The Role I Played: Canada's Greatest Olympic Hockey Team

by Sami Jo Small

Overview

Three-time Olympic medalist shares behind-the-scenes insight into the beloved Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team

Men’s hockey in Canada may hog the limelight, but interest in women’s hockey has never been higher. The Role I Played is a memoir of Sami Jo Small’s ten years with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team. Beginning with her experience as a rookie at the first-ever women’s Olympic hockey tournament in Nagano in 1998 and culminating with Canada’s third straight Olympic gold medal in Vancouver in 2010, the veteran goaltender gives the reader behind-the-scenes insight into one of the most successful teams in sports history.

Small offers insider access, writing with unflinching honesty about the triumphs of her greatest games and the anguish of difficult times. This book honours the individuals who sacrificed so much of their lives to represent Canada on a world stage and celebrates their individual contributions to the team’s glory. While bringing the personalities of her teammates to life, Small takes the reader into the dressing rooms and onto the ice for an up-close glimpse into the ups and downs of athletes pursuing a sport’s highest achievement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773056098
Publisher:	ECW Press
Publication date:	09/29/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	344
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Sami Jo Small is a three-time Canadian Olympic ice hockey goalie (two golds and one silver) and a five-time World Champion. A graduate of Stanford University in mechanical engineering, she now works as a Certified Speaking Professional, delivering messages on how to build successful teams as well as successful teammates. From Winnipeg, Manitoba, she now lives in Mississauga, Ontario.

Read an Excerpt

Mid-February, a call comes to our rented house in Redwood City in from Danièle Sauvageau, Team Canada’s head coach. I think I like her. She’s a former RCMP officer and seems tough, but also seems to engage her players.

“How's hockey in California?” she asks in a thick French accent.

“We are in the middle of the pack, probably outside a birth to the Nationals, but for our final weekend we play against our main rivals, the University of California at Berkeley for what’s known as the Big Skate.”

“The Big Skate? You win a skate?” she asks, as if, perhaps, what I just said was lost in translation.

“Well, kind of. Berkeley is our biggest rival and in football they play “The Big Game” so in hockey we play, “The Big Skate.”" I opt not to explain further. Both Berkeley and Stanford are not very strong this year, however, my brother Luke, after being accepted into optometry, decided to play for our cross bay rivals. So "The Big Skate" is for family bragging rights, but I don't explain all this to Danièle, she's bound not to understand.

“Well, I guess, good luck in, “The Big Skate,”” she says with a confused tone.

There’s a pause.

“I am calling to congratulate you on making the World Championship Team.”

I realize that this call is not just a catch-up session, but in fact The Call I’ve been waiting for since I first watched Susie Yuen and the entire Team Canada in pink jerseys play on television in 1990 at the World Championships.

“Welcome to Team Canada.” Goose bumps run up my spine as I feel my gums against my lips.

“Thank you, thank you so much.”

I hang up the phone and scream for Diana, who is with her boyfriend Jesus in the other room. Corey and Susan come running too.

“Guys, I made it! I made Team Canada.” They rush in for a giant hug, making me squirm while they laugh and congratulate me. None of my roommates have any sort of hockey background, but they've watched me play for Stanford against the guys and have been my biggest fans. Diana makes us all a special celebratory dinner of empanadas and other Mexican treats and my friends from different backgrounds, help me celebrate a Canadian childhood dream come true.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part 1

1 Becoming a Hockey Player 3

2 Improbable Circumstance 15

3 A Lifetime of Anticipation 25

4 Stars All Around Me 34

5 The First Ever Women's Olympic Hocky Gold 42

Part 2

6 Hockey's My Future 55

7 What a Feeling 65

8 Hard Work Pays Off 76

9 New Environment 81

10 Stay Focused 89

11 Transitions 100

12 A New Role 109

13 The Beginnings of a Team 118

14 Becoming Olympians 127

15 Final Preparations 137

16 In Perfect Position 149

17 Olympic Debut 158

18 So Close 167

19 Olympic Final - Salt Lake City 179

20 Rewards of the Hardest Day 187

Part 3

21 A Summer to Move On 201

22 Rededication 210

23 Two Seasons of Hockey 221

24 Olympic Preparations 234

25 Support Network 247

26 The Final Push 256

27 Final Team Selection 263

28 Accepting My Role 273

29 Gold Medal Day 284

Part 4

30 Finding the Love 295

31 My Legacy 304

32 Finally, a Medal 317

Epilogue 323