Latest / Rinkside Rundown / Grace Sadura on Community Leadership and Her New Chapter at Northeastern University
Transcript
- speaker-0: Wow Chris, this is the kind of conversation that I love. Good that's a very good Yeah, you're right. I think that you gotta be comfortable with the uncomfortable. And I think that when you're scared to go do something that might be the best time to go do it. ⁓ speaker-1: Hello, and welcome back to Ringside Rundown, the podcast that brings you inside the world of women's hockey one story at a time. I'm your host, Chris Sinclair, and today I am absolutely excited to be joined by Grace Sadura, a forward from Minnetaka, Minnesota, a 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award nominee, and someone preparing to embark on a brand new chapter with Northeastern University. Come this fall. Grace, welcome to the show. How are you doing? speaker-0: I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. speaker-1: Good. Yes. So I'm so excited to dive in. I'm eager. I'm eager. I've ⁓ I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to hear more about your story because especially with the the recent news of your nomination for the Hockey Humanitarian Award. When I saw that, when I read your story, was all the more reason why, my goodness, this is someone I definitely want to speak to. So let's go ahead. We're gonna dive in. And as we always do on the show, we gotta we gotta learn your origin story. So what was your origin story? Where did it all start for you? Your passion, your love for the game of hockey? speaker-0: I think I've just I've always been somebody who loves competing and ⁓ athletics, whether it's, you know, playing football at recess with the boys or playing soccer. ⁓ my dad was a soccer player, my mom was a swimmer, so I actually nobody in my family has ever played hockey. ⁓ no aunts, no uncles, grandparents, none of that. and basically I had a rollerblades, a baseball bat. a soccer ball and a lacrosse net and I was rollerblading out in my driveway and I had a neighbor who played in the the Wham, the women's league. She's like, You should put her in hockey. And I went over there and she put me in her gear that was way too big for me. And I was like, I love it. I wanna play hockey. And that was it. They put me in mites and just started from there. speaker-1: Yeah, the rest is history, as they say. ⁓ do you remember what like some of those earliest memories that you had in the sport? You know, like you said you loved it. You know, once you started actually playing and and being on teams, do you remember what some of those early memories were for you that really maybe solidified like I know it's still or very early, but at least sort of solidified, like, yeah, like I'm I'm really enjoying I think I found my sport. speaker-0: I think ⁓ when I was a kid, probably just like scoring goals with the team and then celebrating together. Like celebrating is a huge part of the game. ⁓ you know, celllies, that's a big thing I think. That kind of sparked it for me was selling with with the girls and with the team. ⁓ you know, you put so much into it, you put a lot of effort and it's a team sport and everybody's working for it and then you score and it's just selling I think and Yeah, winning games. speaker-1: Yeah, that's I mean, yeah, scoring goals, winning games, like that's what you play for, right? So of course. I love that. I love that. ⁓ so of course, Minnesota. You're from Minnesota, state of hockey. I would be remiss if I didn't talk about what it was like to grow up in Minnetaka, Minnesota, and what the the culture and and and and vibe was specifically maybe in your community as well, when it comes to the game of hockey and how passionate I'm I'm confident how passionate everyone was about the sport of hockey as well. speaker-0: Yeah, I mean it's it's such a a huge part of Minnesota culture and ⁓ you know when the ponds are frozen over, you see a ton of kids out on the ice, ⁓ just you know, outdoor pond hockey tournaments, watching wild games in every restaurant. ⁓ I don't know, I think it's just a it's just a part of who we are as Minnesotans. ⁓ you know, the state hoc the state hockey tournament is is still today like it's huge. It's awesome. ⁓ both the the women's and the men's side. It's it's it's fun to watch. ⁓ and it was even better to play in. So yeah, I don't know. Just a lot of just a lot of pride coming from Minnesota and knowing that ⁓ we're a state just that just loves hockey so much. And ⁓ yeah, that's ⁓ all I gotta say is Minnesota's great. If you love hockey, it's great. speaker-1: Yeah. Well, I could tell by the giant smile on your face that just like that that pride of playing a sport is something that ⁓ it is in your blood, right? So that's totally fair. ⁓ I also, of course, want to talk about your success. Now, success and grace Sidora kind of go hand in hand. It would appear throughout your career, but especially early on as well. ⁓ Allstate, ⁓ multi time allstate. Could you talk about maybe that's early success that you saw and and what success winning early on maybe helped to instill in you when you were still so young, maybe questioning whether or not this was something you could seriously pursue. But my goodness, like you saw success, right? speaker-0: Yeah, I think I think the success was a result of just like everybody around me, but also just how much I love the game. I mean, my parents not knowing a thing about hockey, not knowing anything about gear or what programs to do, but they supported me and they put me in what I wanted to do and they kind of gave me all the tools to be the best that I could be. I think another aspect of that was just I just really loved hockey. Like I would ask my parents to move the cars out of the garage at nine PM because I couldn't sleep and I wanted to shoot pucks. ⁓ I I think it just came from just wanting to score goals and just you know, I just like I just like playing hockey. I love watching hockey. I'm just a huge fan of the game and I think that you know I don't know, just seeing how hard my parents work too, ⁓ just in their everyday lives. It just kinda goes hand in hand. ⁓ yeah, just very grateful for my parents and also just for the love of the game. speaker-1: Yeah, and I and ⁓ forgive me for maybe lingering here for just an extra moment because I think it's really interesting that your parents not a clue ⁓ anything about hockey, and likely not a clue either in terms of the financial investments, the time, all of those things, I'm sure we're all a bit of a shock. They are they are they're a shock even when you are in some way expecting costs and kind of know what you're what you're getting yourself into. What did it mean for you to to to ultimately have parents who said, you know what, we don't know anything about this sport, but we know you love it. So we're just gonna find a way. What is that? I know that you kind of mentioned their support meaning a lot to you more to to you. Do you mind diving into that just a little bit more to to help really I wanna sell I would just want to celebrate your parents too, because they played a big part at especially the foundation, but have rooted rooted for you throughout your career. speaker-0: Yeah, shout out to Tanya and Sev. thank you for everything that you've done for me. ⁓ I think a lot of the the understanding came with age. I think as as I got older and as I you know, I went off to to high school and to college, I I'm able to reflect and look back and be like, Wow, like my parents really did do a lot for me. ⁓ they drove me hours to go to out of town tournaments. We stayed in random hotels and then they sat in an ice rink and froze their butts off for hours ⁓ without, you know, ne never playing the sport. They don't have that passion for it, but they knew that I liked it and so they dedicated their time and their energy to it. And it there's no words that I can say that like I can tell them how much it means to me and how much ⁓ of a difference that it's made in my life. ⁓ But just that like I'm very grateful for them and ⁓ I hope that, you know, one day I can repay them and you know, re repay my kids in the same way. So that's kind of I that's kind of what I can't r I could ramble on and and say so many other things, but ⁓ you know, if anybody's ever experienced that, like you know ⁓ just how how great it is to have that support. speaker-1: Yeah, that unwavering support, regardless of what I don't know anything about what you're about to do, but I know you love it, and that's enough for me. That that goes that's that speaks volumes, of course. ⁓ as we now look towards and you and you mentioned college. So I I'd love to, of course, talk about your time in college. ⁓ you started off, you spent three years at UMD, ⁓ University of Minnesota Duluth. ⁓ so I'd like to talk about what went into the decision to go there and how great was it to be able to start your collegiate career in your home state. speaker-0: Yeah, it meant everything. ⁓ I remember before the rule changed about recruiting, UMD was my first call when I was in eighth grade. And I that kind of put them on the map and put also the idea that wait, playing division one hockey is something that's doable. Like this wasn't something that I had really thought of or knew a whole lot about because again parents didn't know much about it and I didn't really have anything else telling me like you can do this. So then when I got that call, ⁓ you know, I did a little bit of research and you know, I grew up watching the Gophers and ⁓ watching other college hockey teams too, but not a ton of UMD. But then when I really did my research and I, you know, found the history and just how rich it is and ⁓ how much success that they've had. It really drew me towards the program. ⁓ also the coaches just really felt like they understood me as a person. and you know they wanted to develop me not only as a hockey player, but you know, as a human being as well. ⁓ yeah, they're sick at hockey. ⁓ they had the the school program that I wanted to do. And ⁓ yeah it's I was grateful for the opportunity to play. It was unreal. speaker-1: Yeah, and it's it's interesting that you point out the fact that I think of course the the gophers definitely get a lot of the the spotlight. ⁓ I know you know, of course, being up here in Canada, we're not as ⁓ the NCAA is more of an ⁓ I don't want to say a newer thing, but at least it's something that we only more recently have been able to watch on TV. So the default is often to to look at, you know, those those more well known or well established top tier programs. nothing against umd, but often that's people go to the gophers. They don't go to the UMD, right? So ⁓ the Bulldogs, right? So that's that's in interesting that you made that that that decision. ⁓ the other thing that I definitely want to talk about is ⁓ if I said resiliency and I said ⁓ dependency and I said there's a lot of words that I could use to describe your career with ⁓ D. You missed one game. speaker-0: I don't even know if I missed one game. speaker-1: Okay, so then that's even better. The record set at least those your your your your your your program says one game, but that's it that's even better. I know. So you've missed no more than one game for sure. speaker-0: ⁓ you go ahead, you go ahead. speaker-1: No, no, go go go. Absolutely. speaker-0: I was just gonna say I mean I saw that on like a couple of stats things and I was like trying to think back to which game I missed. And I was like, maybe my freshman year. But then I was like, No, like I don't know if I actually ever ⁓ I mean, maybe I could be completely off, but I'm not sure if I actually missed a game. So speaker-1: W like why I'm gonna I'm gonna try ⁓ I'm ⁓ on the fly right here trying to see if it tells us where ⁓ what that one game was. But while I look for that, ⁓ what like I was gonna say what goes into that, but just how. Like you are you so dependable, so reliable, you know, of course, offensively, like on like with the with that side of things, the stat sheet, but just being able to be there for each and every game so consistently. What does that like tell you about the kind of I mean, I guess that tells you about how passionate you are about the game of hockey? That's I guess the first thing that comes to mind. Is that is that is that a fair assessment? speaker-0: Yeah, I'd say it's passion, but also a lot of it is routine, making sure that I'm taking care of my body and, you know, getting the right nutrients, doing rehab, stretching, all those kinds of things. But I think that's just a little part of it. I think a big part of it is wanting to show up for my team and show up for my teammates. ⁓ I don't want to miss a game 'cause I want to help the girls and and be there and support. So I think a lot of it is just My love for my team and and my teammates that I play with. speaker-1: And you know, over your time with UMD, could you talk about, and I'm still trying to see if I can find out what that game was for you. ⁓ could you talk about how your how your role with the team involved and how you, you know, what that transition was like for you to go from junior hockey to collegiate hockey and and just yeah, how your how your role and how how comfortable and confident you became. as your career with UMD evolved. speaker-0: Yeah, I think going from high school to college is it's a it's a it's a massive transition. I think that, ⁓ you know, at that first week that you're on the ice with the the college girls, you're like, This is a completely different game. I remember ⁓ you know, just looking at it like, I've got a lot of work to do. I've got a lot of you know, I gotta get some kinks out of the game and I've gotta also like I gotta get stronger. I remember I asked ⁓ one of our captains, Clara Van Weir, and I was like, Okay, I'm gonna stand here and I want you to just hit me into the boards and I'm gonna try not to I just gotta protect the puck here. 'Cause I just remember getting pushed around a little bit and I think that's that's the biggest thing going from high school to college is just the physicality. Obviously the game's a lot faster, people are smarter. ⁓ but I think physicality was a big thing for me, just wanting to get stronger. And so once I kinda got stronger and and learned our systems, you know, it you gotta be a sponge when you go into a college team. ⁓ you gotta learn as much as you can from the girls who have been there and and that have done it. So I think a lot of my freshman year was being a sponge and trying to learn as much as I could. sophomore year, get a little bit more more trust, you know the systems better. So, and you also try to step up as a leader. You try to be that person who's been there before. you know the culture, and you want to set good examples. ⁓ so I'd say, you know, just as as my time here in UMD, I I really grew as a person, somebody who's, you know, more mature, better head on their shoulders, ⁓ but also a better hockey player too. ⁓ I think there's so many aspects of it. So speaker-1: Yeah. So I also, of course, you know, there's the on ice success that you're having, but ⁓ your story also involves so much off of the ice as well, academically in this case. Speaking of, you know, being a double major in psychol ⁓ psychology and Chinese area studies, could you could you talk a little bit about that and how that came to be and how you maybe landed on those being your majors? Sure. speaker-0: I mean I just I love people. I like hanging out with friends and building connections, having conversations. I think that that's something that's so important to who we are as humans is being connected with each other. ⁓ so I think just learning more about the science and the anatomy with that of psychology and there's a lot of different things that I think you can do with it too. So ⁓ it's just one of my passions is is people. Psychology was a good choice for me. I had a little bit of experience with it in ⁓ high school. I was able to take an A P psych class, so I dipped my toes a little bit into it and I really liked it. ⁓ Chinese is kind of a a longer story. I lived in China when I was two to five years old because of my dad's job. so I was learning English and I was learning Chinese at the same time. And then when I came back to the States and moved to Minnetonka, ⁓ you can ⁓ take a Chinese immersion program all the way up until middle school and and high school too. So I just stuck with it. And I was like, you know, I'm already fluent in it now. ⁓ might as well get a major with it and see what you can do with that as well. I also just like speaking Chinese. It's pretty cool. speaker-1: Yeah, you're fluent in it even now. So that's ⁓ well, I guess I I suppose that's not as surprising because you're taking it as a major. So I would certainly hope that you'd be flu fluent in it. ⁓ but I just found that to be really fascinating. And and how do you w with having that psych major, ⁓ with working on that psych major, how do you find that maybe seeing the do you see the game differently because of the psych major? But do you see the game differently? Do you see how do you see how you see the game differently now than before you started with this psych major? speaker-0: I think a little bit. I think ⁓ team cohesion and just how good you can be on the ice if you're good off the ice, if you get what I'm saying. Like if you've got a connected team, you know, you guys can have all different kinds of conversations. You can have the hard conversations, the uncomfortable conversations with each other. and just kind of seeing those interactions with people and like knowing Everybody's gonna react differently to different situations because people are so different. Everybody's so unique in their own way that you gotta find a way to bring that uniqueness and those differences together for one goal. I think seeing it in that way has been pretty interesting. And I try to do my best to use the knowledge that I have with school to be a good person in the locker room and try to be a good leader. ⁓ just because You know, I'm a people person. I like to be with people. I like to hang out with people. so I think in that way I do see the game a little bit. I mean, I think hockey X's and O's, maybe not super differently, but definitely ⁓ you know, in the locker room kind of stuff. speaker-1: Yeah, I mean I've I've long said that, you know, you can only be and of course this applies more so to sort of the mental side of the game in in a in its totality. But ⁓ you know, if you're a better team off the ice, my goodness, it makes you a really great team on the ice, right? When you again, when you have that trust in one another, when you have that belief in one another, when you can have those tough conversations, but you know like you're all in this together, you're all heading in the you're all steering the ship in the same direction, it certainly helps. ⁓ you were speaking, I guess unintentional segue there. You, ⁓ speaking of steer helping to steer the ship, you were a part of the leadership team this past year. I think it's been pretty evident throughout this conversation thus far that a lot of the way that you speak, you speak like a leader. So and I think that's something that was innately in you and you've continued to grow into that space. What was it like for you to grow into that space more officially this past season? And what were some of the big takeaways for you personally? Away from the ice during your experience as a leader. speaker-0: Yeah, I think we're just incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to be a leader. ⁓ along with ⁓ three other amazing leaders that I learn from every day. And I think that at the beginning you at least for me, I put a lot of stress on myself. ⁓ when I first stepped into that leadership position of, you know, everything's gotta be perfect. Everybody's and I think I I put a lot of stress and that just might be you know, my anxiety speaking is like, you know, you gotta be the perfect leader, you gotta do this. But I think as I went on, I just learned that, you know, ⁓ you need to be somebody that people can talk to. you wanna work hard every day. I think, especially on the ice and in the gym, I'm a lead by example kind of person. I'm not gonna tell anybody to, you know, get on the line, you missed that pass. Like, that's not really up my alley, I kinda just like to do my thing and and work hard and hopefully other people can see that and and want to do it with me. ⁓ but I think as the year went on, just being a hard working, kind person, ⁓ it goes a long way and hopefully that you can you can be an example for other people. ⁓ and also having hard conversations, that's a part of life and that's something that I learned this year is like you're gonna have to have hard conversations with people that you love. And it doesn't mean that you love them any less. ⁓ it just means that you gotta set boundaries or you have to have a a tough conversation and it it shouldn't make the relationship on rocky terms or anything like that. But it could be very uncomfortable. ⁓ and I think it's just all about the way that you you go about it and you let them know like I care for you. I'm here for you. Let's have this conversation and move on. So I think those were kind of the biggest takeaways for me as a leader. And I think it applies to so many different areas in life where having this experience at UMB and and just with hockey in general. ⁓ it it's so powerful. ⁓ the things that you learn just from sport. So I'll stop my ramble now. But speaker-1: No, no, no. But that that walks us that walks us right up to I think ⁓ you know, celebrating this next chapter of your life ⁓ with ⁓ Northeastern. What was that what went into the decision to to go there, to choose that program and and what are your thoughts as you're preparing the off season, of course, but preparing for ⁓ what will inevitably be continued success now just with Northeastern. speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ I think that nothing but amazing things to say about UMD and the team here and the culture and and everything here. ⁓ it's given me so many opportunities, so many lifelong friendships, just nothing but good things to say about this place. I think that what really came down to it for me was, you know, I did three years. I graduated in three. ⁓ you know, I wanted to get my masters. And I think for me, I was just kinda at the point this year where I was struggling with my mental health. ⁓ and I was just like, I think I need a change for me. And not anything to do with anybody here, but I was like, I gotta make a decision for myself here. and I think I would also be a little bit disappointed if I look back and five it five years from now and be like, I why didn't I try something new? ⁓ so I think I'm just putting myself hopeful, you know, in a position where I can be dropped into the deep end essentially, making new friends, learning new systems and just getting a new experience. I think that was that was something for me. I just I just needed it as a person. speaker-1: So as you were starting to answer that, I it it made me think that maybe this was an opportunity for you to go outside your comfort zone because you've played your entire up until now well, up until future you in the fall, you will have played your entire career in Minnesota, right? So what ⁓ could that have I I think that's kind of what you were saying as well, which is like the value of putting yourself out there, the value of challenging yourself, the value of going outside your comfort zone might help to ⁓ I mean unlock something for sure. But do you think that's also a big part of it too? Is just like you kind of when you get comfortable doing something, you kind of go through you're going through the motions as opposed to really living it. Is that is that sort of something that maybe you were thinking about as well? speaker-0: Wow, Chris, this is the kind of conversation that I love. Good p that's a very good Yeah, you're right. I think that you gotta be comfortable with the uncomfortable. And I think that when you're scared to go do something, that might be the best time to go do it. ⁓ because like yeah, I could play another year here and I could be comfortable where I am, but also I I feel like There's a lot more to learn and I wanna put myself out there and and give myself an opportunity to grow and get those new experiences and again, like I can't stress enough how much I love UMD and how much I love the people here, ⁓ in the program. ⁓ but I just I had to do something for myself and that was what it came down to. speaker-1: And there's nothing wrong with that while also appreciating the incredible experiences that you have had ⁓ where you are now, right? There's nothing wrong with that. I as I mentioned off the top, hockey humanitarian award nominee. It is undeniable how important community is for you. ⁓ I'm gonna list off a few things. There's the Seven Stars Horse Ranch, there's the UMD DI Council. There were ⁓ there were a few other things as well that there were I grouped everything together in saying that this is a clearly community service and being engaged within your community is something that's super important to you. Could you talk about why that is and and what you yourself get out of being able to be so connected to your community? speaker-0: I think that the community is so important. ⁓ just the way that they they support us. I think that, you know, it's our duty as players to give back to them. ⁓ I think back to when I was a little kid and I was going to Minnetonka, like high school games, and I remember interacting with the players, getting high fives, you know, puck over the glass. It made you feel like the most important kid and most special kid in the world. So I think that anytime I get the opportunity to make kids or anybody feel special, ⁓ it's it's always something that I wanna do. ⁓ I just I don't know, I just it goes back to liking people and just enjoying people's company and connections and working towards a common goal together. I think for me, I just like to I just like to talk to people and And wherever that takes me, if if I'm, you know, at the ranch or if I'm doing ⁓ stuff for the DEI council, if I'm doing special hockey, it all involves people. So it's what I love and ⁓ sometimes it involves hockey too. Like with special hockey I get to I get to coach kids, like what else there's nothing better than that. So yeah, I don't know. I just I love the community. speaker-1: And so then, you know, I I know that specific awards, like being nominated, winning an award, like yes, that's great. It's it's cool and stuff, but it it of course is often about the the journey, the people who supported you, the people around you who are constantly supporting you as well. It ⁓ an individual award is hardly ever actually truly an individual award. ⁓ But you were also nominated, as I've mentioned, for the Hockey Humanitarian Award. Knowing or or at least getting a glimpse in terms into how important the community was, is, and always likely, always will be for you. What did that that specific award, what did being nominated and being a part of that incredible group of people, what did that also mean to you? speaker-0: So much. I think it's just like you said, it's a reflection of the entire community. ⁓ I have so many great people to work with on the on the DEI Council, on the hockey team. ⁓ it's just there's so many people that contribute to it. but also I think that, you know, being nominated for an award is amazing, but I also think that it puts a little bit of more spotlight on the communities around you. just because people look in ⁓ look into ⁓ I don't know what Seven Stars Ranch is or you know, I didn't know that they are a non profit veteran organization that help, you know, lead therapeutic and character development stuff ⁓ for veterans and first responders and that kind of puts puts it on the map a little bit and so I'm I'm really happy with that. But also like seeing what all the f other finalists and ⁓ all the other nominees like what they're doing. It's just like, wow, like it gives you a lot of hope in humanity, especially like, you know, in today's time there's a lot of you see a lot of bad news and it could cause a lot of anxiety, but there's a lot of good that's happening as well. So I think that ⁓ looking at what all the other nominees and the finalists and and and what Meg did too, like it's it's very cool and just really grateful to be in the likes of of them, like I look at what other people are doing, I'm like, How am I even here? Like these people are amazing. So yeah. speaker-1: Well, I was gonna say, so are you. The work that you're doing, don't dismiss ⁓ or devalue the incredible work and impact that you're making in the community as well. I love that you were nominated. It was a well-deserved nomination for sure. ⁓ we have so much more to cover, but we have almost run out of time. But I do want to also talk, I I wanna talk about the future and I wanna talk about You know, we're seeing, of course, you know, with the PWHL expansion, continued expansion. Now this is the second year in a row where we're seeing expansion. When you see the expansion, when you see the growth of the game, when you see these record attendance, I'm thinking I when I think of record attendance, I think of MSG, the f is the first one that comes to mind. But of course, there's also the records when I think about NCAA, the beanpot. those record ⁓ crowds as well. what is that what does that invoke in you or evoke in you when you think about your own journey and what could be next, knowing that there's such passion, such enthusiasm, such such love for the game of women's hockey that has always been there. Just needed we talked about spotlight earlier, it just needed the spotlight. Yeah. speaker-0: I just incredibly excited. Like it makes you you know, I'm already a a motivated person, but it just puts so much more motivation into me and it just makes me wanna I just wanna work my hardest and there's a there's a long way to go, ⁓ to get there. And but I think that the journey's fun. you meet so many people, you talk to new people, ⁓ it's gonna take work, but seeing the enthusiasm and the passion and the love, it makes me want to get there so bad so I can so I can do that. And, you know, everybody watches women's sports. ⁓ it's it's just so amazing to see it's so deserving. I mean, so many women, not even just before the P D before the P dub started, like it it's taken an army and so now seeing it really get the recognition that it deserves. ⁓ I'm just just happy and excited. speaker-1: Well, and you're certainly easy to root for. So we are absolutely going to be rooting for you as you look to ⁓ continue your journey and maybe, maybe, just maybe one day you'll hear your name called at the ⁓ PWHL draft and we can't wait. ⁓ again, like I said, so much more to talk about, but we're we've got to go right now to the final buzzer segment of the show, which is a fun, rapid fire way to wrap up the conversation, as I always say. The goal here is not for you to quickly give me an answer. It's for me to not ask any follow-up questions so that this because otherwise we'll be here for another hour because I love my follow-up questions. ⁓ okay, we're gonna start off with what is your go-to pregame meal? speaker-0: Pasta of any kind, pasta and chicken. speaker-1: What is on your game day playlist? Do you have like a go-to song, artist? Maybe it's a whole playlist. What's on it? speaker-0: Harry Styles. ⁓ he's got some upbeat ones. I like him a lot. speaker-1: All right, first person ever to ⁓ use Harry Styles as their game day ⁓ on their game day playlist. So I'll I'll get to that award. I'll I'll mail it to you. yeah. What's something that people might be surprised to learn about you? I may have ruined one earlier with the Chinese part of it, but ⁓ what's something else? I speaker-0: usually say the Chinese one or I like to play guitar. I like to play I like to play guitar and I like music a lot. speaker-1: Okay, fair. ⁓ last one for you. When you look at your journey, when you look at all the way back, you know, moving, as you've shared, moving to Minnetaka, but growing up in Minnesota to now, what do you think you would tell your younger self about that journey? What advice do you think you would give your younger self about? The ups, the downs, the successes, the milestones, all of those things, the journey that young Grace is gonna be on. speaker-0: I would say just enjoy it. and also ride the wave wherever you are. If you're at the top of the wave, enjoy it. If you're at the bottom of the wave, just know you're gonna go up eventually. Don't give up. Keep keep pushing through. Don't be so hard on yourself. And I don't know if I was supposed to only say one word, but I got a lot of stuff to say to my younger self. Don't be so hard on yourself, but also ⁓ don't take things too seriously. Just have fun with it and ⁓ enjoy the moments with your family and your friends. speaker-1: I love it. That's fine. Yeah. Say whatever you want. I love that. That was great. That was great advice. I'm going to take that personally for sure. ⁓ that wraps up the final buzzer segment and today's episode. Grace, I knew coming into this conversation that I was going to really enjoy it. And I knew that I it was going to be a great story to hear. I'm going to now walk away from this conversation, knowing both of those things were very much right. We're very much correct. You have an incredible story. I'm so thankful for you to come on the show, share that story. And I know you're gonna inspire not just myself, but so many other people out there. So I just want to say thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join the show, to share your story, to chat with me. This has been an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much. speaker-0: Thank you so much for having me. It was great to talk to you. 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 races 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 Rinkside Run.