Opening the Playbook

Today, snowboarder Maëlle Ricker joins OTP to discuss winning an Olympic Gold in her own backyard, what it's like to ride a snowboardcross course, and her journey towards coaching for Canada Snowboard.

Being from North Vancouver, Maëlle started snowboarding when she was just a teen, and says she got lucky with her timing when it came to the Olympics, being able to be part of that first snowboarding wave in Nagano 1998. There, she competed in the halfpipe, but ended up switching to snowboardcross, which earned her a gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. In this week's episode, Maëlle fondly remembers what she calls the golden years of Canadian snowboardcross, and what it was like to win gold on home soil (the first Canadian woman to do so!). She also explains why she's actually embarrassed by her final run.

But while she was prepared for the competition at the Games, Maëlle says she failed to prepare herself for what would happen after she won gold. It took her some time to find her voice and realize it was a platform to promote her beliefs and values.  

Maëlle also discusses some of the injuries she dealt with (competing in Sochi with a cast and broken ribs!) and explains the tough decision to retire, which she wasn't fully ready for. Now she's the co-head coach for Canada Snowboard and tells Christina about what the future looks like in the sport and how they're working to attract more riders.

Episode topics:

• Competing in four Olympic Games
• Winning Gold in snowbaordcross at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics
• Injuries, competing with a broken wrist and ribs
• Her struggles with retirement
• Being the snowboardcross national team co-head coach

Quote: 

"When I was part of the Canadian team, I felt like it didn't matter if you were a woman or a man. It was all about performance……and being a medallist in 2010, I didn't feel like it discriminated in any way shape or form, if anything I only felt supported through my career."

-Maëlle Ricker

Resources:

Guest Info – Maëlle Ricker

Instagram: @maellericker

Twitter: @maellericker

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Today, freestyle skiing halfpipe Olympic Gold medallist Cassie Sharpe gets raw and real with Christina on #OTP about the toll her Olympic success took on her, and how she learned to use her voice when it came to injuries.

Cassie was the first Canadian woman to medal in the ski halfpipe event after solidifying gold at the Pyeongchang Olympics. And while she went to the games knowing she had a good chance of winning, she wasn't fully ready for what came after. Today, Cassie shares how she handled the whirl-wind of becoming an Olympic champ, and the emotional rollercoaster ride that followed.

Cassie grew up skiing with the boys, which she says helped mold her into the athlete she is today. But she's had to face her fair share of adversity along the way: from dealing with what was said about her in the media, to injuries. In today's episode, Cassie explains the toll both took on her, but how it ultimately taught her how to use her voice to protect herself.

Cassie also shares what it's like to drop in on the halfpipe (and hit the edge), why she has a honey badger figurine, and the article that fueled her fire to prove she's one of the best in her sport.

Episode topics:

• The pressures of being an Olympic gold medallist
• Fighting to have her voice heard re: injury
• The impact the media has on an athlete
• Her other passion off the slopes
• The COVID-19 effect

Quote: 

"There's so many athletes that go into a crazy depression after the Olympics, and I can completely understand it, because it's just so, so much. Your whole being is like, working towards this one moment, and then it's gone."

-Cassie Sharpe

Resources:

Guest Info – Cassie Sharpe

Instagram: @cassiesharpe

Facebook: Cassie Sharpe

Twitter: @cassiesharpe

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Today, ultra-runner Jeanelle Hazlett joins Opening the Playbook to discuss her love of trail running and passion for chasing fastest known times.

Jeanelle has made a name for herself by chasing and breaking FKTs. She says it started a few years back when she became more self-competitive and loved the idea of going out and challenging herself. So what exactly does chasing a FKT involve? For Jeanelle, it means running up and down a mountain as fast as possible. So far, she holds four FKTs, including one on BC's Mount Brunswick (see link below – it's insane!).

But if all of that isn't enough, she also recently completed double Everest vertical during the Run Steep Get High challenge in just one week. For Jeanelle, it's all about setting goals to create structure and motivation, and encourages others to do the same.

In today's episode, Jeanelle shares a few of her goals, explains the strategy she uses when she goes for a FKT, offers up tips to those who are interested in chasing them, and talks about the growing shift and awareness currently happening for women in sports.

Episode topics:

• Chasing & breaking FKTs (fastest known times
• Completing double Everest vertical during the Run Steep Get High Challenge
• Goal setting
• How she stays motivated through tough runs
• Tips for beginners and those looking to chase FKTs

Quote: 

"To be able to challenge yourself and hold pace and hold intensity on a route without any responsibility to a proper race setting or your other competitors, it has this really different element of accomplishment, because it's really you against your own drive."

-Jeanelle Hazlett

Resources:

Guest Info – Jeanelle Hazlett

Instagram: @jeanelle.haz

@_runyourheartout_

@pnwtrailrunners

Facebook: Jeanelle Hazlett

FKT on Mount Brunsiwck - https://youtu.be/Gu-LwAf-B5g

Vertical Challenge - https://youtu.be/1_CG7U5b5FI

Transgrancanaria - https://www.instagram.com/p/B9jPJmBHuCp/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Today, 3x Olympian Georgia Simmerling joins Opening the Podcast to discuss the thrill of being a three-sport athlete, the power of visualization, and the injuries that changed the course of her career.

Georgia grew up in a sports driven family from West Vancouver, where she began skiing at a young age. At just 21 years old, her skills in Alpine earned her a spot on Team Canada, where she competed in her own backyard at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. A year later, she made the switch over the ski-cross, making the national team roster. But it came at a price, as Georgia suffered numerous injuries throughout her ski-cross career, including a broken neck & back, broken wrist, and finally, two broken legs and multiple torn ligaments, injuries that ultimately forced her to retire from the sport.

Georgia says she learned a lot from those injuries, and implemented a new way of thinking to help her get through them. That included the power of visualization and learning the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, which she discusses today on the podcast.

Now, she's fully focused on training for the Tokyo Games, competing once again in track cycling. I'll be her fourth Olympics in ten years. In today's episode, Georgia discusses the impact COVID-19 has had on her life and career, what she hopes to do after she's done competing, and how she'd like to see sports be made more inclusive.

We talk about:

• Being Canada's only 3x multi-sport Olympian
• Injuries
• Why she believes in the power of visualization
• Covid-19 & the Tokyo Games

Quote: 

"Each and every one of my injuries have made me a mentally and physically stronger athlete, and human really. Like, I have come out of them stronger…I think mentally more so. These injuries put you through really, really challenging times, and they make you ask questions about what you're doing and why you're doing it."

-Georgia Simmerling

Resources:

Guest Info – Georgia Simmerling

Instagram: @gsimmerling

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

YouTube: Opening the Playbook

Promotional Content:

If you love conversational podcasts, you should check out 'Their Life Story'. Host Robin Lavigne dives into people's lives from all backgrounds, athletes, entrepreneurs, and adventurers, to learn and be inspired. The conversations are relatable, entertaining, and thought provoking. Their Life Story is available on all podcast platforms. 

Today, HNIC broadcaster and retired hockey star Cassie Campbell-Pascall joins the podcast to discuss her hockey success, retirement struggles, transitioning into TV, and when she thinks a sustainable women's league will be started (hint – soon!).

Cassie is one of Canada's most accomplished players, having won 21 medals with Canada's National Women's Hockey Team, 17 of which are gold. She's also the only captain – male or female – to lead her team to two Olympic Golds. But Cassie says captaining her squad made her feel uncomfortable, as she doesn't like to be in the limelight. She also discusses why she's still involved with the WNT, and how she hopes to help bring back "that gold medal feeling", which she feels has been missing for quite some time.

Since hanging up her skates, Cassie has become one of the most popular female sports broadcaster in Canada, doing colour commentary for NHL games, and most recently, being a regular panelist on Hockey Night in Canada throughout the 2020 season and playoffs. On this week's episode, Cassie discusses what is was like to do the show from home (and with the teams playing in a bubble), as well as the amount of women who are part of the game day broadcast, and the viewer criticism she receives.

Cassie also dives into when she thinks the PWHPA will get its league, and what the future holds for women in hockey (it includes a lot more females on the bench!). She also shares her proudest moment, which may not be what you think.

We talk about:

• Captaining Canada's Women's National Team to 21 medals
• Her struggles with retirement
• Her experience on HNIC, doing colour & panel
• When she thinks a women's league will happen
• Why she believes the future is bright for women in sports

Quote: 

"The old feminist way was 'I am woman hear me roar', and I think the new feminist way is 'I am woman and I'm going to get the job done', and it's not that the old generation didn't get it done, that's not what I'm saying at all…I'm just saying it's a different attitude."

-Cassie Campbell-Pascall

Resources:

Guest Info – Cassie Campbell-Pascall

Twitter: @cassiecampbell

Instagram: @cassiecampbell77

Website: https://www.cassie77.com

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

YouTube: Opening the Playbook

Promotional Content:

If you love hockey, be sure to check out The Voice & The Coach. It's a podcast providing you with a peek behind the curtain of sports, and is hosted by Vancouver Giants broadcaster Dan O'Connor and former WHL coach of the year Mark Holick

Notable guests so far include: Scott Niedermayer, Andy Moog, and Dan Shulman. There's no shortage of life lessons and laughs with The Voice & The Coach, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Today, Canada's freestyle skiing sisters, Maxime, Chloe and Justine Dufour Lapointe join Christina for a rare podcast interview where they discuss living out their Olympic dream together, where they get their confidence from, and the moment they knew they were stronger together than apart.

The sisters captured our hearts at the 2014 Sochi Olympics when all three competed in moguls. Justine captured gold, while Chloe grabbed silver. And who could forget that famous photo of the two standing together holding hands at the flower ceremony. Today on the pod, the sisters re-live that moment, saying competing all together was a dream come true, and that it felt like home.

With fame following the three after the Games, the sisters said it was then (with the help of their mom) that they realized they were stronger together then separate, and used their bond to grow their empire. And eight years later, they are doing it all while Justine and Chloe are still competing and Maxime is studying to be a doctor.

But today's episode isn't only about skiing and family dynamics. The sisters also share their thoughts on confidence and equality. They say they struggled at first to fit into their sport since there weren't many girls, but see more joining now. They also have a few suggestions on how to make things more equal: adding more female coaches, and learning to embrace your competitors. As Justine says, "stop being jealous, and be kind".

We also talk about:

• Being able to compete at the 2014 Sochi Games all together
• Justine winning Olympic Gold, Chloe winning silver
• Family dynamics & being stronger together than separate
• Confidence: how they were raised to be strong, bold & dream out loud

Quote: 

"I'm not saying out loud, like "I won the Olympics", like this is not something I'm saying every day to people or people I meet. It's something you embrace for yourself. Like you don't need to say out loud to be that great person you are. I think it's inner you, and you know what you did, and you did it for you, and not for anyone else, and I think that's the key to confidence."

-Justine Dufour Lapointe

Resources:

Guest Info

Maxime

Instagram: @maximedufourlapointe

Chloe

Instagram: @chloedufourlapointe

Justine

Instagram: @justinedufourlapointe

TikTok: Justine Dufour Lapointe

Website: dufouralpointe.com

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Promotional Content:

If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out Their Life Story. It's a conversational podcast where host Robin Lavigne dives into people's lives from all backgrounds – athletes, entrepreneurs – and adventurers – just to name a few – to learn and be inspired. Their Life Story is available on all podcast platforms.

Today, hockey player Sarah Nurse shares what it's like to be part of the Women's National Team, talks about the fight of the PWHPA, and discusses the Black Lives Matter movement.

Sarah has been lacing up her skates for as long as she can remember. Her passion for the sport took her to the University of Wisconsin, where she played as a Badger, and then earned her a spot on the Canadian Senior National Team. It was with that team that she was an Olympic Silver Medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.

But there's so much more to Sarah than just hockey. She is a strong advocate for equality and diversity, and even recently became a board member on the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association after pointing out the lack of race. In today's episode, she explains why it was important for her to do that, and what needs to be done for a women's league to work long-term.

Sarah also shares her experience with being singled out due to her race, or being the only girl on the ice, and gives advice on how to handle situations like that. She also discusses the Black Lives Matter movement in-depth, and tells us what she'd like to see changed, now.

Sarah is super motivational, and passionate about what she has to preach, and will teach you a lot in this episode. She also shares the importance of mental performance, including why she celebrates the little things, what she's ambitious for, and talks about the support she gives and receives from her equally athletic cousins (Darnell Nurse & Kia Nurse).

We also talk about:

• Her journey to the Canadian Women's National Team
• PWHPA
• Equality & diversity
• Changing hockey from a "white sport" to an inclusive sport
• Her famous sports family and how they keep each other grounded

Quote: 

"Right now, there are so many inequalities in hockey, the racial inequality has obviously been highlighted over the last few months, but we have a huge gender inequality as well, the fact that we're fighting for a place to play as women, is a little bit crazy in 2020. So, I think in order for our game to grow and reach new communities, we need to do this. Because right now I don't think it's a very open and inclusive space, and we need to create a welcoming environment so that everyone in Canada, United States, around the world, wants to play hockey and has the opportunity to."

-Sarah Nurse

Resources:

Guest Info – Sarah Nurse

Instagram: @nursey16

Twitter: @nursey16

TikTok: Sarah Nurse

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Promotional Content:

For more sports, tune into The Voice & The Coach, hosted by Vancouver Giant Play-by-Play announcer Dan O'Connor and WHL Coach of the Year Mark Holick.

Today, wrestler Carol Huynh joins the podcast for an open and honest conversation about growing up in a small town, race, her success, and why she wasn't prepared for the fame that followed her gold medal win.

Carol grew up in Hazelton, B.C. and got into the sport while in high school. She then went to Simon Fraser University on a wrestling scholarship, and competed at both the Jr. and Sr. World Championships. It's when she won a bronze at the Sr Games that she knew she had a talent.

Carol qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she became the first Canadian woman to ever win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. But it was her success in 2008 that caught her off guard, as she wasn't sure how to handle her new-found fame. Carol says she felt a lot of pressure to be "perfect", and that's when she decided she needed to turn her perspective around and start appreciating what she had.

With a new attitude, Carol landed on the podium once again, this time, earning a Bronze at the London Olympics. After battling injuries she decided to call it a career, and started coaching for Wrestling Canada. In today's episode, Carol explains how she's still struggling to find her confidence as a coach after being an athlete for so long.

Carol also shares with Christina why she thinks so many people still feel wrestling is a male sport, and what she'd like to see changed for women in sport today.

We also talk about:

• Being Canada's first female to win an Olympic Gold in wrestling
• The pressures associated with being at the top of your game
• Her decision to retire
• Gaining confidence
• Wanting to see more women's sports in the media

Quote: 

"I went from being a total expert on something, I was an expert at being a wrestler, and then I go into coaching and all the sudden I feel like I'm a beginner again. And so I guess I haven't had the validation piece of it, so I'm constantly like, okay I really need to work on my confidence here."

-Carol Huynh on transitioning from being an athlete to a coach

Resources:

Guest Info

Carol Huynh

Instagram: @cghuynh

Twitter: @huynhcarol

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

On this week's episode, beach volleyball players Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes join the podcast to chat equal rights, being Canada's first ever beach volleyball team to win a World Championship, and why becoming a lululemon Elite Ambassador was the right move for them.

Sarah and Melissa both have a deep history with volleyball; Sarah spent years playing indoor before switching over, while Melissa's dad was a coach in the sport. After having lucrative success with other partners, Sarah and Melissa joined forces in 2017 and have been unstoppable since. On this week's episode, they share what it's like to join a new team, and why they work so well together.

The duo is the reigning World Champions, and tell Christina what winning that title meant to them and how it's brought more attention to the sport. They've become bigger role models and are now Elite Ambassadors with lululemon. They say their success has opened people's eyes as to what the sport is all about, as there are a lot of misconceptions out there. They are now hoping to continue that magic at the Tokyo Olympics.

Sarah & Melissa are also vocal about equal rights and what they'd like to see changed for women in sport.

We also talk about:

• Women's rights
• Being Canada's first World Championship team
• Tokyo Olympics
• Becoming lululemon Elite Ambassadors
• Why they pull their pants down in front of each other before each match

Quote:  

"We're never really celebrated for our athleticism and what we do, it's always something more. Our bodies, what we're wearing, our hair, how we talk, what our boyfriend looks like, and it's just absurd, quite frankly, because never in a man's sport will those things ever be discussed."

-Sarah Pavan, Team Canada Beach Volleyball Player

Resources:

Guest Info

Sarah Pavan

Instagram: @sarah_pavan

YouTube: Sarah Pavan Volleyball

Twitter: @sarahpavan

Facebook: Sarah Pavan

Melissa Humana-Parades

Instagram: @melissahumanaparedes

Twitter: @melissahumanaparedez

YouTube: Melissa Humana-Paredes

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Promotional Content:

If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out two others. For more sports, tune into The Voice & The Coach, hosted by Vancouver Giant Play-by-Play announcer Dan O'Connor and WHL Coach of the Year Mark Holick. For conversation, check out Their Life Story, hosted by Robin Lavigne.

Today, Canada's Women's Rugby Sevens captain Ghislaine Landry joins the podcast where she discussed her passion for the game, overcoming the odds and why she had to wear a men's kit during her first professional year.

Ghis has played the game for more than half of her life, picking it up in high school, but her path towards turning pro was a rocky one. She was cut from Canada's senior team for being "too small" (she's 5'3) and told numerous times she wouldn't make it professionally. That only fueled her fire, as she went on to lead her Sevens squad to gold at the 2015 Pan Am Games and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, while becoming the game's most prolific scorer along the way.

Today on the podcast, Ghis talks about the importance of self-belief and having a strong support system. She also dives into how tough it was for her mentally when the Tokyo Games were postponed, and shares a few personal notes about being an openly gay athlete and how she'd like to see more equality in the sport.

We also talk about:

• Her career accomplishments & what she loves about the game
• Having to wear a men's kit when she first started playing
• Tokyo Olympics
• Being an openly gay athlete & role model
• The future of rugby in Canada

Quote:  

"Bottom line, I'd like to see equality. Like if the men are going to be treated a certain way then the women should be treated a certain way. If we're going to call it women's rugby we should call it men's rugby…like the default for rugby is men's rugby, yet we always have to say it's women's rugby."

Resources:

Guest Info – Ghislaine Landry

Instagram: @ghis_landry

Twitter: @ghis_landry

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook

Promotional Content:

If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to check out two others. For more sports, tune into The Voice & The Coach, hosted by Vancouver Giant Play-by-Play announcer Dan O'Connor and WHL Coach of the Year Mark Holick. For conversation, check out Their Life Story, hosted by Robin Lavigne.