Ice hockey gold medallist Hilary Knight on inspiring female athletes: "If she can see it, she can be it"
Hilary Knight says inspiring young girls to play ice hockey is as special as defending Team USA's women's gold medal at Beijing 2022.
Ice Hockey
Team USA forward Hilary Knight is excited to defend the women’s ice hockey gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 but also to continue to inspire the next generation of hockey players and athletes.
Knight and her teammates beat Canada 3-2 in a shootout in the final at PyeongChang 2018 to secure a previously illusive gold medal.
It was the first time America had won the women’s ice hockey title since the inaugural tournament at Nagano 1998 and ended a run of Canadian dominance, including beating Knight and USA in the final at Sochi 2014 and Vancouver 2010.
While the eight-time world champion says she is really excited to defend their title, the chance to make genuine change is as powerful as anything.
“It’s heartfelt to understand and realise that you are a small piece of inspiring the next generation, inspiring someone to lace up the skates and go out there,” Knight told uSports.org.
“Yes, it is about competing and showing up and having fun with one another, but also being a part of something bigger than ourselves and doing it for a larger group that (can show) if she can see it, she can be it.
“The younger girls that are looking up to us (and) younger boys, that we are sparking some small dream to lace up the skates or to be their best on a daily basis, it’s a true honour and also a wonderful responsibility that we don’t take lightly.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by USA teammate Brianna Decker, who won the gold medal with Knight at PyeongChang 2018 and silver at Sochi 2014.
“I just think it’s amazing to go back to our own communities, a lot of us come from small towns or smaller cities, and just being able to see that direct impact that we’ve been able to have on some of those younger teens, and the younger girls and boys around the US, has been awesome to see,” she also told uSports.org.
“Going forward I think that’s our goal: to continue to impact the youth and continue to grow our game in any way we can.”
The women’s ice hockey tournament at Beijing 2022 starts on Thursday 3 February.