Latest / Rinkside Rundown / Tristan Thompson on the Road Back, Resilience, and Her New Start at St. Cloud State

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Tristan Thompson on the Road Back, Resilience, and Her New Start at St. Cloud State · Rinkside Rundown

• speaker-0: And after game ten, there was never a next time, there was never a next game. ⁓ and it's focusing on the on the moment ahead of you and then the present moment you are in because you never know what's gonna happen next. And it it allowed me to focus more on my mental side of the game. And as much as you know, people people say how important it is, I don't think you realize it till you're not able to win the game you love. speaker-1: Hello and welcome back to Rinkside Rundown, the podcast that brings you inside the world of women's hockey one story at a time. I'm your host, Kristen Sinclair, and today I'm excited to be joined by friend of the show, Tristan Thompson, defender from Manitic, Ontario, who is embarking on a brand new chapter of her career at St. Cloud State University. Tristan, welcome back to the show. How you doing? speaker-0: Doing great, Chris. Thanks for having me back. speaker-1: Absolutely. So before we dive in, because we have a lot to cover over your collegiate career, we I just want to put a disclaimer out there that we are going to be focused on Tristan's collegiate career. So if you want to just if you want to discover even more about her career, the lead up to going to Northeastern, this next chapter, be sure to check out and brace yourselves. Sit down for this one. Episode. 10 of the podcast. That is over 100 episodes ago was the last time Tristan was on the show. One of the OGs, so thankful that she took the time ⁓ to join this random podcast out there. ⁓ but episode 10 was the origin story of the one and only Tristan Thompson. I will have that linked in the show notes so you don't have to go far to find it. But without further ado, let's dive into this. This incredible collegiate career, the ups, the downs, the challenges, the successes, the milestones. And what's next? You ready to dive in? speaker-0: Let's get on it. speaker-1: Let's do it. Okay. When we last spoke again on episode 10, ⁓ you were actually getting ready to embark on your collegiate career first at Northeastern. So I wanted to hear first of you, first of all, what was that like for you? What was going through your mind as you were getting ready to, you know, take that next step, take that jump into the collegiate life finally? speaker-0: I think just excitement. not everybody has the opportunity to play Division One hockey ⁓ and to play Division I hockey in an amazing school like Northeastern is. ⁓ so I think just excitement and and very much looking forward to it. ⁓ I think you know that the that the women's hockey world is very small. So I'd either played with or against a lot of my incoming class, and then we had two Europeans come in, ⁓ which one happened, at least it happened to be my roommate freshman year. So ⁓ a lot of camaraderie. ⁓ I had gone on my official visit the year before for the first ⁓ bean pot at T D Gardens. ⁓ so I had I had the opportunity to meet a few of the players and that my official visit was with Eloise Caron as well, ⁓ one of my ⁓ fellow classmates. and ⁓ I had already when I was there, I already felt a sense of ⁓ a family feel to it. ⁓ so I knew going into that my freshman year that I would I would feel that as well. ⁓ and just, you know, the coaching staff being so welcoming, the returning players being so welcoming and honestly my my class as well. ⁓ we all come from different backgrounds, very you know, we were all kind of far away from home. ⁓ so, you know, finding family very far away from home is definitely it was definitely something I was looking forward to, something that I got at North Eastern. speaker-1: And when did it really sink in, settle settle into you this next step? When you when you got to campus, you know, campus life, there's we'll get into more of the expectations that come with ⁓ a a school like or in a program like Northeastern, but for you, you arrive on campus, when did it start feeling like yes, I'm I'm here, I'm ready. I know that this is the right step for me. I know I'm ready to to embark on a collegiate career. Do you remember when that was for you? When it really sunk in? speaker-0: I think the first time I realized that I'm going to play Division One hockey is my first time stepping to Matthews. ⁓ Northeastern was holding ⁓ a camp. I think my first day there and I came, you know, just to see and you walk in and unfortunately Matthews is now gone. But when you first walked into it, the the arch and then the the scoreboard and and you know the the the old seats, like it it's it's it's a beautiful rink. ⁓ and seeing I think at that point some girls were practicing on the ice. I hadn't my equipment yet, so I just was watching some practices go and I was like, wow, this is I get to be like this now. This is my life for the next four years. ⁓ and then I think I again our first practice. And seeing the speed that not only my class but the returners, they they knew what expectations were set and they tried to exceed them. You know, every practice, ⁓ you you practice like you play. I think that's that's the saying that everybody says now. But I think Northeastern embodied that, that you you never took anything for granted and and you always you know, put your head down and works hard and I think that was definitely the first time I was like, Wow, division one hockey is is no joke. speaker-1: Interesting that you bring up Matthews because it is it was long an arena that I wanted to check out and now I cannot because of course it is no longer. ⁓ but my goodness, did it look like it's just historic. So I think it's emphasizes your point about like this is real now. This is real. and you know, I alluded to it just a moment ago, but embarking on a collegiate career, I think, and I'm I I always default to saying pressure. I don't know that that's the right word. Expectations maybe is a better a little bit more of a a better word choice there. But embarking on a collegiate career comes with certain expectations. But it's especially so when you go to a program like Northeastern. It's not a program that's on the up and up. It's not an an a program that, you know, just making small strides forward, that that's progress and that's meaningful progress. Northeastern My goodness, there are you go in there and the expectation is that you're gonna win. You're gonna compete game in and game out. What was that like for you to embark on a career, of course, a collegiate career, but one that comes with all of those expectations too? speaker-0: Yeah, I think going in I definitely knew there was an expectation that Northeastern's a winning culture. And I think the program that Coach Flint and and our assistant coaches, Berm, Carp and Melissa, have have created ⁓ is incredible and definitely one of the best. ⁓ and and I think my first time seeing it in person was the Bean Pot game and watching the speed of the game and how how skilled these players are. And and thankfully I now see a lot of them on the pro level and I think that's just a testament to how great the program is. I think it was instilled in us. I think it was instilled in us ⁓ from the beginning that ⁓ that it doesn't come easy, that you have to, you know, work for it. and that but everybody's here to support you. And this isn't like ⁓ you know, you're it's a lonely road you're going down. You're here with your teammates and your friends and it becomes your family and that's what you live and breathe is as Northeastern Woman's ice hockey, ⁓ through your schooling and through ⁓ you know, your study hours you're always seeing your teammates across the room or your guidance counselor. ⁓ I think yeah, I think it's just it's a family feel, but that there there's a certain level of expectation that you should you should expect coming into North Eastern. speaker-1: Now, unfortunately, early on in your tenure with Northeastern, you suffered an injury. And so I wanted to talk about and I think a big portion of our conversation is gonna hopefully ideally highlight your perseverance and your desire to to get back, to win, to, to, to be the best version of yourself. That's my hope in this conversation. And it starts with how that in how it how it felt when you were injured. And now you're not able to play the sport that you love and the sport that you have committed going to Northeastern to to do, to, to be a part of. What was that like for you as you navigated the early stages, especially, of an injury? speaker-0: Yeah, I going down in in a season, especially with an injury that you have no control over is never fun. ⁓ I was a small fish in a very big pond with very bright eyes, wide eyes, and looking forward to an opportunity to, you know, put on the the husky jersey and and play. And thankfully I was granted ten games. ⁓ which some girls are granted none. So I I cannot take that more I I can't take that for granted. But it's definitely not easy. It's definitely tough. ⁓ you come into your rookie season, you're hoping to play whatever minutes you can and and hoping to to prove yourself in whatever capacity that that can be. ⁓ fortune my first year was riddled with injuries. the wrist injury itself happened at the beginning of the season. I got a cortisone shot to hopefully last me through as much as it could. And then two days after the cortison shot, I broke my foot. ⁓ in a practice, right before a game, ⁓ just a shot of practice, nothing really crazy. It just I ended up paying the wrong part of my foot. and by the time I was back from my foot injury, the cortisone shot had worn off. And if I wanted to finish off the season, I would need two additional ones. And talking through my AT and talking with the doctor it probably wasn't the safest option. ⁓ so we decided sur surgery was the route and I decided to medically redshirt. ⁓ a decision like that is never easy. It's definitely a tough one for an eighteen year old, nineteen year old to make ⁓ living so far away from home. ⁓ but I knew for the the better my my career and and you know having the next year in the fifth year, ⁓ I'll be able to develop. And as much as you know, games weren't in my weren't in my repertoire for this my freshman season I was able to focus on little things. I always I show up to every practice. I practice as much as I could, you know, through the pain sometimes, but I w I knew I wanted to be on the ice. ⁓ and then when the wrist hurt a little too much, I would just switch my bottom hand and just start stick handling in a cump to just to keep it going. ⁓ but I knew I was lucky to be there and I didn't want to take that for granted and and I hope that, you know, everybody knew that I never wanted to give up, that it was always my goal to to play through it as much as I could. speaker-1: What did it teach you about yourself as well? Because I, you know, I can project how I would have how what it may have taught me and trying and trying to overcome those obstacles and those challenges, but but through those ⁓ obstacles and challenges, what did that those injuries teach you about yourself? Away from the ice as well as a p as a person, of course, too. speaker-0: I think resiliency and to honestly stay in the moment. ⁓ I think and again, part of me as as a young freshman was always looking towards, you know, the next game and the next time. And after game 10, there was never a next time, there was never a next game. ⁓ and it's focusing on the on the moment ahead of you and then the present moment you are in because you never know what's gonna happen next. And ⁓ it it allowed me to focus more on my mental side of the game. And as much as you know, people People say how important it is. I don't think you realize it till you're not able to play the game you love. ⁓ and when you have to focus on or when you're when your focus has to shift a bit. but I I had an amazing support staff through my coaching, through my athletic therapist, through my ⁓ physical therapist, through Northeastern that helped me support and guided me through a path to to to honestly come back a better version of myself by the end of it. speaker-1: I'm so glad that you mentioned the mental side. And that's one of the ⁓ main reasons that I wanted to make sure we kind of hovered in this space for just a few extra minutes. I know it's not necessarily something you want to always dwell upon, but I think that mental side of the game, you know, we're as as fans, we're always used to, you know, like just you, you're out on you ⁓ we want to see the players out on the ice scoring goals, making saves, blocking shots, all of those things. But you don't realize as an athlete. And I mean, as a fan, but certainly not as an athlete as well, how important that mental side is. How important it is to make sure that you're mentally ready. Because if you're not mentally ready, you're not going to play the the to your to your best, right? You're not going to be your best on the ice if you're not the best version of yourself away from the ice. ⁓ so that's one of the reasons that I wanted to make sure that we we talked about that. Cause I think you're a perfect example of that resiliency, right? ⁓ who were so you mentioned. ⁓ the support staff with ⁓ Northeastern as being, well, just that, support for you and helping to you to navigate getting back. Who are some of those other people in your in your personal life that that really, you know, have always I'm sure have always been there and have always rooted for you, but maybe you leaned on a little bit more as I'm sure that there were some some pretty tough downs ⁓ going through that that time period as well. speaker-0: Yeah. And I think I touched on this before, but you know, living away from home and then going down with an injury that you can't control is definitely not easy. ⁓ but thankfully my parents, my family, ⁓ my teammates, my roommate, ⁓ helped me a lot through this process. And it's honestly just little things. We ⁓ we played Vermont. I think it was our last game the season and Vermont's only four hour drive from Ottawa. And as much as I wasn't playing, my dad made the drive just to, you know, hang out with me in the stands. Just like little things like that that, you know, made made the process a little easier and you know, talking with him and and talking to the game and I I haven't I hadn't really been able to do that for a while. Just, you know, he's coaching my little sister at home. I'm in Boston, a bit of a far drive. So having him in my corner and my parents traveled to Boston as much as they could, even though I wasn't playing. I had honestly one of my friends' parents that just happened to be in Boston and and came to sit with me for a game two. Just little things like that. I've I have an amazing community back here in Ottawa and honestly in Boston as well through my teammates and and Lisa, my roommate as well, who when I got surgery, help me with the little things when it when you are t when you're down one arm. ⁓ it ⁓ yeah, I have an i I an incredible community around me and I could be more grateful. speaker-1: So now, you know, and I I'm I I'm sh I'm confident that we're gonna keep coming back to just how resilient you've been throughout your career. But I do also wanna talk about the fact that, you know, coming back into this past season, getting more ⁓ into more games, getting is getting actually being able to play games. Let's start with that. ⁓ you know, being b ⁓ being being back out on the ice rather easy for me to say. ⁓ What was that like for you? What was it like for you to have navigated, my goodness, what f would have likely felt like a lifetime of of being away from the game, at least the way that you were so used to, to now finally being able to be back out on the ice, be back with your teammates in the way that you wanted you so likely so desperately wanted to be. speaker-0: pure joy, pure excitement. I think for myself, there was something I wanted to prove. ⁓ coming in, you always wanna figure out where you fit in a team and where your role is. ⁓ and as much as I wasn't labeled to that freshman year, I was hoping to prove that in my sophomore year. ⁓ so it was it was something to look forward to. It was a clean slate. I'd played ten games. I it wasn't that much. ⁓ and then I I had trained and and practiced all summer to come back stronger and better than I'd ever been. ⁓ and I proved that. I was the strongest and one of the fastest on my team during during s like summer training when we did all the all the testing ⁓ because I knew I wanted to make an impact when I came when I came into the season. speaker-1: So then and I I this feels like a perfect segue into maybe looking at, you know, of course the first year didn't go the way that you wanted to, and I think that's clearly an understatement. Last year, you know, there was still I'm sure that there were still opportunities that you would have liked to see, for example, more ice time. You would have liked to be out there more often. But over that over this past year, what do you think what are some of those things that stand out most to you? What are some of those things where, you know You're sitting there and you're like, you know what? I I feel like regardless of the ice time I had, regardless of the ice time I didn't have, I am sur I am ready to continue in my journey. I'm ready to continue in my my career. I'm ready to get back out on the ice. Like, what were some of those moments that really stood out to you as really defining who you are now, certainly as a collegiate athlete? Who what are some of those moments, some of those memories? from this past year specifically that really define that for you. speaker-0: Yeah, I think ⁓ I'm a big body. I'm a six one defender. ⁓ I can move kids. ⁓ and unfortunately I was able to prove any of that. So coming to the season I knew my defensive end was one of the things I want to focus on and and you know, be a presence. And I think that was really shown in in the bean pot this year versus BC. ⁓ it was probably one of my best games. And I've, you know, Burn thankfully told me that was one of my bet what was was my best collegiate game. ⁓ and it just just the confidence I had. ⁓ and you the ability to move the puck, but be a shutdown defender as well. As much as I want to grow my game and improve on the offensive side of the puck, I never want to lose my core and and you know what has what has made me the player I am today. ⁓ so I think thankfully this season my confidence has grown ⁓ in both the defensive and the offensive side of the puck. ⁓ there's definitely some areas of course I want to improve. ⁓ but this this year has allowed me to to gain my confidence back. speaker-1: You ⁓ we've you've mentioned the bean pot a couple of times now. So I I I feel like I would be leaving a a big important ⁓ Boston area event, ⁓ because that's certainly what it feels like now, is it it's become certainly become a a an even bigger event. ⁓ more broadly, outside of just the Boston area. What's it been what was it like for you to have been a part of the bean pot? Because for me I've only been able to watch it now for the last two years on TV. I've covered it the last two years. And just from watching it on TV, I mean, the record crowds, the the passion, the honestly, the broadcasts are like top tier. Like they take it really seriously and they're doing it a really good job with it. But that's from the outside. What's it like being on the inside? speaker-0: It's it's absolutely incredible. I think the I think you talk to most girls who commit to a Boston school, especially Harvard, B C or B or Northeastern, they do it because the bean pot. That was definitely a a reason for me. ⁓ as much as we can get fans and and our doghouse is absolutely amazing at Northeastern, having thirteen thousand fans watch you and cheer you on, especially most of them being Northeastern when we do plan the finals is is an experience it's I can't even put into words. ⁓ I've been able to watch it through times and only playing the semis once or playing the constellation game once. But ⁓ it's it's absolutely incredible. The atmosphere, the the build up leading ⁓ leading to the game, and and just like the camaraderie, you know, it's it's for Boston schools. You get to know your friends on the other team, you're playing against them. ⁓ we never get to play Harvard, so having that, you know, different different kind of vibe and as much as being pot didn't go Nortesian's way this year, ⁓ having BU as our biggest competitor and be able to play them and and the semis and go to double OT. Like I feel like you can't you can't write a story like that. Like it was it was an incredible game. It was I think it was a sell it up Walter Brown. Like it w it was an amazing game and as much as the the score didn't turn out our way, ⁓ y you wouldn't want to trade that in for anything. speaker-1: No, okay. So good. I'm glad. Because fr again, from the outside, I like I just it's so easy to get sucked into that game and all and you're just watching it on TV, but it feels like you're there. so it's it I it's it's certainly on my bucket list to go to a beanpot game because my goodness, ⁓ if you haven't watched that, you are certainly missing out, that's for sure. So it's cool that you got a chance. Of course, it didn't go the way that you wanted it to, but being a part of it. is certainly something that you'll I'm sure that you'll hold on to for ⁓ as an experience of your lifetime. Definitely. ⁓ so heading into y this year, you have transferred. You are now at, as I mentioned off the top, St. Cloud State, another great program. Could you talk a little bit about first of all, what that transfer process was like for you and ultimately what made you feel like St. Cloud State? Like, yeah, let's Let's rock it here. We're we're ready to go here. What what made that a a good fit for you? speaker-0: ⁓ I think I've always compared the transfer portal to a little more intense version of June fifteenth, the recruiting process when you're in grade ten and schools are sort of switching out. ⁓ it's definitely scary. You ⁓ the only difference but the transport you go in blind. You have no idea ⁓ you know, what schools are interested, where you wanna go. Of course you have your your maybe your potential options, but you're going in blind. You have no idea, you know, what spots they have, if they if they want anybody from the portal. So it was definitely a bit of a stressful process. I had also gotten surgery. I was getting surgery four days later. So it was ⁓ it was a bit of tricky timeline to try to figure all this stuff out. but ⁓ the the reason I ended up ⁓ choosing St. Cloud State, ⁓ I think it just goes through the not only their the the record they have, the the league they play in, ⁓ but the coaching staff. ⁓ Mira is a six one defender. She had coached across, she has allowed Claire Thompson and Sophie Jags to to become the defenders they are today. ⁓ she's a two time Walter Cup champion. ⁓ and the list goes on and on. She played for the Finnish national team. ⁓ Nora Raddy, who is my D coach, ⁓ the goaltender for the Finnish national team has played pro. ⁓ her and me are best friends. ⁓ Janelle and all the other coaching staff that I ⁓ it's I think it's incredible. And I've ⁓ I've had the chance to talk to every single one of them. ⁓ and of course they talk but great with the program, but they're players and they're past players. And I've had the chance to talk to Sonia the charge and she absolutely loves her time at St Cloud. ⁓ so I've heard nothing but great things. and I I I'm very looking forward to being coached by somebody who very much resembles my stature. speaker-1: Yeah, d very few do, so it's great to be able to have found finally found one. ⁓ I still remember the first time I saw you, ⁓ you with the Dolphins and it was like, Where's where's Tris ⁓ there she is. Easy to pick out because you were towering over everyone. Still are. ⁓ so and I and I had a feeling it might be the coaching staff as a big reason as to why you would want to go there. ⁓ also, you know, I know that you you touched on a little bit of, you know, what you've learned about yourself over these, you know, your collegiate journey thus far. How do you think that's gonna then translate for you specifically as it comes to heading to St. Cloud State? Like what, what do you think about those experiences is going to make mean that when you hit the ice, finally for St. Cloud State, ⁓ what what what do you think is gonna help to translate to success on the ice for St. Cloud State. speaker-0: Yeah, I think it's it it's definitely helped that Northeastern has been a top tier program and they've able to play against the best of the best. ⁓ Skylar Irving, ⁓ Lily Jobatic, ⁓ Tori Mariano who's who is going to the draft, Lily Shen and Jules Constantinople, ⁓ just to name a few. ⁓ as well as we've played in some big time games. ⁓ the bean pop being some and we also made to the frozen four this year. ⁓ we've played against some some best of the best teams. ⁓ two of them happen to be in my in in my conference next year. Minnesota and Ohio. So I have that that actually gained that big time experience. And then I feel like you see this all the time, but defenders in the WCHA are so important and big defenders in the WCHA are so important. So through the coaching staff and their support I'm hoping to to make an impact as soon as I step on the ice. speaker-1: Absolutely. I love that. Okay. So as we look to wind down our conversation, I want to talk about because I don't often get the opportunity to speak with a player who is from a place and has been involved with a PWHL team as you have been. And so it's a really unique perspective, especially as someone who, you know, the the collegiate years aren't behind you. You're very much in it. And you very much have the PWHL to potentially look forward to in your own future. So, you know, and that of again, I should probably clarify the Ottawa charge here in Ottawa. ⁓ what's it been like for you to have the opportunity to be around the team, to see the team, and to, you know, it's not just something you're watching on TV. You're going to those games at TD Place. My goodness, what an experience that is. Just what what does it mean to you to ha to be able to see it firsthand and know that's very well could be something in your future as well? speaker-0: I've been more than grateful to have a a front row seat to this whole this whole process from the sort of the league to now them being in year three. ⁓ seeing multiple players come through the the team and and some stay. But it's honestly seeing the the little girls and my friends now seeing an opportunity for themselves to play at the at the pro level. And I think I sa honestly said this in episode ten. The the girls how as ⁓ as much as you know, they had the the the team cannabis or maybe the the SDHL ⁓ across across the pond, but they might be working that extra extra little bit over the summers, that extra little bit on the ice, knowing that they have the the opportunity to play at the next level and and to have a real opportunity and and a real in a sustainable league. ⁓ but, you know, and as much as as I have I thankfully with the front row seat and and and see it from a different perspective, like my friends coming up to me and and saying how much they love the league and how much they they adore coming to games and how much this this league has changed their lives and it pushed them to that next level. It's it's been incredible. speaker-1: And you also ⁓ I think have a unique ⁓ well, I shouldn't say unique, of course, there are gonna be other players out there, but speaking specifically about Ottawa, you have a unique connection because there's also a another fellow Ottawa native on the team and Rebecca Leslie. And seeing her so I I I got thinking, I was like, I wonder what it would be like if I was from ⁓ the same hometown as a player who's playing pro and is having a monster season for the team. Yeah. What would that do for my motivation, my my passion, my drive to also, you know, maybe one day, of course, play for the hometown team. But just, you know, what does it mean for you to see someone from, you know, your same hometown have the success, see the success that ⁓ Rebecca Leslie has had for you, especially again, because you had you've had so many opportunities to see it much more up close. speaker-0: Yeah, it's it's honestly a it's a crazy experience. I Rebecca played in the P W H P A and she'd come out to my IS's when I played in the PN and and helped coach and I've I've kind of either been on the ice with her or she's coached me in some capacity for the longest time. ⁓ so when she play even when she played in Toronto, watching watching her on the ice and she's she's such an incredible player, but she is more importantly the nicest person you'll ever meet. She is so involved in her community. she is the kind of person that will will help Yoda any skill you need. ⁓ she has definitely something and she's she's gone with it this year. And I'm I'm more than happy for her and more than proud of her. ⁓ but it's definitely from somebody who who lives in Ottawa and I can definitely test to a lot of my friends who now play Division I as well, seeing somebody from your hometown and not saying Ottawa's small, but it is kind of small. ⁓ having success that Rebecca's had it's it's incredible and it definitely pushes me and I think ⁓ a lot of my other friends and and teammates to the next level hoping hoping that they can also be that kind of story. speaker-1: Now as we kind of ⁓ we're wrapping up this segment as well, but I do want to ask, because you've had a unique perspective with the Ottawa Charge, you know, ⁓ your mom's connection to the team, of course. ⁓ what does that do for you as well? Because you're not just seeing the product on the ice. You're not just maybe I say just, you're not you're you're not just looking at it and saying, I can't I like that helps me to dream even bigger. But you also get the business side of it. You also see what goes into the business side of running a professional team. What does that maybe do for your mindset and and maybe what your future in the sport could look like as well? Yeah. speaker-0: I think it honestly gave me a deeper appreciation for for professional sports. ⁓ the amount of things that happen beside this behind the scenes that players do not see. And I think that's the same thing for any hockey ops person at any university or any other pro team of of what they do ⁓ to to support the team and help them out from from ticket sales to PR to social media to photography to like the list goes on. and and the amount of grinding and late nights that happen to to try to sell out a ring like CTC or to try to get the publicity that they can for a new women's pro pro team. ⁓ it's incredible and I and my goodness, I what my mom does and and what her team does could not be more proud. speaker-1: It's speaker-0: again, it's it's just incredible. And I think it does a deeper appreciation in terms of of what you see in front of you isn't everything. There's things that allow you to to play where you are and to do what you do because the people that that that are behind the scenes. And I think in in future that just, you know, the extra thank you somewhere to to you know, you might not know who they are, but they definitely do something for you in whatever capacity that is. ⁓ but that definitely can go a long way. speaker-1: Yeah, and my goodness, does she make it look easy? I know that it maybe i on the inside, it doesn't maybe necessarily look that way, but it's certainly on the outside, she is Erin is very calm. So ⁓ yeah, very admirable. Her passion is undeniable. ⁓ okay, so we are going to wrap up, as we always do, with the final buzzers segment of the show. Now I know that you have previously been on the show. We played a very different kind of game. So I want to get your answers to these questions. And we are going to start off with what is Tristan Thompson's go to pregame meal? speaker-0: I think this is probably the most basic and every other athlete does it, but it's like chicken, some rice and some broccoli. Nothing too crazy. Probably like a few hours before the rank and then I'm more of a snacker when it comes closer to the game. speaker-1: Well, it wasn't pasta, so I'll take that as an ans as ⁓ as a little bit of a different answer there. ⁓ it's always chicken and pasta. ⁓ what is one song that always gets you dialed in in game mode on game day? speaker-0: Wow. Honestly, I don't know if there's one song. I'm more of a like a sewer player and I'm listening to the team playlist and just getting hyped up with the girls. It's just kind of the songs that we all sing along to that we ⁓ you know, we all start belting our our lungs out in the desk room before we hit the ice. I don't even know. We our playlist was so sporadic this year. I can I don't think I can name one. It was just it was a lot of a lot of fun, a lot of dancing. I guess the songs that that let me dance, a lot let the team dance is probably my favorite three songs. speaker-1: That that's totally fair. Was there one player who often had the aux or was it more of like a group, ⁓ team playlist that you would just add songs to as you discover them yourself? speaker-0: It started as a team playlist, like we all had access to it, but Jules Constantinople and I mean McDermott were the two so f weird freshman and and f and senior, but I guess it was like pl passing off the torch to the to the next the next generation was I guess the thought behind it. ⁓ but no, th they knew what to play and they knew how to how to get us going. So I I'm not an ox person, so I'll leave it to them. speaker-1: Yeah, it's way too much pressure for me. I'll I it's I'm a shuffle kind of guy. ⁓ don't ask me to actually have to choose a a specific song because then I can always just fall back on, hey, listen, I press shuffle. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. You can't pin can't pin this on me. ⁓ what is one word that your northeastern teammates would have used to describe you so that we can let your new teammates at St. Cloud State know? speaker-0: I think dedicated in whatever capacity they want to take that. ⁓ dedicated as a sport. ⁓ I went out with a wrist injury freshman year and now I'm out with a a shoulder injury. ⁓ but I always come back stronger and and harder than ever to to be the best teammate I can. speaker-1: Perfect. And that's that absolutely aligns right up with what I was hoping you were you would say. So that's that's fantastic. You pass that test. Okay, last one for you. Yeah. Last one for you. If you could go back and maybe give your collegiate self some advice about the journey that is ahead, the ups, the downs, the successes, the milestones, wherever it may end up taking you. What advice do you think you would give yourself back then? speaker-0: And again, I said this before, but like stay in the moment, stay present. 'Cause honestly this year went by the fastest I could ever thought. ⁓ and stayed my freshman year. And now five years is is now down to three. ⁓ faster than I could ever think. And I have now a whole new opportunity with a a whole new group of girls and a whole new conference. ⁓ but I never want to take that for granted. I wanna I wanna stay in the moment and stay present and enjoy my time there. speaker-1: Good advice. That's fantastic. Okay. That wraps up the final buzzer segment of the show and today's episode. Tristan, this is ⁓ I to say this is a long time coming is I feel like would be an understatement for sure, way back on episode 10. ⁓ but it's been an absolute blast to be able to have you back on the show, to be able to hear about the collegiate journey. I only really had an opportunity to catch up with you time ⁓ you know, every once in a while to hear about things and how things were going. But to have You jo rejoin the show, share that journey, sh be so open and honest about the journey. I think has been really, really ⁓ it's been everything I was ho would hope for and so much more. So I just want to say thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join the show, share your story. I can't wait to keep cheering you on. speaker-0: Thank you, Chris. I really appreciate it. speaker-1: And if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your fellow hockey fans. Your support helps me to continue bringing you stories just like Tristians from across the world of women's hockey. I'm Chris Sinclair. Thank you so much for tuning in, and I'll catch you next time on Ringside Rundown.