Latest / Rinkside Rundown / How Penn State's Katie DeSa is Ready to Take the PWHL by Storm
Transcript
- speaker-0: getting hurt ⁓ right around the new year was was not something that I would have wanted for myself but I think it gave me kind of that time to step back and refocus and say okay I have X number of games left. How do I want to do? What do I want to do? ⁓ And just having fun with it was what really allowed me to you know get those awards, break those records and just have a really enjoyable last year. ⁓ speaker-1: Mm-hmm. 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, Chris Sinclair, and today I could not be more excited to be joined by Katie Disa, an outstanding goaltender from Penn State who hardly needs an introduction. Katie, welcome to the show. How you doing? I am fantastic. Even better now that we finally get a chance to sit down and chat. speaker-0: Good, how are you? speaker-1: I want to start with a story. I want to hear from you about one of, if not the first time, you put on the pads, you took to the ice. And the reason for it is because when I heard this story and the fact that you were so excited that you made this one big save, it made me really want to learn more about this story. So could you maybe share a little bit more about that experience for you? speaker-0: Mm-hmm. Yeah, for sure. I'm not even sure how big of a save it actually was. I think I just kind of got hit with it. ⁓ but yeah, no, it was a really cool experience. I was just playing for my town team in New Jersey. I I don't even think we had positions at that point. It was full ice, but it was just kind of everyone did whatever and skated everywhere. And we had one ⁓ time when our goalie wasn't gonna be there and they asked for someone to fill in and I raised my hand. I was like, Yeah, I'll do it. My parents kinda Little nervous, weren't really sure what they were getting themselves into, but ⁓ yeah, I just I was a goalie for one. I think that was the only time that year. ⁓ our goalie ended up coming back. But in the following seasons I pursued goalie more and more until I was full time goalie. But yeah, I was I wore my player helmet, player skates, pads that I think were older than me, than old pair of Bryans. ⁓ definitely probably weighed about as much as me once they were waterlogged after the ⁓ but yeah, it was just a really cool experience and kinda came out of nowhere, but obviously I'm very grateful that it happened. speaker-1: So I mean it sounds as though of course it was a good experience. And so I wanna know as well, especially early on, having good experiences, positive experiences around any sport, but of course in this case hockey, is so important as a foundation for you. How important was that to to you to have a good experience, especially in a new position, especially when you consider, ooh, did it work out well for you? speaker-0: Yeah, I think ⁓ just kinda having fun with it, that's a trend something that kinda gets lost in transition a little bit as you become ⁓ at that higher level compete, ⁓ at collegiate level, national level, things like that. It kind of as you're prepping for that, it almost seems like it becomes a job. But I think part of the why we had so much success this year, I mean, at Penn State was 'cause it was so much fun and we truly enjoyed the company of the team around us. And so I think having that experience of it being just really fun. I didn't necessarily care about the outcome. I was just focused on my play, competing well, making saves when I could and having fun. I think that's kind of the mindset that I've transitioned to this past year and of obviously previous ones as well. speaker-1: Mm-hmm. What was it about being in goal that that made that, you know, as you mentioned, didn't start there, played there once, got a bit of a taste for it, got it c caught a bit of the bug there for sure. And now it's wort really worked out for you. But what was it? Do you remember what it was that you really like that ultimately kept drawing you back to that position as well? speaker-0: Yeah, I think I I really like the aspect of being on a team but kind of being by yourself too. ⁓ I'm someone that loves to hang out with my friends. ⁓ and I'm not afraid of like the big group settings, but I'm more of a person that is pretty content hanging out ⁓ with by themselves. I live by myself. So I I like that sort of ⁓ seclusion. And I think the goal being goalie provides that really well where you do have this team in front of you, you do have teammates, but you're also very much by yourself in the games. ⁓ at times you're standing by yourself, ⁓ entertaining yourself sometimes if it's not too much action in front of you. ⁓ so that was a big piece of being on a team, but also being kind of by yourself. And then I liked the I guess you could call it the expressive side, the the artistic side that you're the liberties you're able to take being a goalie. ⁓ I know I didn't start getting custom gear necessarily, ⁓ like pads and things until I was in high school, but ⁓ I always picked tried to pick a really cool helmet. ⁓ so I think my my first helmet, it's really funny now, but my first helmet was like a Grim Reaper. ⁓ it was like a blacked out crazy looking thing. I'm terrified of everything now. That's why I think it's really funny. ⁓ but yeah I really always I had ⁓ a USA helmet at one point. That was just a stock helmet I stumbled upon from Bauer. ⁓ I started getting my helmet wrapped and kind of doing that sort of thing. And then it with Bauer and Digiprint it kind of skyrocketed in ⁓ college. But just being able to kind of let your artistic side out and sh express yourself through your equipment, I always thought was really cool. speaker-1: Okay, so we're gonna take a bit of a detour here then, because I feel like this is a great bit of ⁓ the conversation and I don't want to miss it. ⁓ do you have I know that you've done some breakdowns in the past of some of the goalie helmets that you've had, but do you have one that comes to mind that you're like, if I could keep one, that's gonna be the design, or like that may ⁓ carry with you as you look at your pro career as well? speaker-0: Yeah, honestly, I my Beaver Stadium helmet might be ⁓ my favorite. ⁓ just with I just felt like it was I we got helmets every two years here at Penn State. And so I had my just I needed more practice, I think I'd say, with designing a helmet that I really, really liked. ⁓ obviously I loved my previous two. ⁓ but I think just this one with Beaver was a really good culmination of my four years at Penn State and kind of the paw prints is something that I always did. And so having those like up the center was just something that was really just felt like unique to me and felt like that really just it was it was really cool, especially with the outdoor elements of the snowflakes and having both beaver and pagula. ⁓ I just feel like it was a very clean designed helmet that like embodied who I was very well. So it's unfortunate too. It's in the museum now. I don't have it anymore. But it's like a museum on canvas. So unfortunately I can't keep that one with me. But I would say that was just My favorite. I liked kind of the more lighter approach that I took to it as well. I I've kinda had more darker helmets in the past. speaker-1: Do you think that's gonna be something that you'll carry with you as like like not to say that it's gonna be the same exact design, but sort of that kind of design inspiration, so to speak, moving forward? speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah, definitely. ⁓ I liked also too the ⁓ how the paw prints were in a line, like a blue line, similar to how our the players' white helmets are and our our goalie practice helmets are. That was kind of I felt like it tied in well with that. ⁓ and I've always done the number on the chin in front. So things like that I think will definitely be staples. But I'm curious to see what I come up with in the future. speaker-1: We all are, that's for sure. I do want to touch upon ⁓ as well early on the influence of the twenty ten Olympics on you. Could you talk about about that influence and maybe some of those memories or some of those ⁓ those experiences ⁓ in and around that time that really carried with you and and were such an influence on you? speaker-0: Yeah. So that was honestly like what got me into even just learning to skate. Like I had never skated before. I didn't know that there were rinks near our house. I remember telling my mom I wanted to play hockey and she was like, Well, you can't skate. And I was like, That's fine, I'll learn. And she was like, Okay, but where will you learn? And so we like did a quick Google search and we found out there were some rinks pretty close to our house actually. So very grateful to have close proximity with that. But that was just kind of what got me interested in just even learning how to skate and then ultimately playing hockey. ⁓ it was really cool to be able to see women compete like that on T V and obviously it only happened every four years, but now with the P W H L it's really cool that pretty much any night of the week for the most part you could turn on the T V and see ⁓ a women's professional game. So I think that's really cool. speaker-1: Yeah, what a difference that makes for certainly for for you, of course, but ⁓ the the next generation actually not have to wait every four years. It's ⁓ four years can fly feel like it flies by, but it can also feel like it drags on. ⁓ certainly for sure. ⁓ I want to talk about your junior career. and first of all, I want to talk about your time with St. George's and the Boston Junior Eagles. What did that time, what did that junior that your your years in junior? What did it really teach you? And what you know, what were some of those things that you may have taken away from the growth and the development, whether it's on the ice, whether it's off the ice, that you even bring with you up to now and in into this next chapter of your life as well? speaker-0: Yeah, I think ⁓ they're very different ⁓ experiences. Obviously going and playing with the junior Eagles, you play with them end of s the summer, let's say early September until Thanksgiving, and that's when we had or American Thanksgiving, I'll say in the in November. ⁓ when we have that. That was when our state tournament was. And then we all kind of went our separate ways, played for our high school, whether we went to private school, public school, boarding school. ⁓ and then we would come back together in March and then train together for a month and play ⁓ nationals in April, which was just it's a different experience than most. You're not playing with the same team, getting seventy games. So I think it helped me grow a lot as a player and be able to adapt quickly to different players and their tendencies. And when you're with a team for so long with so many games, you're you're really a well oiled machine at that point and you know what everyone's gonna do. And I think it just helped me become a little bit more adaptable to The play players in front of me play that's happening. You'd like to think within 10, 15 games you can know people, and that's definitely a part of it. You can, but just the more time you play together, the better you're gonna be. And so I would just say, yeah, learning players' tendencies, being able to adapt well on the fly. And then they're just two different calibers too. Boarding school. We almost didn't have a team in my sophomore year. ⁓ that's something a lot of people don't know. ⁓ we had I wanna say thirteen players. in total and we had a backup goalie that was playing out and she never played out in her life before and she was a senior. ⁓ 'cause we just didn't have really any players. So you kinda you have to make the fun with that. We're we weren't very good. We got I probably weren't even five hundred if I have to be honest with you. ⁓ but you just you find the fun in it. And I think that's what again got me so excited then to play at that higher level with the junior Eagles come the springtime. Then when you transition into the spring, having ⁓ that higher level ⁓ and caliber of players in front of you makes all the world of difference and just ⁓ they're both are fun, but you know, they teach you different things as well. speaker-1: Yeah. And I guess then, you know, when you think about that adversity and having to overcome it. And of course, I mean, let's be honest, of course, it it certainly worked out for you. So there were definitely big lessons that you took away from that. What were some of those lessons? And and what did it teach you about yourself? That you were able to face adversity, a lot of uncertainty, and then ultimately, you know, have a great time a great career, a great junior career, but that career has more than translated to your success at Penn State. speaker-0: Yeah, I think it just it taught a lot of resilience. I know I I feel like it's a pretty cliche phrase these days. Everyone's like, ⁓ that taught me resilience. That made me stronger. ⁓ but I truly do believe that and that being being challenged ⁓ in every in those games ⁓ with St. George's was definitely something that let set me up for a lot of success moving forward. ⁓ and then just again, like I said, finding the fun in it. ⁓ you come into hockey because it's fun and sometimes along the way that can get lost a little bit in the pursuit of excellence. But I think that the the most when you're having the most fun is when you're always playing the best. And so that that helps me as well. Just find the fun in it again. speaker-1: Mm-hmm. So we've talked about Penn State. Now I want to know what made Penn State, as you were looking at your options, what made Penn State stand out to you? speaker-0: Yeah. ⁓ there there's quite a few. I'll keep the list a little I'll keep it short. But one of the big things was I I wanted a bigger university. I went to a school with a graduating class of ninety nine people. ⁓ so there was about I think three hundred kids in my ⁓ high school in total, three hundred to four hundred. And so it was Just a very small school, everyone knew each other. ⁓ and while that does definitely have its advantages, especially being so young, being away from home, I was ready to experience a bigger, ⁓ bigger school, bigger university. ⁓ and Penn State offered that obviously with forty thousand plus students here on main campus. And I also am really in I'm studying agricultural science, which again a lot of people aren't too aware of, but yeah, my degree is from the College of Agricultural Science and Penn State has one of the best programs in the country. also being driving distance from Connecticut was really huge. ⁓ my parents have been able to be out here for every single one of my home games. So that's really awesome. Being able to have their support here and camp on campus and then just the the coaches. Like people say all the time that people make the place and I truly think that's the tr that's the case with Penn State. ⁓ I have the some of the best coaches, people, best coaches in general, best people. ⁓ everyone really loves and cares for those around them and that's seen. each day in the rank, o out of the rank. I've had like I'm like trying to think if I wanna say this. ⁓ I was in a I totaled my car my sophomore year and it was like ambulance to the hospital kind of nine PM on a Monday night and McKenna came and stayed with me in at the hospital until I was released. I had another I was in the hospital again ⁓ last summer. ⁓ with a different issue and Jeff stopped on his way home from driving from Massachusetts to see me before he even went home to see his own family. And so I think having coaches like that around that, you know, no matter what happens, whether it's life, hockey, school, whatever's kind of going on, they're always there and they're always supporting you. So I would yeah, ultimately getting getting to Penn State, there was a lot of different things, but I'd say the biggest thing that's kept me here for these four years is the people. speaker-1: When looking at your stat line between your first year and your second year, there was a big jump. I mean, in terms of ⁓ starts, in terms of of course, then the results. Could you talk about maybe what the adjustment was like for you to go from c ⁓ your junior career to college and then what you what you learned in making that that substantial jump from I think it was five game five or six starts? to I think it was sixteen or something like that. So up s somewhere in that sort of range in your second year, what that jump was like for you as well. speaker-0: Yeah, no, I I would say I I think it was honestly less. I think my first game I was ever in, I was a dumpster fire. If you've d if you've seen that, I ⁓ our starter got pulled. I went in, I was quickly pulled thereafter. and so it was my first collegiate game lasted all of about a couple minutes. ⁓ so that was kind of definitely a ⁓ a a little bit of a rude awakening, but I think it's kind of what needed me to push me to that next level. ⁓ I think everyone comes in thinking they can play in college and thinking they can play at that top level. And for some people that's the case. And I thought it was for me. And then I got in that position. I was like, okay, yeah, da back to the drawing board. I've got some things I need to work on. ⁓ but I would say I I think I've always had the skill and that kind of wasn't the problem. It was more the mental side of the game, which doesn't really get talked about in juniors. I think they're like, ⁓ it's you put up good numbers, you're gonna be fine in college. But I think a lot of it came down to the mental side and finding that confidence of when I get in that net, even if I'm not the starter, like this is my net and this is my game and this is my team and not feeling lesser than in those times. So I would say that was probably the biggest thing that I noticed ⁓ from my freshman to sophomore year was just finding that confidence and knowing that my team they needed to rely on me and they needed to know that they could trust me. So I kinda I had to trust myself in that same time. speaker-1: And I'm so glad that you mentioned your team because it's a perfect segue into how successful you and your teams were over the four years of your career there. ⁓ four consecutive AHA championships, no big deal. ⁓ when you think about those teams, now I've been fortunate enough to speak with some of your teammates. I do also want to talk about, you know, when you think about those teams, those groups, those experiences. What stands out to you about maybe what made them so made you all so successful and what were some of your bus biggest ex ⁓ experiences and best experiences during your time, your runs in of success with the program? speaker-0: Yeah, I think ⁓ winning that first AHA or it was the CHA back then. ⁓ that's kind of crazy. ⁓ winning that first ⁓ tournament title in overtime, I think, was just a really cool experience. The first time for anything is always a really memorable time. ⁓ and I think being on the bench taught me how much I wanted that and I wanted to be the goalie in that net. So that kind of gave me that push in the following years to to secure that starting role. ⁓ the second year of AHA's winning one nothing, ⁓ kind of being like, Wow, okay, it wasn't just a fluke that one year. We always said, ⁓ do something more than once and you then you can call it a tradition. And so ⁓ that was kind of something when we won second year, like, okay, wow, like no, we are this team. We we are as good as as we think. It wasn't just a one time thing. ⁓ and then obviously with the NCAA tournament with those, taking both of those games, my freshman and sophomore year into overtime. kind of just made us more hungry in the following years. ⁓ and then junior year, we'll call that our our fluke year. ⁓ we didn't take it into OT and we just we lost in regulation, which was definitely a heartbreaker. And I think all of those experiences, ⁓ for our s the senior class, the other the five and then six if you include Maya, ⁓ just really made us hungry for in our last year. How are we how do we want to be remembered? How do we want to go out and gave us that that edge that you saw this year with being the third ranked team in the country and then hosting ⁓ regionals and then winning regionals, making the frozen four, going to overtime. Like I think all of those prior I think a lot of people would call them failures or losses. ⁓ we just we call them we said we learned from them. ⁓ it's not never really a loss if you take something from it. And so all of those experiences just made us even more hungry for to go out this year like we did. speaker-1: Now I want to talk about you specifically. Of course, you're here. You're the guest. Of course, I want to focus on you here. ⁓ because you, I mean, there's you've seen a lot of individual success, which is, of course, really impressive. Goaltender of the year, a lot of program records. I'm gonna pause to say congratulations, of course. It's no no easy feat, but you made it look easy, that's for sure. You had touched on your mindset. Especially junior kind of moving into your collegiate career. But I wanted to know as well, like how how has your mindset and how you prepare and how you approach a game, how you approach wins, losses, successes, opportunities, how that maybe has changed or evolved in your time at Penn State? speaker-0: Yeah, no, I think I it's something I've already mentioned a a good deal, so I don't wanna, you know, beat a dead horse. But I think just finding the fun in it again, I think that was something that I really, really focused on this year. And like everyone always says, ⁓ it's your last year, like what what are you doing? How are you making the most of it? And I'm s trying to enjoy every single piece of it. And with this past year there were definitely ups and downs, you know, getting hurt ⁓ right around the new year was was not something that I would have wanted for myself, but I think it gave me kind of that time to step back and refocus and say, Okay, I have X number of games left. How do I wanna do? What do I wanna do? ⁓ and just having fun with it was what really allowed me to, you know, get those awards, break those records and just have a really enjoyable last year. ⁓ so yeah, having fun with it was something I focused on and kinda goes into another thing of just like the music that I listened to before. ⁓ I've played around with that a little bit. I was always a very like serious person. and I tried to, you know, loosen up a little bit in this past year. And so I listen to like E DM, like house dance music. ⁓ just try to make it fun, get in a good headspace. ⁓ and then obviously when I get on the ice I lock in, but I've noticed like the games where I'm too intense, ⁓ be like hyper focused, I'm I make mistakes that that that just aren't like me and so trying to have fun in those moments and not make it Not make it too intense is what when I find I play my best. speaker-1: You are not the first person who has said that they've made the switch to EDM music and they is something's changed in them, their performance on the ice. So I apparently really need to get into EDM music. ⁓ I also I want to talk about the the the the the Penn State program because we've seen and you mentioned it just a moment ago as well. There's like it's I mean, you're seeing of course the championships are great, but you're also seeing attendance records. You're seeing such great ⁓ such great momentum. behind this program. And you've been certainly central to that, a big part of that change, that evolution of the program. Could you talk about what it's been like to see the continued growth and and the continued, you know, ⁓ attendance growth and and and all of the excitement around that around the Penn State program, especially over the four years that you've been a part of it. speaker-0: Yeah, I think, you know, Penn State has I we football says we have the best f like student section in the country. We have the best fans. ⁓ and I think it'd be great to, you know, translate that to all the other sports, especially ⁓ sports like ours that are doing so well. ⁓ selling out pagula was a crazy experience. It's something that we wish we could do every single night that we play. ⁓ it just makes it so much more fun. Such it's a just a great atmosphere. ⁓ and so we That was definitely a cool experience and I hope that they can continue to the fans can show up for the girls like that next year. speaker-1: Could you talk about ⁓ the Beaver Stadium? Cause you mentioned it a couple of times now as well. And I know that when I spoke with Grace, she talked about ⁓ how incredible that experience was. And it's funny because just today I saw a video of you getting carted, not in sort of any medical issue. Yeah, getting carted on, and it was it was hilarious. So I feel like we couldn't have this conversation without talking about that experience because I only saw photos, but my and that one video. speaker-0: But again, yeah. speaker-1: But my goodness, did it look like it was an incredible experience. speaker-0: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, no, Beaver Stadium was awesome. Like it was a really fun experience for all the girls, but I think it held a special place for the seniors. ⁓ growing up, I have come to Penn State for football games before. My smiler came to Penn State. ⁓ and so I've I remember watching them on TV, hearing her talk about them, and then for the last four years, ⁓ being able to attend them whenever we could, whenever our schedule allowed it. And so then in our our final year, actually playing in that stadium and having It's an outdoor game. Again, it kind of goes back to the fun of it. But I don't know. We all we grow up playing pond hockey, playing outside, like pickup. And those are some of my favorite memories, just out in the pond, messing around with my friends, my family. And so then having an outdoor game like that in such a cool stadium, your senior year, like you couldn't have asked for a better experience, a better time for that to happen. And so there was a lot of hype, a lot of build up around it. ⁓ Penn State had never done anything like that. And I hope it's a can continue tradition in the future. speaker-1: Yeah, my goodness. ⁓ I love that you pointed out that it it kind of had the the hallmarks of an outdoor of ⁓ of a pond hockey game because when you look at the photos, first of all, the weather looked beautiful. ⁓ I don't know if the photos were just like amplifying that, but speaker-0: It was bright. It was bright, sunny. The sun w didn't play as much of a factor as I would have thought. And a little bit in the second period there was some glare. yeah, it was bright, sunny skies. it was a little chillier than I think we would have liked, but other than that, it was beautiful weather. speaker-1: Okay. We have put off this part of the conversation for far too long. ⁓ I want to talk about this next chapter, of course, with the upcoming PWHL draft. You don't know where you're gonna go by the time people listen to this, watch this. You may have already been drafted, so you may already know. But right now, we don't know when or where you will be selected. I want to know as you know, with the uncertainty of the draft. How you're feeling, how you're approaching this pretty, pretty big moment for you. speaker-0: Yeah, I think there's definitely a lot of anticipation, even just with when the draft is going to be, where it's going to be, expansion teams, how many, if they're gonna happen, where those are gonna be. So there's a lot of questions circling around for even just the fans. ⁓ they're not really sure what's happening and they like to think that we have an inside scoop, and I can assure you we do not. We are just as anxiously waiting. ⁓ but I think I'm just trying to focus on ⁓ my last two weeks here at Penn State. ⁓ I this is my last week of classes. And I have finals week. Very grateful I don't have any finals. But ⁓ in graduation, I have a lot of family coming in for that. And I'm just trying to make the most of this last time I have here on campus. ⁓ I'll be here through the summer, ⁓ just with training and it's the easiest place for me to be. ⁓ but yeah, I'm really just trying to enjoy every little thing and not focusing too much on the what ifs of what can happen because w no one none of us have any idea and so I don't wanna steal the joy from today that today brings with worrying about what's gonna happen tomorrow. So just trying to stay as present as I can and enjoy the nice weather. It's sunny here again. So get outside in a little bit and just have have the most fun I can in these last couple of weeks. speaker-1: I do also I want to talk about like, you know, when you look at and maybe reflect on your journey from your junior years, you know, the ups and downs to your collegiate years, the downs, but a lot of ups for sure. ⁓ your journey, what are some of those moments that you reflect on that have really helped you to get to where you are? I know you've again, you've mentioned fun and making sure that that was the foundation for you. So that should would likely be part of that answer. But maybe what what what are some of those other things that, you know, the growth that you've gone through that you really w that you're that you're really looking at as you are embarking on this next chapter? speaker-0: Yeah, I think ⁓ I kind of already mentioned it as well, but everyone wants to come in and be the starter. Obviously like getting the games is what you work hard for all week, but not being the starter that freshman year really just it pushed me to make the most of every opportunity when I did get the games, but also to make the most of the practices and show ⁓ our coaches that I was ready and that I could do it. And a little bit of that was showing it to myself as well. You know, you come in and having The first call collegiate game experience that I had does not exactly boost anyone's confidence. ⁓ and so and just like reworking the the little details and focusing on myself and being the best goalie and teammate too. I think a lot of times, you know, being ⁓ a backup goalie is almost harder than being the starter because you so desperately want to be in that net, yet it's it's not it's not your chance, it's not your opportunity. And so still being ⁓ a good teammate ⁓ and encouraging others is can be tricky as well. And then Even when you get the starter, it doesn't necessarily mean you be you get every game that you want. And so I think being a good teammate was something that I really focused on and pushed myself to be each and every day, whether I was the starter playing the game, the starter on the bench, not the starter on the bench, starter in the game, not the this whatever combination you can think of. ⁓ I think at the end of the day, that's something that our coach really pushes on is I don't care how good you are at hockey, I care a lot about the person that you are and I To know that I have the best people, ⁓ best humans, he always says, ⁓ on my team and obviously good players is another it's a bonus for sure, but he cares a lot more about who we are as people off the ice. speaker-1: And I think that it is fantastic that you continue to either explicitly or implicitly ⁓ talk about the mental side of the game. Because I think, especially as a goaltender, we're always so fixated on, well, how many starts did you have? How many saves did you make? All of those things are certainly important. But it's like the mental side of the game is something that we need to be talking more about. And it sounds like throughout your journey, you've certainly learned some important lessons mentally. that could help you, especially ⁓ as you approach the beginning of your pro career. speaker-0: Yeah, definitely. Yeah. The the mental side, I think when when you get to college, for the most part, you're all capable goalies. I think, ⁓ with just skill technical on the ice, ⁓ you can all make a save. Let's put it that way. We can all play the position, but I think having that mental edge is really what what separates the good and the great goalies, and that's something that I've really focused on this past year is is that mental side that doesn't necessarily show up ⁓ like you said. in the saves, but I think it can definitely be seen within the stats that I've produced over the last four years. ⁓ fixing that mental side of my game and pushing myself just a little bit more. speaker-1: What would it mean to you to be able to join the PWHL? It's it's obviously an exciting league, continues to grow, expansions on the horizon, all of these, you know, such incredible positive momentum. What would it mean to you to join the league? speaker-0: I think it would it's just a you know, accumulation of all the hard work that ⁓ you've put it like I've put in since, you know, as long as I can remember, since the twenty ten Olympics when I first saw it. And for me seeing watching female hockey players on T V compete at such a high level is just it's really o I'm honored to be able to potentially and do that for another ⁓ young girl somewhere else. ⁓ seeing me play on TV and then being inspired to, you know, play hockey or maybe play a different sport but just get into organized sports. I think there there needs to be more more women in sports for sure. speaker-1: Absolutely agree with that. If your name is called on draft night. Who do you think is gonna be the first person that comes to mind? Who who are some of those people on your journey that are gonna come to mind as being the ones who rooted for you, supported you, encouraged you, maybe pushed you when you didn't wanna be pushed, but you're sitting back now saying thank you for that? Who are some of those people for you? speaker-0: Yeah, for sure. I mean, obviously first always comes to mind is my parents, ⁓ just driving me all over the place, flying wherever. ⁓ between boys' hockey, girls' hockey, they had no idea what was happening. They just always tried to find the best opportunities for me and the best teams that I could play. So obviously my parents and then my my family, my my other cousins, ⁓ aunts, uncles, they've come and supported me and you know, I've two sisters too there often. ⁓ and they don't love the spotlight too much. So They're often, you know, in the back, but they have just supported me so much, you know, given up vacation days to come and watch me play hockey instead of going on vacation themselves. And so, ⁓ wow, I did not think I was gonna tear up like that. ⁓ But yeah, just my family has given so much ⁓ to see me ⁓ succeed and achieve my goals. So I just like owe it all to them. speaker-1: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. ⁓ and this is a great segue into the final buzzer segment of the show. Okay. So we are going speaker-0: I'm not wearing water for mascara. ⁓ speaker-1: ⁓ ⁓ we are going to start. So I always say, please don't you can answer as long as you want to. It's only rapid fire because I always, always, always try and always, always, always fail, not to ask any follow-up questions. So you can take as long as you want to. It's only rapid fire because I'm going to throw the questions at you. Okay. All right. So we are going to start with what is your go-to pregame meal? speaker-0: Everyone always makes fun of it. cheeseburger. speaker-1: Okay. I'm not gonna ask any follow up questions. I'm just gonna say not at all what I was expecting. No. speaker-0: Not even alert. But Shake Shack, great cheeseburger. Double cheeseburger if I'm feeling up for it. speaker-1: I have never been to Shake Shack, ⁓ and I've heard incredible things. So it's yeah, it's it's on the agenda. speaker-0: We don't have one in state college, so it's a bit of a downer, but anytime you travel and there's one, I'm I'm there for sure. speaker-1: Yeah, first in line. what is one of and you may have already answered this, so I'm gonna ask it anyways, but what is one of your favorite rinks that you've played in? speaker-0: Pagula, you know, I can't can't go wrong with ⁓ with the home rank. ⁓ and then ⁓ I have friends on the team, but I'm sorry. Beating the gophers in their own rank was definitely a top five college moment for sure. And so just being there and having everyone rooting against you and getting the win is a feeling like no other. So that was that was also beating a higher ranked team too. So speaker-1: Absolutely. What's something that people may not know about you? speaker-0: ⁓ I kind of already said this, but I study agricultural science. I feel like that surprises a lot of people. ⁓ I also I take I'm big into fly fishing. I'm in a fly fishing class right now at Penn State. ⁓ I just love being outside and I think ⁓ just being in nature ⁓ is something that I don't know. Being an indoor sport, people are like, ⁓ outside but no, I love it. speaker-1: I didn't realize that they taught a whole course on fly fishing. speaker-0: Yeah, it's a semester long class. I'm in it right now. I actually have it later tonight. We're going fishing, so speaker-1: How that does not sound at all like an actual course. ⁓ Not even a little bit. ⁓ so you had mentioned EDM as being something that is for sure on your game day playlist. Could you be more specific with maybe some of the the go to go to artists? I sound like I'm a hundred by trying to ask how to try to ask this question. Yeah. ⁓ but I've only heard of, I think Fisher is the only one that I've speaker-0: Okay. ⁓ there's Elderbrook. I really like his stuff. Can't go wrong with John Summit. I feel like you've definitely heard his stuff. speaker-1: That's the other one that I was trying to think of, yes. speaker-0: Yep. Those are probably ⁓ my top two. I have other ones mixed in here and out here and there, but I would say Elderbrook is who I I'm pretty excited when he releases some new stuff. And obviously John Summit, he's really great at what he does, but he's a little bit more mainstream, I feel like. So gotta have someone under the radar. speaker-1: Got it. I'm ⁓ I have some homework for ⁓ for afterward on here. ⁓ I want to now wrap things up by asking this. And I think I know at least part of what might be the core of your answer to this, but let's see where it goes. If you could go back and talk to your younger self about the journey ahead, the ups, the downs, the successes, the opportunities that was we've talked so much about during this conversation, what do you think you would tell young Katie about the journey ahead? speaker-0: say just keep going, like keep being consistent. I think it's really easy to get discouraged, especially when things aren't going your way. But I I wouldn't change anything that's happened, the good, the bad, ⁓ anything, knowing that this is where I'd end up at twenty two, being able to potentially play in the PWHL, having had an amazing collegiate career with some of my best friends in the entire world, I would just say Just keep going, even when it gets hard and you may feel like you want to give up, just you gotta keep going because this is a really amazing place where you end. speaker-1: Perfect. That was not what I thought you were going to say, but ⁓ it was a great way to end that segment and today's episode. Katie, I cannot tell you enough how excited I was to know that I had the opportunity to speak with you. I've been a long time fan of yours. To have this chance is incredible. I cannot wait to cheer you on in this next chapter. Wherever it ends up taking you, you better believe I'm gonna cheer you on. Thank you so much for joining the show. speaker-0: Thank you so much for having me. It was awesome. 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 this one from around 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 Rundack. speaker-0: Yeah.