a little more honest. I appreciause yeah, 854 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: And like I saw Hilary be our captain, you know, 855 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:31,359 Speaker 1: speak a few separate times about how how she felt 856 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:33,400 Speaker 1: about it truthfully, and that kind of just like inspired 857 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:36,800 Speaker 1: me to do the same because why not, Yeah, you know, 858 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:38,560 Speaker 1: it's it's how it made me. 859 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 4: Feel, and it's helped me a lot of other people feel. 860 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: And I'm not individually attacking anyone with that statement, but 861 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:46,000 Speaker 1: it was upsetting. 862 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:47,359 Speaker 4: I'm not going to sit here and say it wasn't. 863 00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's another really good example of what we were 864 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:52,760 Speaker 2: talking about earlier, that sometimes you need someone to model 865 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 2: the way and like almost show you that it's okay 866 00:40:56,280 --> 00:40:59,840 Speaker 2: to be who you are. So many young women in 867 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:04,520 Speaker 2: on the other hand, looking at you and feeling motivated, 868 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 2: okay to be who it is that they are seeing 869 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:10,800 Speaker 2: you excel in a sport where a lot of people 870 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:12,000 Speaker 2: do not look like you. 871 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:15,040 Speaker 3: In fact, most people don't look like you. 872 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:18,800 Speaker 2: As you tell your story, what else do you feel 873 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:22,000 Speaker 2: like is really important that you want people to walk 874 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:25,759 Speaker 2: away from learning about who leyla Edwards is. 875 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 4: Yes, I think. 876 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:33,160 Speaker 1: Cliche, but like if you can see it, like you 877 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: can be it and you can do anything in a 878 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:39,840 Speaker 1: space that you love, or just you belong anywhere that 879 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:42,560 Speaker 1: you love. As I mentioned before, but I think it's 880 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:44,319 Speaker 1: so important and I want people to know about me 881 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 1: is that I've worked very hard to become a great 882 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:49,440 Speaker 1: hockey player, and I want to keep working towards that. 883 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:52,880 Speaker 1: But it's always always been more important to me to 884 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:55,320 Speaker 1: be a good role model and a good person and 885 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:58,720 Speaker 1: good inspiration because I was a person befroze hockey player, 886 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:01,080 Speaker 1: and I'm a personal side of a hockey player. You know, 887 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:03,399 Speaker 1: I'm a person that plays hockey. Yeah, you know, I'm 888 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:06,920 Speaker 1: not a hockey person. So I just think that's really important, 889 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,239 Speaker 1: and even for people at the highest level to be 890 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:13,000 Speaker 1: recognized as people and as humans outside the sport, I 891 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:14,760 Speaker 1: think is incredible and important. 892 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:17,960 Speaker 3: Who is Layla off of the ice? 893 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 1: She's laid back, She's chill. I'm speaking a third person. 894 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,480 Speaker 1: I don't know why I am a little bit boring 895 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:28,319 Speaker 1: off the ice, but I don't agree. I don't mind it, though, 896 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:32,560 Speaker 1: because I'm so busy with hockey that anytime I can 897 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:35,120 Speaker 1: just to chill, and I really enjoy s many time 898 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 1: with my friends and family. I like to crack jokes, 899 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:42,040 Speaker 1: I like to be just someone who's fun to be around, 900 00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 1: but also can read the room and in certain situations. 901 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,440 Speaker 1: But yeah, Laila off the ice is slow key. 902 00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:50,000 Speaker 4: Low key. 903 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:54,080 Speaker 2: I can't gather that from your personality at all, right, right, 904 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:57,800 Speaker 2: low key so much that she looks forward to two 905 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:01,719 Speaker 2: Red Bulls during the day. Yeah, yeah, that's a lot 906 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:02,800 Speaker 2: of caffeine, my girl. 907 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:06,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a bit. It's one to two. It depends 908 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:07,600 Speaker 4: what time our game is that. 909 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:09,560 Speaker 3: Day, fair, fair, fair. 910 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:09,879 Speaker 1: Yeah. 911 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:11,280 Speaker 3: Do you have a flavor preference? 912 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:18,160 Speaker 1: So obviously like the og no sugar free ogre GOA did, 913 00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:22,080 Speaker 1: but my favorites probably strawberry apricot or white peach. I 914 00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:23,960 Speaker 1: mean those just do it for me. Every time. 915 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:25,799 Speaker 2: White peach is something that I need to get on 916 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:28,719 Speaker 2: my radar, I think it might be sitting in my 917 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:29,680 Speaker 2: kitchen right house. 918 00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:31,719 Speaker 4: So it's so good. 919 00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:35,359 Speaker 2: With that said, I too am an og sugar free 920 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:38,560 Speaker 2: kind of fan. I bring Red Bull up because obviously 921 00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:41,880 Speaker 2: you are a red Bull athlete. You know, we talked 922 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:44,920 Speaker 2: about your rise to success within this sport. It's not 923 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:49,239 Speaker 2: surprising to me that you certainly had sponsors, including Red Bull, 924 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:52,879 Speaker 2: excited to support you and your rise. What has that 925 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:57,360 Speaker 2: part of your journey taught you being a student athlete 926 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 2: working you know a little bit within this and I space. 927 00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:03,800 Speaker 2: It's completely different than I was going through college. 928 00:44:03,960 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 4: Right. 929 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:08,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's been unbelievably cool for me, Like being a 930 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:10,839 Speaker 1: Red Bull athlete is being a part of the Red 931 00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:14,400 Speaker 1: Bull team, being rebl athletes genuinely probably like the coolest 932 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,239 Speaker 1: thing that's ever happened to me. Like the way they 933 00:44:16,239 --> 00:44:19,840 Speaker 1: take care of their athletes, it's second to none. Like 934 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 1: I've never ever heard of a company. And I've heard 935 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:25,560 Speaker 1: this from other people who aren't in the Red Bull 936 00:44:25,719 --> 00:44:29,279 Speaker 1: like industry at all. They're like, yeah, here, Red Bull 937 00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:31,600 Speaker 1: takes great care of the athletes, and it's true, Like yeah, 938 00:44:32,440 --> 00:44:35,880 Speaker 1: the amount of resources and the things they do for 939 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:38,560 Speaker 1: me and that it's just I can't even put into words. 940 00:44:38,560 --> 00:44:39,360 Speaker 4: It's so cool. 941 00:44:39,480 --> 00:44:40,400 Speaker 3: Give us an example. 942 00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:43,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I'm going to Monaco for the Grand 943 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:45,440 Speaker 1: Prix June beginning of June. 944 00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:46,960 Speaker 3: After graduation. 945 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:48,320 Speaker 4: Yes, yes, after graduation. 946 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:52,799 Speaker 1: They've they have a facility in Los Angeles that they've 947 00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: flown me to and put me up in a very 948 00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:58,400 Speaker 1: like the athlete house that they have. They give me 949 00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:01,440 Speaker 1: opportunities like this, you know, to be on this cool podcast, 950 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:05,960 Speaker 1: and they've given me so many media opportunities. They just 951 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:07,880 Speaker 1: make sure I'm all set at all times. 952 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:10,280 Speaker 2: It's such a matter of what it's so cool because 953 00:45:10,320 --> 00:45:12,120 Speaker 2: I'm sure like if you were to think of a 954 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:14,920 Speaker 2: younger you saying something like this, you probably wouldn't believe it, 955 00:45:15,200 --> 00:45:15,680 Speaker 2: no chance. 956 00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:19,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah, it's yeah, Like I'm obviously growing up, Like 957 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 1: we did a lot of road trips to my family 958 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,480 Speaker 1: and I we were always drinking red Bull because we 959 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 1: just drove everywhere. But I never would have seen myself 960 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:31,040 Speaker 1: like being a red Bull athlete and being taken care 961 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:33,719 Speaker 1: of so well, Like I've never been taken such good 962 00:45:33,719 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 1: care of. 963 00:45:34,320 --> 00:45:36,359 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's it's hard to put in a word. 964 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:38,160 Speaker 1: It's like you honestly just have to be a red 965 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:41,920 Speaker 1: Bull athlete to really understand it. Yeah, because it's the 966 00:45:41,960 --> 00:45:45,600 Speaker 1: coolest thing ever. Love to meet so many cool people. 967 00:45:45,320 --> 00:45:50,200 Speaker 2: And whoa, whoa, whoa who who would you say? Starstruck anyone? 968 00:45:50,239 --> 00:45:51,479 Speaker 2: Who's the coolest person you've met? 969 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:52,399 Speaker 4: Through Red Bull? 970 00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,080 Speaker 1: There's been a lot of athletes that are really cool, 971 00:45:55,600 --> 00:46:00,319 Speaker 1: like Zeb Powell's cool, Aileen Goo, Like there's so many 972 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:01,840 Speaker 1: people trying to think who. 973 00:46:01,760 --> 00:46:04,200 Speaker 3: Else, Like anyone at the Olympics. That really took your 974 00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:04,680 Speaker 3: breath away. 975 00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:08,640 Speaker 4: At the Olympics, I didn't get to meet Lindsay Von 976 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:09,560 Speaker 4: that would have been awesome. 977 00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:14,399 Speaker 2: Is that the default answer for every woman that goes 978 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 2: to the Olympics Olympics. 979 00:46:17,480 --> 00:46:20,080 Speaker 3: Athletes, I mean, respectfully, that's all right, right, well. 980 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:24,680 Speaker 1: Hillary Knights, but Loki Alyssa Lou she's not a red 981 00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:27,319 Speaker 1: at the Olympics. I school and then like I met 982 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:32,439 Speaker 1: Megan thee Stallion, I mean I met Usher Snoop Dog. 983 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:33,360 Speaker 3: Wow. 984 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:36,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, it wasn't it wasn't a bad trip. 985 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:41,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, you you mentioned your family. 986 00:46:41,239 --> 00:46:44,600 Speaker 2: What was it like to see your family again after 987 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:45,719 Speaker 2: that gold medal win? 988 00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:47,759 Speaker 4: It was so cool, Like as soon as I could 989 00:46:47,760 --> 00:46:48,560 Speaker 4: get off the ice. 990 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:50,120 Speaker 1: With my medal, I went right up to my family 991 00:46:50,160 --> 00:46:53,759 Speaker 1: in the stands and I just hugged them and, you know, 992 00:46:53,960 --> 00:46:56,719 Speaker 1: shared a lot of words. I told him I was 993 00:46:56,719 --> 00:46:58,440 Speaker 1: so grateful, They said, they were so proud. 994 00:46:59,120 --> 00:46:59,960 Speaker 3: Your grandmother came. 995 00:47:00,440 --> 00:47:06,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, ninety one years old, first ever trip out of country. 996 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:08,920 Speaker 1: Out of North America. So I was telling one out 997 00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:10,440 Speaker 1: of the country moms like Canada's. 998 00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:13,040 Speaker 4: But I didn't know she went to Canada. 999 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: Okay, that's fine, but yeah, I wasn't. I didn't think 1000 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:18,480 Speaker 1: I was. Yeah, first time in North America. 1001 00:47:18,719 --> 00:47:19,160 Speaker 2: Wow. 1002 00:47:19,320 --> 00:47:22,520 Speaker 1: So to be able to give her the opportunity like 1003 00:47:22,560 --> 00:47:26,600 Speaker 1: obviously I didn't like, well I did give her essentially 1004 00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:29,840 Speaker 1: put the opportunity to be able to provide something like 1005 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:32,919 Speaker 1: that for her and my whole family honestly just made 1006 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:33,600 Speaker 1: me so happy. 1007 00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:37,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's truly so special, and I like, probably the 1008 00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:38,920 Speaker 2: best hug of your life. 1009 00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:40,120 Speaker 4: Oh, yes, by far. 1010 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:43,799 Speaker 1: And I've never seen her so proud, Like I love 1011 00:47:43,880 --> 00:47:46,680 Speaker 1: my grandma, but she doesn't show like a ton of emotion. 1012 00:47:46,880 --> 00:47:49,600 Speaker 1: And she was so proud of me and I put 1013 00:47:49,600 --> 00:47:52,040 Speaker 1: the metal around her neck. She was like, take a picture. 1014 00:47:52,719 --> 00:47:54,759 Speaker 1: I'll have to show you the picture. I mean, she's 1015 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:56,919 Speaker 1: ninety one, and like it made me cry. 1016 00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:58,160 Speaker 4: It's really cool. 1017 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:02,680 Speaker 2: Oh we love Grandma's Yeah, oh the best, the absolute best. Well, 1018 00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:07,080 Speaker 2: right now, someone comes to your Instagram page and they 1019 00:48:07,200 --> 00:48:13,319 Speaker 2: see a Team USA gold medalist. Ay now also NCAA 1020 00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:16,840 Speaker 2: national champion. But when you look in the mirror, Laila, 1021 00:48:16,920 --> 00:48:19,000 Speaker 2: what is it that you see looking back at you? 1022 00:48:20,480 --> 00:48:24,640 Speaker 1: I see someone who's grown a tremendous amount. I keep 1023 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:26,600 Speaker 1: saying it. But like, as a hockey player, I've grown, 1024 00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:29,920 Speaker 1: but as a person, I think I'm becoming proud of 1025 00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:33,359 Speaker 1: who I am becoming. I think I've put so much 1026 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:36,359 Speaker 1: more effort into who I am as a person and 1027 00:48:36,400 --> 00:48:39,600 Speaker 1: it's paying off. I think I want to leave an 1028 00:48:39,600 --> 00:48:42,760 Speaker 1: impression as a good person. I can't stress that enough. 1029 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:47,200 Speaker 1: And because it's so easy to be kind, and I 1030 00:48:47,239 --> 00:48:50,080 Speaker 1: think we need more kind people in the world because 1031 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,080 Speaker 1: it makes a difference. You know, you never know what 1032 00:48:52,120 --> 00:48:54,920 Speaker 1: else on one's going through, and I just always want 1033 00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,440 Speaker 1: to be that person you can rely on to be 1034 00:48:57,560 --> 00:49:00,799 Speaker 1: kind and respectful and to everyone, no matter who you are, 1035 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:04,040 Speaker 1: what position you have in life, or whatever it is. 1036 00:49:04,160 --> 00:49:08,000 Speaker 1: I think treating everyone with respect is very important. So 1037 00:49:08,080 --> 00:49:10,319 Speaker 1: throughout this process I really focus on that. 1038 00:49:10,880 --> 00:49:15,359 Speaker 2: I'm just enamored with you and the way that you 1039 00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:20,520 Speaker 2: are so thoughtful about what's on your mind and also 1040 00:49:21,160 --> 00:49:22,520 Speaker 2: who you want to be. 1041 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:24,920 Speaker 3: Being cognizant of the way that you. 1042 00:49:25,560 --> 00:49:28,640 Speaker 2: Make people feel and how people feel when you leave them, 1043 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:31,439 Speaker 2: when you walk out of a room. It not only 1044 00:49:31,520 --> 00:49:34,120 Speaker 2: takes time, but it's a skill set that will never 1045 00:49:34,239 --> 00:49:38,799 Speaker 2: be wasted. And so to have this understanding of the 1046 00:49:38,840 --> 00:49:44,399 Speaker 2: importance of something like kindness, regardless of age, is so 1047 00:49:44,520 --> 00:49:50,200 Speaker 2: valuable and truly unrivaled when you now. 1048 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:51,919 Speaker 3: Think about what's next. 1049 00:49:51,920 --> 00:49:54,239 Speaker 2: I mean, we talked about the Grand Prix, we talked 1050 00:49:54,239 --> 00:49:56,960 Speaker 2: about graduation, but what do you think about after that? 1051 00:49:57,719 --> 00:49:59,480 Speaker 4: The draft, the p TOBHL draft. 1052 00:49:59,600 --> 00:50:02,319 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I'm so excited just to have an opportunity 1053 00:50:03,160 --> 00:50:06,719 Speaker 1: to play after college. That wasn't only something that was, 1054 00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:10,520 Speaker 1: you know, in my mind, because there wasn't a professional 1055 00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:17,000 Speaker 1: league that was like solid and like consistent necessarily, and 1056 00:50:17,080 --> 00:50:19,000 Speaker 1: this is something that I'm really excited about. 1057 00:50:19,280 --> 00:50:21,479 Speaker 3: Do you have a place that you hope to go? 1058 00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:27,080 Speaker 4: Honestly, no, I don't have one specific place. 1059 00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:28,640 Speaker 1: Like I love a lot of the cities. I've been 1060 00:50:28,640 --> 00:50:29,960 Speaker 1: to a lot of them, and i haven't been to 1061 00:50:30,000 --> 00:50:34,200 Speaker 1: some of them, been to Seattle, Boston, New York, Toronto. 1062 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:39,200 Speaker 3: Uh, that's it actually, Okay, so you're open? 1063 00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:41,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, Opene. 1064 00:50:41,640 --> 00:50:43,080 Speaker 3: Leila Edwards is a free agent. 1065 00:50:43,480 --> 00:50:45,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, put it out. 1066 00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:47,600 Speaker 3: There, put it out there. You heard it here first. 1067 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:50,759 Speaker 2: Well, I am so happy that we got to sit 1068 00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:51,759 Speaker 2: down today too. 1069 00:50:51,800 --> 00:50:53,040 Speaker 4: I had a great time, Laila. 1070 00:50:53,320 --> 00:50:56,640 Speaker 2: Right now you have an opportunity to offer yourself a 1071 00:50:56,680 --> 00:50:58,960 Speaker 2: piece of advice. I'm going to go back to when 1072 00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:01,320 Speaker 2: you weren't getting them playing time that you were after 1073 00:51:01,400 --> 00:51:03,880 Speaker 2: when you join the team in college, you were a 1074 00:51:03,920 --> 00:51:07,120 Speaker 2: little bit down on that, but a realization and understanding 1075 00:51:07,160 --> 00:51:11,120 Speaker 2: that maybe it was happening for you knowing what you 1076 00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:14,640 Speaker 2: know now, what advice would you give to your younger self. 1077 00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:18,440 Speaker 1: Definitely, it's not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. 1078 00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:20,760 Speaker 1: You know, you got to work a bit harder for something. 1079 00:51:21,280 --> 00:51:22,799 Speaker 1: You know, maybe you didn't always have to work as 1080 00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:26,080 Speaker 1: hard for, but that work ethic can't go away as 1081 00:51:26,120 --> 00:51:29,279 Speaker 1: you get as you achieve more things. You know, It's 1082 00:51:29,320 --> 00:51:32,200 Speaker 1: like the moment I committed to college, it was like, 1083 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:34,759 Speaker 1: now the real work starts, so my dad said, And 1084 00:51:34,800 --> 00:51:36,839 Speaker 1: the moment I made the US team, now the real 1085 00:51:36,880 --> 00:51:39,680 Speaker 1: work starts. And I don't know if real work is 1086 00:51:39,680 --> 00:51:41,480 Speaker 1: the right word, but now when you really got to 1087 00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:44,680 Speaker 1: start working harder and harder so not to be too 1088 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:45,640 Speaker 1: content where you're at. 1089 00:51:45,680 --> 00:51:47,120 Speaker 4: And I think that's what happened to me a little 1090 00:51:47,160 --> 00:51:47,960 Speaker 4: bit of freshman year. 1091 00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:51,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's such. Is that not the most dad thing 1092 00:51:51,080 --> 00:51:53,960 Speaker 3: to say? Ever? Whenever I'm upset, my dad is always like, 1093 00:51:54,120 --> 00:51:54,920 Speaker 3: well what's next? 1094 00:51:55,239 --> 00:51:55,439 Speaker 4: Right? 1095 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:59,080 Speaker 3: I'm like, okay, guy, minute be upset, right? 1096 00:51:59,239 --> 00:51:59,439 Speaker 4: Right? 1097 00:52:00,120 --> 00:52:02,399 Speaker 2: Both are valid, You can be upset because we don't 1098 00:52:02,400 --> 00:52:04,080 Speaker 2: work hard for things not to go as we'd want. 1099 00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:07,759 Speaker 3: But then it's valid. You gotta start thinking about what's next. 1100 00:52:07,600 --> 00:52:10,040 Speaker 2: Exactly, Laila Edwards, so happy that you were able to 1101 00:52:10,080 --> 00:52:13,240 Speaker 2: come in. Tell the hurdlers where can they find you online? 1102 00:52:13,280 --> 00:52:14,120 Speaker 3: How do they keep up with you? 1103 00:52:14,160 --> 00:52:19,120 Speaker 1: Oh, hurdlers, listen up, find my TikTok. 1104 00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:20,920 Speaker 3: Oh we're tiktoking. 1105 00:52:21,040 --> 00:52:23,080 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I'm pretty active on TikTok there with my 1106 00:52:23,160 --> 00:52:25,080 Speaker 1: best friend KK Harvey. 1107 00:52:25,239 --> 00:52:26,200 Speaker 4: My TikTok is. 1108 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:30,680 Speaker 3: You can't be very active on TikTok and not be 1109 00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:31,359 Speaker 3: right to call it out. 1110 00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:33,759 Speaker 1: Yes, this is a little ridiculous and embarrassing. I think 1111 00:52:33,760 --> 00:52:37,000 Speaker 1: it's Leila underscried words. Same, its my Instagram. I'm pretty 1112 00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:38,080 Speaker 1: active on those two apps. 1113 00:52:38,160 --> 00:52:42,600 Speaker 3: Okay, TikTok, Leila, Instagram underscore Edwards, I'm over. 1114 00:52:42,440 --> 00:52:48,200 Speaker 2: A family of body and at Hurdle Podcast Another Hurdle Conquered. 1115 00:52:48,719 --> 00:52:49,719 Speaker 3: Catch you guys next time.