Sound Bites

"Taking the courageous choice to step right out of minor hockey for about three years and just train and work on your game and explore your other interests."

"It was all because of Colin Miller. He called me up one evening and he asked me to do just like a practice of skate with him."

"By playing the year in Zurich right now, you are eligible, that made you eligible, right? You had to play a season."

Summary

Vanessa Schaefer shares her journey as a female hockey player, from playing with boys to taking a break from minor hockey to train and explore other interests. She then went on to play for the Vancouver Comets and Delta Academy before moving to Switzerland to play in the women's professional league. Vanessa recently represented Switzerland in the World Championships. She discusses the process of playing in Switzerland and gaining eligibility for the national team. Vanessa also talks about her upcoming plans to play for UBC and pursue a degree in psychology and business.

Takeaways

The importance of taking risks and exploring different opportunities in sports

The value of training and focusing on skill development

The process of gaining eligibility to play for a national team

The significance of taking ownership and responsibility for personal growth

The excitement of representing your country in international competitions

The balance between sports and education in pursuing a university career

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:11 Playing in Switzerland and Gaining Eligibility

06:25 Playing in Zurich and Qualifying for the National Team

09:20 Exploring Different Sports and Skills Development

11:37 Encouraging Athletes to Take Ownership and Responsibility

13:24 Trying New Things and Embracing Failure

14:11 Learning from Playing as an Underage Player

15:20 Putting on the Swiss Jersey and Realizing the Dream

16:10 Looking Forward to UBC and Pursuing Psychology and Business

Keywords

female hockey player, playing with boys, training, exploring, Vancouver Comets, Delta Academy, women's professional league, Switzerland, World Championships, eligibility, UBC, psychology, business