Sarah Nurse on Eyeing Olympic Gold, Making Hockey Inclusive, and Her Challenge to Drake

The star of Canada's women's hockey team talks going for Gold at the Beijing Olympics, the need for representation in hockey, and her challenge to Drake.

An illustration of Canadian Olympic hockey star Sarah Nurse
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original/Conrad Javier

An illustration of Canadian Olympic hockey star Sarah Nurse

In 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea, Sarah Nurse competed in the Olympics for the Canadian women’s hockey team. It was her first Games, and Canada was facing the U.S. in a round-robin matchup. The game was tied, and the pressure was on. As the crowd cheered, with the puck in her possession, she raced towards the net and scored her first Olympic goal, helping to nab a win for Canada. Although her team ended up losing later on to the U.S. during the Gold medal match, Nurse had her first Olympic goal under her belt, and her heart is now set on Gold.

Twenty-four years since lacing up her skates for the first time, and four years since her Olympic debut, the RBC Olympian is gearing up for the Winter Games again. A Gold medal win is something that feels very possible, given how well the Canadian women’s hockey team has performed over the past year—in August they beat the U.S. to capture their first world title in almost a decade. It’s this momentum that Nurse plans on carrying with her all the way to Beijing. “Coming off of that world championship, we know that we are currently the best team in the world,” says the 27-year-old. “And every day we step on the ice, we hold ourselves to that standard because we know that there are other teams who are competing with us, and who want to knock us off that top spot.”

The road to Beijing for many athletes hasn’t been an easy one amidst a global pandemic, and for Nurse, this year has come with its share of challenges. She is coming off of an injury, while training and balancing the added stress of COVID-19, being part of a team bubble and away from her family. But she hasn’t let that dampen her spirits. If anything, it’s kept her motivated. “At the end of the day, we have a goal in mind and we are so supportive of one another and know that there are some days that are going to be tougher than others when we’re missing home and our families,” she says. “But it’s been so encouraging to be able to look to my left and look to my right, knowing that I have teammates who are going through the same thing and who I can lean on whenever I need to.”

As Nurse puts it, there have been peaks and valleys in her journey. One of the highlights for her has been teaming up with RBC Training Ground, a program designed to find young athletes with Olympic potential. “I think this program really allows the opportunity for young athletes to try a new sport and discover something new that they can excel at—it’s never too late,” she says, noting that athletes have been identified by Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, Rugby Canada, and Cycling Canada, just to name a few. “I think this program is an incredible way for athletes aged 14 to 25 to be identified by national sport organizations.”

“We’re at a very pivotal moment where if we don’t create a more inclusive environment, where everybody from every single walk of life feels welcome and included in our sport, it’s going to be stagnant, and it’s not going to grow.”

As an RBC Olympian, Sarah is joined by an impressive roster among the likes of Penny Oleksiak, Mark McMorris, and Beijing 2022 teammates Marie Philip-Poulin, Renata Fast, and Ann-Renée Desbiens. Since 2002, the RBC Olympians program has continued to provide much-needed support to Canadian athletes, helping them succeed in sport and as they transition into life after sport.

While Nurse gets excited about future Olympians, she also hasn’t shied away from pushing to make hockey a more inclusive sport for athletes at all levels. She’s especially passionate about creating change for people of colour. “Right now, we’re at a very pivotal moment where if we don’t create a more inclusive environment, where everybody from every single walk of life feels welcome and included in our sport, it’s going to be stagnant, and it’s not going to grow,” she says. “For me, I want everybody to feel that they’re included and that they’re able to participate and play hockey, no strings attached.”

“I want little Black children, I want girls, I want people of different abilities to be able to just play the sport because they love it, and not because they have to be good at it or have to excel,” she adds.

Canadian Olympian Sarah Nurse at a hockey rink

She has also been outspoken about addressing gender inequality for women in hockey, particularly when it comes to fighting for what they deserve. When the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folded in 2019, the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association was formed in its place with the aim of creating a women’s league that is inclusive, advocates for players’ needs and is financially viable. Nurse sits on the organization’s board.

“I know that there have been statements made by different people saying, ‘Well, it’s not just a hockey thing, there are gender inequalities and disparities everywhere.’ And so to that I say, well, don’t we see a problem? Why can’t the hockey world be a driving force? Why can’t it be a leader in change? Why can’t it be a champion of change?” she says. “As we move forward as a women’s hockey community, the breadcrumbs that we’ve been given in the past aren’t going to be accepted.” 

“I want to know when [Drake’s] ready to show off his skills on the ice. I heard that he was a pretty good right-winger.”

The passion for change is something that runs in the family. Nurse’s cousins are Phoenix Mercury player Kia Nurse, and Darnell Nurse, who plays for the Edmonton Oilers. Both of them have also spoken out about racism and making a difference in their sports. Nurse says she’s always had a good relationship with them, and as much as she admires them, she admits there was a bit of internal competition while growing up. “I would see Kia, Darnell, or my brother Isaac doing something great. And I was like, OK, well, I want to go do something great, too,” she explains, noting how they’ve kept each other motivated. 

Drake posts an Instagram story praising Canadian hockey star Sarah Nurse

Family, activism and sports aside, Nurse has other interests and hobbies off the ice, including watching the Harry Potter films and listening to music that gets her amped up. On her playlist, you’ll find songs by Ariana Grande, One Direction (yes, Harry Styles is her favourite), and of course, Drake. Drizzy gave Nurse a shout out on Instagram after her Olympic debut back in 2018, and now she’s issuing a challenge to the “Champagne Poetry” rapper: “I want to know when he’s ready to show off his skills on the ice,” she says. “I heard that he was a pretty good right-winger.” 

As she looks ahead to Beijing, Nurse also has some advice for young athletes wanting to follow in her footsteps. Namely, enjoy every moment and every challenge. “A piece of advice that I was given is you can view every situation as an opportunity or a threat,” she says. “And you can look at it from a threatening perspective and be fearful and scared. Or you can look at it as an opportunity to be successful and an opportunity to learn.”

“I know that I’ve been able to learn so much about myself during the low points, and it has made the high points, winning championships, so much sweeter, because there’s so much that goes into it,” she adds. “Don’t let anything set you back; take it as an opportunity to learn and an opportunity to grow.”

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