At three years old, Sarah Nurse fell in love with skating which led to her learning the rules of hockey which started her taking to the ice arena for the sport at five years old. Nurse is now a professional ice hockey player for PWHL Toronto and is an Olympic gold medalist for Team Canada.
Nurse spoke with rolling out about why more people should be tuned into hockey, what inspired her to play, and sent a message to all the young women athletes.
Why should people be more in tune with hockey?
I think hockey is such a unique sport. There’s really nothing like it on TV right now, so I think it’s special and interesting. There are a lot of fun little rules that we have especially with women’s hockey. We’ve changed up some rules, it’s a great show, and it’s pretty awesome to watch.
What inspired you to play hockey?
My dad wanted me to learn how to skate, and when I learned I was just very good at it. That led into hockey and once I learned the rules and figured it out, I fell in love with it. I think it’s such a unique motion, and skating is like nothing else in the world, so I really fell in love with it.
What is a message that you would like to send to young women athletes?
Keep believing in yourself. Pressure is a privilege. I think it’s pretty awesome when you get to compete and perform and do the things that you love so I would definitely say have fun with it. Remember why you do it and know that success isn’t linear, it’s going to take some ups and downs and twists and turns.
What would you consider your superpower?
I would say my mentality, I think it encompasses a lot. I don’t try to get too high or too low but I really try to regulate my emotions and channel them into the best possible thing for me.
Who is your favorite athlete of all time?
Serena Williams. She’s the reason I’m here.
