PWHL superstar Sarah Nurse on rising above pressure, inspiring young athletes and what brings her joy
Sarah Nurse’s path to hockey superstardom hasn’t always been easy. Before she became the first Black woman to win Olympic gold in hockey, the trailblazing Hamilton, Ontario native grew up with people questioning her place on the rink, and it certainly had nothing to do with her talents. But Nurse refused to let the haters or the pressure break her stride.
Instead, she found her joy out on the ice, checked negativity into the boards and shattered barriers like a pane of rink glass. At the Beijing Winter Games in 2022, she broke the points record for a single Olympic tournament as she led Team Canada to a gold medal. She’s pushed for inclusivity in hockey at every chance she’s been given, hoping to help create a community that allows Black hockey players – and young athletes of all stripes – to feel welcomed, accepted and empowered. As one of the preeminent stars of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the 29-year-old is a game-changing force in the hockey world, helping guide the sport into a new, transformational era as she inspires young girls to achieve their dreams both on and off the ice.
As part of ‘The Joy of Sport’ presented by adidas, a campaign designed to help athletes flip the script on sports-related pressures and rediscover their love of sport, Nurse told Yahoo Canada how she rises above pressure and expectations to continue to be an inspiration for young athletes and fans.
How have you overcome obstacles in your journey and found the joy in what you do?
For me, in those moments where I face obstacles and need to dig deep for joy, I try to think of all the people younger than me that we're creating new opportunities for. I think remembering that this league is going to bring so many opportunities to young girls has really brought me the most joy. I also think remembering that hockey is just a game, and that I'm so lucky to call it my full time job.
Many consider you to be the face of women’s hockey. No pressure, right? How do you deal with the weight of such high expectations?
When it comes to pressure and expectations, I like to remind myself that I've earned all the pressure on me now and that it truly is a privilege. Luckily, when I am on the ice I'm surrounded by so many amazing teammates to help with that pressure—and then off the ice, I have an amazing team as well that is always looking out for me and making sure I don't feel the weight of all the expectations in the past.
All eyes are on the PWHL. Other women’s hockey leagues in the past haven’t had much luck. How can your league avoid the fate of its predecessors to continue to grow the women’s game and inspire young athletes?
This league is built differently than previous ones. I think for starters we entered into the league already having a CBA outlining the rights players have and what the players are expected to do in return. We also have significant financial backing from the Mark Walter Group and Billie Jean Enterprises, two groups that truly believe in us and see how successful we can be. I also don't think we need to worry about avoiding the fate of our predecessors—we are already inspiring so many people and growing the game. You've seen us break record after record and we're just getting started. The product on the ice has proven to be exciting and competitive, and the fans are invested and ready to continue cheering us on.
I think we sometimes place too much pressure on younger athletes that they need to treat hockey like a full-time job and they miss out on the joy of the game.
You’ve never been shy about wanting to make hockey a more inclusive sport for athletes at all levels. Why is that so important to you?
I think in all businesses and industries inclusion is important. When you have diversity in the people at a table, you're able to come up with new ideas and bring in new people. There is so much talent in the world, and making sure that talent feels welcome is always important to me. It's important to me that anyone who wants to play or watch hockey has the opportunity regardless of their background, race or ethnicity.
You’re one of four Black players currently in the PWHL. How can we improve representation in the game?
I see so many younger girls now who look like me and it makes me so happy when I see them in the arena. I think it's all about giving these girls someone to look up to. The four of us in the league need to continue using our platform and voice to show them what they can aspire to become. I think we also need to continue to give people an opportunity—providing them with a chance to play the game.
What’s your advice to young athletes looking to follow in your footsteps?
To keep having fun and enjoying the game. I think we sometimes place too much pressure on younger athletes that they need to treat hockey like a full-time job and they miss out on the joy of the game. It's so much fun getting to compete with teammates and learn from so many other people and I don't want them to lose sight of it.
