The Ride to The Rink: A Day in the Life of a Pro (Part 2)- Inside Hayley Scamurra’s Olympic Grind

Hello hockey skaters and goalies around the world, and welcome back to another

edition of the ride to the rink. It's Lee and Hayley Scamurra here today. We talked to Hayley

a few months ago before her season started, just to remind you, Team USA, PWHL,

humanitarian, business owner, really good person. She's got a lot going on. And she

talked to us about the crazy schedule she has for the 2025 -26 season.

If you want to hear that episode, we'll link it. Go back and listen because it's

pretty awesome. It's like a look -in -of -the -day -life of a professional athlete and

Olympian. But it's October 21st one recording this. I know this is coming out a

little bit later. But we're going to continue the series here, right? So Haley is

now in Montreal, right? When we talked to her earlier, I think you were in Maryland

when we talked to you last time. You've made your way up there. You've done a

couple camps. You're now in, I guess, training camp for the Victoire for the PWHL

season coming up. You've just been named yesterday, at least for the public, to the

rivalry series roster for Team USA. So like, this is the first step, right? We've

gotten to the first point. Haley, talk to the kids about Where we're at? I don't

even know where to start with that. How are you doing? How are you? That's so

fair. I am good. A little overwhelmed at the moment, but feeling better now that

I'm kind of like getting settled into Montreal. I actually did move to Montreal at

the beginning of September because I had all my stuff in Toronto. And so that I

moved in September was there for about a week. And then I had USA camp in

Michigan. And I decided this quick flight over,

quick two flights. But that was great. It was a great camp. Great to be with all

the girls on Team USA and to train together and everything. And then after that, I

decided I wanted to spend more time in Maryland with my family. Originally, I was

going to like come back to Montreal right away and train for the rest of the off

season. But I ended up deciding that being with family was more important just with

how crazy the season's about to be. And I don't know when I'll see them next and

have that much time with them. So I continued my training in Maryland. And

literally, my boyfriend Nick and I, we drove to Montreal last night.

So, yeah. So we just got here. And it's not training camp yet for the victoire but

like they have a great setup here with a lot of girls who are from this area who

are on the team or just from the area right um and so they have like a gym and

ice session was like these great skills coaches and so i had my first session today

which was really nice yeah so i'll do that for the next no it does not yeah uh

yeah i'll do that for the next two weeks here and then i leave for rivalry series

November 2nd. Right. And where's that going to be? I know several of them. The

first game is in Cleveland and the second game is in my hometown of Buffalo, New

York. Oh, that's going to be exciting for you. There's going to be a Haley section,

I'm sure. A major Haley section. Yeah, I got family coming from the area, family

coming from out of town. Like, I have never been in Buffalo with Team USA.

So for those to sync up together is just like a dream come true. I'm obviously

very excited. Yeah. If I had a team USA fantasy team, I would put some money on

you for that game. That'd be good. Kids don't bet. It's not good for you. For

those of you listening to the episode, I'm just looking at it. It's like right down

downtown Montreal. Is that where you're staying? That's pretty cool too. Yeah. So

we're really close to Bell Center, which is really sick. So I'm hoping to get to a

game sometime soon. And yeah so far the city's been great but we're excited to

explore it more two more quick questions for you haley for me this is just me

fanning out a little bit um can you talk about so look i'm gonna phrase like this

all you all you kids dream about making it to the pros you all dream about it i'm

looking at someone there you're in downtown we just said downtown Montreal you're the

bell center can you connect with 16 -year -old you who dreamed about this and you

now who's doing it, is it what you thought it would be? Is the excitement bigger

than you thought it would be? You know what I'm trying to ask? Is it, you know,

is it? How amazing is it?

You know what? It's funny you ask this because I was talking about this last night

because, you know, with all the feelings of the overwhelmed, I was talking with Nick

about it. And then it was just like let's remind ourselves like what you do like

this is your dream like this is my dream like I've wanted this my whole life I

get to play hockey for a living uh my work day consists of skating on the ice and

getting better and working out like all of these things that I love more than

anything uh so that really helped me kind of like ground myself a little bit more

because I think at times it is a little overwhelming you're moving a lot you're

well lot you're trying out for an Olympic team you're going on to a new team like

I don't really know the Montreal girls as well right so there's a lot of new

factors but then it was good to remind myself of like how grateful I am that I do

get to live out my dream and it is more than I could have ever expected to be

honest it's the fan engagement the the feeling you get when you go on the ice with

your team like there's just nothing like it yeah And it was that great Matt

McConaughey thing where he said, like, my hero at 16 is me at 26. And like, you

know, you're living that. And I just, that's why we love having you on here. You're

not just an inspiration to me, but you are to our listeners as well. All right.

Last one's not, maybe it's not a question. It's just perspective, right? So you are

now on Team USA for the rivalry series. You have been an Olympian before. I think

it's important for context that there's still nothing guaranteed for you in terms of

the Olympics, right? You know, and I think that the audience should hear that kids.

You should hear that. She's doing everything she needs to do, but she cannot play

it safe here. Like, oh, I've made the team, so I'm in the Olympics. You're still

competing for a spot. So can you walk the kids maybe through that a little bit of

how it's an amazing accomplishment? I know you know that but the work's not the

work's never done right and i'm sure that there are some younger players coming up

that have not been on this team before you know we've had some of on the show

right you know that that everyone's trying to make it right so how does this for

this point of the episode like this day in the life rank for you now that you

okay that's kind of step one what's next now what do you have to do well so for

all the camps we've been in so far it's been 30 girls and so we're all trying out

to make those 23 Olympic roster spots so this rivalry series team it's the whole 30

girls it's everyone who's been at camps we've all been in this together so it's uh

in that sense it wasn't a surprise for me necessarily to be on that roster um at

this point uh however yeah like we all have the same drive we all want to make

this olympic team whether it's your first Olympics, second Olympics, fourth Olympics,

fifth Olympics, you know.

And that doesn't, you know, leave the back of the head at all. But I've just been

really focusing on just playing my game and playing free. And that's allowed me to

play some of my best hockey that I've noticed in this offseason so far. Like the

last camp I really felt the most me in a while. And so that was really exciting.

And so I'm definitely going into this very optimistic. Well,

look, that's a great note to end this on for all the kids listening of you. You

just got to be you, right? I mean, I think so many, especially kids are dealing

with the different identities of what am I supposed to be. Just be you. And at the

end of day, going back to this whole episode, you love to do this. If you're

listening to this episode, you love to play hockey. Okay. Like, There's no one

listening to this. It's just, I'm a casual, casual hockey player. All right. So just

be yourself like, Haley. Take her inspiration. She inspires me, all right? And make

sure that you're true to yourself. You are who you are and continue to always work

hard. The grind is, you will find kids. That grind is the best part aside from

being with your friends in the locker room. I mean, it really is. And it ends one

day. So enjoy it while you can. All right, for those you listening, there will be

a part three. This is going to be a trilogy, probably beyond. And to tease a

little bit, the next time we speak to you on this episode for this, you'll have

been wearing that Team USA jersey again. You'll have been wearing that Victoire

jersey again. I think we'll dive into that of where you're at, maybe midseason.

Perfect. And maybe see how you're feeling.

That's what that midseason is feeling like. All right, kids, Thank you so much for

listening. Remember, wherever you're at on your hockey journey, remember we believe in

you. You should too. For Haley, I'm Lee. We'll see you on the next ride to the

ring. Take care, kids.