Let’s hope that third time’s the charm. Forward of the Canadian women’s national ice hockey team, Meghan Agosta picked up gold in both Torino and Vancouver, and she’s shooting for another turn on the podium in Sochi. Based on what she’s done in the past, we have the right forward for the job. In Torino, she scored a hat trick versus the Russians, and in Vancouver, she totalled nine goals, six assists for the series.
On her way to the Olympics, Agosta is being helped by BMW Canada, who is not only the official vehicle of the Canadian Olympic Committee and a partner of the Canadian Olympic Team, but who have also chosen Agosta and five other athletes to be a part of Team BMW.
We caught up with Agosta between training sessions, and she had this to say:
What does it feel like to have the hopes of a hockey-mad nation on your shoulders?
Canada is a hockey-mad nation; we take pride in the ownership of this great game. As a Canadian I am grateful to be able to wear the Canadian jersey and represent my country. As a team we accept the challenge and will try our best to bring gold back to Canada. When I think of Canada I think of gold.
How do you deal with Olympic-sized pressure?
Hockey is a religion in Canada; there are very few people that do not follow the game, especially in an Olympic year. For Canadians nothing short of a gold medal is acceptable and because of that ideology, the pressure is enormous. However with the backing and support of the Canadian public and of premium companies like BMW, it motivates you to go out and do your best.
Does it help at all that this is your third time around?
One cannot buy experience; hopefully this will be my third Olympics and I believe I have matured as an individual and will be better able to handle the stress and pressures that an Olympic year presents. Being a veteran player, they expect more from me and I will do my best to lead by example and play my game to help Canada bring home another gold medal.
Which team are you most excited to face?
Every chance I get to put on that Canadian jersey I wear it with pride and I try to do everything I can to help the team succeed. We cannot take any team for granted. Each team has improved tremendously and if we lose sight of our goals we can regret that forever. We will take each game and each team as they come and be prepared to do whatever it takes each game. Our rivals are team USA. It is always fun to be able to play against them. Both teams often bring the best out and the games are for the most part very close and pressure packed.
What does your training regimen look like?
This being an Olympic year we have been training non-stop. From boot camp in June and having to move to Calgary in August it have been never ending. This season has been crazy but for the best. Depends on the week, we usually are in the gym two to four times a week, we practice everyday, play games on weekend and have video sessions from time to time. We have a six game series throughout the season vs. USA, played in the Four Nations Cup, and we play against the midget AAA boy’s teams here in Alberta. Playing around sixty games this season keeps up busy, but this is what we have to do to be at our best come February.
When you aren’t training or playing, how are you spending your time at Olympic Village?
When I am not training or playing I usually use that time to rest and recover. We also have things to keep us busy within our building. Ping-pong, Playstation, or have a fun game if mini sticks. The Olympic Village is truly an awesome experience. It is a place where you can meet new athletes from different parts of the world. It’s amazing to meet other athletes from different countries and listen to their stories in how they started their sport and the sacrifices they made to become an Olympian. It truly is inspiring.
