by Storie Serres | 26 NOV 2021. IIHF

The 2020/2021 season has been difficult for many. Leagues have started and stopped; the risk of a Covid outbreak has added a layer of organizational, mental, and physical challenges. Players at the top of their game have had to rethink their training plans and strategies, all while lacing up their skates for their country and working to be the best. 

Our athlete ambassadors weigh in on the women’s hockey season that was a reflect on the strength and resiliency of players as they prepare for what’s ahead. 

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Women’s hockey has dramatically changed since I started playing. I started as the only girl on an all-boys team until I got recruited to a Division I school. I was told I didn’t belong, and I shouldn’t be playing a “boy’s sport”. I wanted to prove people wrong and just be able to do what I loved. I am lucky enough to be a part of the women’s movement that fights for our future in this sport. I am proud to have played against so many other talented women who have fought their own battles to play the sport we love. I hope that the next generation of female players will not only have role models, but more opportunities as professional athletes that we have worked for. 

That has changed a lot since I started playing women’s hockey. I was the only girl on the boys’ team until I started playing in America at university. When I played with boys, people told me I didn’t belong there and as a girl I shouldn’t have played boys. I wanted to prove to them that I can play and just do what I enjoy. I am lucky to be part of a women’s movement that is fighting for our future in this sport. I’m proud to have played against so many other talented women who have fought their own fight to play the sport we love. I hope that the next generation of players will have not only role models, but also more opportunities that we have sought.

“To open up the world of possibilities”

I would like to touch on the topic of women’s hockey in Russia.

I would like to see women’s hockey in our country as the main sport for girls. That women’s hockey becomes as popular and interesting as men’s.

In my opinion, most girls lack faith and confidence in their strengths and opportunities.

I would like to inspire the younger generation that each of them can make a miracle, that all the most daring ideas and dreams come true.

There is no need to be afraid of high tasks, you need to take it and do it, everything is in our hands and everything is possible!  After all, the future of this sport depends to some extent on each of us.

The fact that we believe and put all our strength will definitely bear fruit, and the most important thing is to enjoy what you do! 

“Open a world of possibilities”

I would like to touch upon the topic of women’s hockey in Russia. 

I would like to see women’s hockey in our country as the main sport for girls. So that women’s hockey becomes as popular and interesting as men’s.

In my opinion, most girls lack faith and confidence in their strengths and capabilities.

I would like to inspire the younger generation that each of them can work a miracle, that all the most daring ideas and dreams come true and come true. 

There is no need to be afraid of high tasks, you need to take it and do it, everything is in our hands and everything is feasible! After all, the future of this sport depends to some extent on each of us. 

What we believe and put all our strength into will certainly bear fruit, and the most important thing is to enjoy what you do. 

It’s been a year of excitement around an Olympic qualification, but not only that; it’s been something that people count on us to achieve. Take a spot in the upcoming Olympics. 

After a year with preparations in several camps November came along. That time we knew what all the training camps, summer camps and exhibition games had been building a ground for. 

We made it and now when we are here there’s new goals and targets to reach and achieve which we as athletes love and can’t wait to experience.

Det har varit ett år med mycket saker att se fram emot. Framförallt vårt kval för att ta en plats till OS. Någonting där förväntningarna varit stora, både internt hos oss som grupp men också från utsidan.

After a year of preparation in various matches, the week came in November that we all waited for. The time we knew that all training camps and training matches were the basis for. 

We succeeded in the task and took that long-awaited place. Now we look forward to taking on new challenges and reaching new goals together, just what all elite athletes just love. 

I just came back from Finland where we were in a training camp with the Finnish national team. In camp we played three tough exhibition games against Canada. We got a good reminder where the best women’s team in the world is going. The next few weeks I’m focusing on my club – Lulea HF’s games. The next training camp with the national team is coming soon in the middle of December.

There is only a few months before the Olympic games and I started preparing for those games a long time ago. The next training camp will be just practicing with a bigger group and focusing on our own game. In January we will focus more on details. Now it’s important to practice and play well here in Sweden so I’m ready for the next training camps and the Olympic games.

I only returned home from Finland, where we were at the camp with the national team. At the camp, we played three tough practice matches against Canada, and we got a reminder again where the top of the world is going. I will now focus on the games of my club team Luleå HF for a few weeks until a new national team camp arrives in mid-December. 

There are only a few months left for the Olympics and preparations for them have been going on for a long time. The upcoming December national team camp has an even bigger group training and going through the game. January is the only time to finish. So now it is important to practice and play well here at home in Sweden in order to be ready for the upcoming camps and the Olympics.

Since my injury in the end of October I haven’t been allowed to play in a month.

I just got to take my air cast boot off and am really looking forward to get back on the ice again.

So this upcoming month will be super exciting for me to be back on the ice and hoping to be game ready as soon as possible, especially with a national camp coming up in middle of December which is our “last” normal camp before Olympics.

So there is a lot of fun coming up and just want to make sure I’m going to be the best version of me and even better when I’m back on the ice.

Loukkaantumisen takia en ole Lokakuusta lähtien pelannut.

Sain juuri ottaa pois minun aircast kengän jalasta ja odotan jo innolla pääsyä jäälle.

So this next month is going to be very exciting when I get on the ice and at the same time hopefully get ready to play as soon as possible. And at the same time still the national team camp coming in December which is our fault for the ” normal ” camp before the Olympics.

Fun month ahead and I want to make sure I’m normal myself and even better when I get on the ice.

The past year in women’s hockey…to be honest, it‘s been a rough one.

We were so lucky and played throughout the whole season 20/21. Of course, we had one or two smaller breaks because of Covid, but still, we were able to play – not like many other countries and leagues. 

You might be wondering why I call it a rough one then. Even though we got to play, we were never sure for how long we could keep playing. We were avoiding our friends, family and stayed inside for the longest. All the tests we took were not only organisational a challenge but also mentally though because you always hoped for a negative result. A positive result would not only have affected you but also your teammates and the whole league. To deal with that was quite a mental challenge. 

After our national championship we kept on working hard to complete in mid-May at the world championship in Halifax. Again, we had to go through several tests. We stayed in a bubble for over a month, in isolation for 10 days, avoided any social contact, only to get our World Championship cancelled a few hours before take-off. That was a tough one to take. 

After the cancellation no one knew how to proceed. As a player I didn‘t know if I should keep practising or take a break. It was mentally and physically tough. After a long season your body is tired, you carried a few smaller injuries through the season and suddenly everything is over from one second to the other. Every athlete knows how it feels when you‘re trying to give your body a break and time to recover but your mind doesn‘t really want to help. It takes a lot of energy and discipline. 

A few weeks later we finally knew the Worlds would take place in August. We were already back in business, worked hard on and off the ice, grew together as a team and were literally so pumped to finally go to play in Calgary! 

Now I’m looking back on that past year. All the sacrifices we had to take, all that time we spent alone without our family and loved ones, all these tests we took and all these prayers for a negative result paid off. It was all worth it, the Women’s World Championship was a huge success, a great event and the best experience I had so far in my life.

Last year in women’s ice hockey was pretty tough. 

Although we were lucky enough to play through the 2020/2021 season, it was a long and hard road. There were one or two short breaks due to Covid. Still, we were lucky enough to play – not like in many other countries and leagues.

Even though we were allowed to play, there was never any real certainty for how long. We avoided our friends and family and tried to avoid any other form of contact. All the Covid tests were not only a challenge from an organizational point of view, but also mentally. You always had to hope for a negative result, as a positive result would not only have affected me, but also all my teammates and the whole league. Dealing with this overall situation was difficult and a great mental challenge.

After our national championship, we continued to work hard to take part in the World Championship in Halifax in mid-May. Again we were tested several times. We spent over a month in a ‘bubble’, were completely isolated for 10 days, avoided any social contact, only to finally find out a few hours before departure that our World Cup had to be canceled again. This was a great disappointment. 

After the cancellation, no one knew how to proceed. As a player, I didn’t know whether to continue training or take a break. This has demanded everything from me mentally and physically. After a long season the body is tired, has suffered minor injuries through the entire season and suddenly everything is over in one second. Every athlete knows what it feels like when you want to give your body some time off and relaxation, but your mental state doesn’t really help. It takes a lot of energy and discipline.

A few weeks later we finally knew that the World Cup could take place in August. We were already back in the ‘business’, worked hard on and off the ice, grew together as a team and were extremely excited to finally fly to Calgary to finally be able to play! 

Well, with some distance, I look back on the past year. All the sacrifices we made, all the time we spent alone without our family and friends, all the Covid tests and all these prayers for a negative test result have paid off! It was worth it, the Women’s World Cup was a huge success, a great event and the best experience I’ve had in my life so far.