The Ride to The Rink: The Path to Becoming an Olympian with Katie Million

Lee MJ Elias [0:08 - 0:40]: Hello, hockey skaters and goalies around the world. And welcome back to another edition of the Ride to the rink. I know a lot of you out there have big dreams. Maybe it's playing in the NHL, the PWHL, or maybe even being an Olympian one day. So to talk to you today, we tried to find someone that might have some experience at the Olympic level. We thought the general manager of the women's national team might be a good person. So I'm going to introduce you right now to Katie Million, who's here today to talk to you about your big dreams of making the Olympics and how you should approach that. 

Katie Million [0:40 - 0:40]: Katie. 

Lee MJ Elias [0:41 - 0:43]: Katie, thank you so much for giving us some time today. 

Katie Million [0:43 - 0:48]: Oh, thank you. I'm really excited to be here with you guys and talk Olympics. 

Lee MJ Elias [0:48 - 0:58]: Yeah, let's talk about. So, Katie, to the kids that are listening. They want to be an Olympian one day or just a high, high level hockey player. What, what is your advice on the road to accomplishing that dream? 

Katie Million [0:59 - 1:07]: Oh, boy, that's a, that's a loaded question, Lee. But I think first and foremost, like, you guys got to have fun. 

Katie Million [1:07 - 1:07]: You know what? 

Katie Million [1:08 - 1:10]: When you're out there, when you're riding. 

Katie Million [1:10 - 1:11]: To the rink, when you're getting ready. 

Katie Million [1:11 - 1:17]: In the locker room, when you're out on the ice, you got to be having fun at all times. And if it's not fun, you know what? 

Katie Million [1:18 - 1:26]: Maybe, maybe it's not for you. But, um, you know, I also, I think that not only having fun, but. 

Katie Million [1:26 - 1:28]: Working hard, you got to work hard. 

Katie Million [1:30 - 1:32]: But the other biggest thing is, don't. 

Katie Million [1:33 - 1:36]: Ever let anybody crush your dreams. 

Katie Million [1:36 - 1:38]: Don't ever let anybody tell you you. 

Katie Million [1:38 - 1:43]: Can'T, like, believe in your dreams and follow them, for sure. 

Katie Million [1:44 - 1:47]: And, you know, one of my favorite. 

Katie Million [1:47 - 1:49]: Quotes is believe in miracles. 

Katie Million [1:50 - 1:54]: For anybody who's watched that movie miracle. 

Katie Million [1:54 - 1:57]: My favorite, of course, hopefully it's yours. 

Katie Million [1:57 - 2:00]: But, you know, those guys had a. 

Katie Million [2:00 - 2:04]: Dream and they made it happen and they won a gold medal because of it. 

Katie Million [2:04 - 2:07]: And I think, you know, anything is. 

Katie Million [2:07 - 2:12]: Possible if you, if you believe in your dreams and you keep working hard at them. 

Lee MJ Elias [2:12 - 3:11]: You know, one of the things my father used to tell me and other, other parents was that you don't have to necessarily support the dream, but you should support the right to have a dream. And I think that that's something that more kids and more people, even adults, should share. Right. And it's okay to have big, big dreams even if you don't accomplish them, because I think you'll learn a lot more along the way of trying to accomplish those dreams than if you didn't try at all. Right, so one of the things I want to talk about, too, is the aspects needed to make an Olympic team, especially for the young kids. So, kids, listen, talent is needed. You need to have talent to make that team. But something that Katie spoke about on our longer episode this week, which we hope you'll listen to as a really, really important skill set, is character. So, Katie, would you talk for a few minutes about, you know, what is character from your point of view and maybe some of the things they can do now to develop it, even if it's taking out the garbage and making their beds and doing those types of things. 

Katie Million [3:12 - 3:14]: Those are exactly the types of things. 

Katie Million [3:14 - 3:16]: That build a good character, Lee. 

Katie Million [3:16 - 3:17]: And you're right. 

Katie Million [3:17 - 3:18]: Like, we. 

Katie Million [3:18 - 3:54]: We, obviously, when we're looking at building our Olympic team, we look at those players that have talent and skill and also a drive with all the off ice pieces. And that means, you know, your nutrition is. Is spot on. Your hydration, your recovery, your mental performance, your psychological pieces to the puzzle. All of that is, you know, all the office pieces. And office training is one thing. But as we talked about earlier, character is a huge thing for us. 

Katie Million [3:54 - 3:57]: And you just, you know, you look. 

Katie Million [3:57 - 4:06]: At our teams, and most every person on our team has high, elite, special character. 

Katie Million [4:06 - 4:07]: And what does that mean? 

Katie Million [4:07 - 4:09]: That means being a good person. 

Katie Million [4:09 - 4:18]: That means helping your teammates. That means, you know, being coaching. That means, you know, taking out the. 

Katie Million [4:18 - 4:23]: Garbage for mom and dad and doing your chores and doing your homework and. 

Katie Million [4:23 - 4:33]: Being a good student, being a good teammate, you know, helping others. Just, you know, being. I boil it down to being a. 

Katie Million [4:33 - 4:35]: Just a good, good person. 

Lee MJ Elias [4:36 - 4:59]: Yeah. That's something kids, you can start working on immediately. I think sometimes kids think, well, I have to be an adult to do those things. And I'll admit to you kids, it does get a little easier, I think, as you become. It becomes a necessity when you become an adult. But you can practice these now and. And to build on. Katie, what you're saying, do you shake the refs hand after every game? Do you thank your coaches? Are you picking up the pucks? 

Katie Million [4:59 - 5:00]: Pick up pucks? Yeah. 

Lee MJ Elias [5:00 - 5:28]: Right. Thank you. Sherry Hudspet this year, by the way, ladies and gentlemen, which I love. I love that she's here with this one, too. But even in the locker room, I think one of the other big ones is calling things out. Is someone saying something hurtful to your teammate, and are you willing to stand up for your teammate? 100%, you know, for the various reasons that that happens, but I can tell you and echo what Katie's saying. Characters, everything. And coaches notice this stuff. We really, kids do this. 

Katie Million [5:28 - 5:31]: We watch body language. We watch, you know, like if you. 

Katie Million [5:31 - 5:33]: Have a bad play and if you're. 

Katie Million [5:33 - 5:42]: You know, pounding your stick on the bench, all that kind of stuff, like it's, you know, you need to, you need to be dialed in on all. 

Katie Million [5:42 - 5:50]: Of that and what you're saying, what you're doing and how you're doing it right 100%. 

Lee MJ Elias [5:50 - 6:10]: Well, listen, it's as straightforward advice as you're going to get. You hear it all the time, but you don't always hear it from the GM of the women's national program who's here with us today. That is directly from the top, kids. Directly from the top. Katie million, thank you so much time. I'm sorry. Thank you for giving us so much time today on the ride to the rink. It has been an honor to have you on. 

Katie Million [6:11 - 6:12]: Thank you, guys. 

Katie Million [6:12 - 6:15]: Pleasure to be here. And you guys out there, work hard. 

Katie Million [6:15 - 6:16]: Have fun. 

Lee MJ Elias [6:17 - 6:35]: There you go. That's going to do it for this edition of the Ride to the rink. Remember, kids, you can always email us your questions@teamourkidsplayhockey.com. and if you don't have a computer or phone, get your parents to do it. Thank you so much for listening. Remember, we believe in you. You should, too. Make sure to skate on and have fun. Like Katie Million said, take care, everybody.