The Group Chat: They’re not superstitious…
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Picture this: You’re in the locker room, gearing up for the PWHL Finals. The pressure is on — the surging league has more eyeballs on it than ever, and neither team has hoisted the Walter Cup before. You’re nervous, running through your pre-game routine, and listening to…Macklemore?
- As the Ottawa Charge and Montréal Victoire continue their respective Cup chases tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET, we couldn’t help but wonder: How do elite athletes prepare for these massive moments? So we chatted with players from every postseason contender — scroll on for their responses.
Hockey players are famously superstitious. Do you have any weird hockey-related superstitions?
Phone a friend
“I don’t have too many weird superstitions other than I have to call my dad every single game while I’m taping my sticks. I’ve done it for as long as I can remember.” — Sophie Shirley, Boston Fleet forward
The breakfast of champions
“I like to eat breakfast for dinner before later games, so eggs and pancakes!” — Taylor Heise, Minnesota Frost forward
To the left, to the right
“I like to have a routine. I put on all my gear the same way every time — left, right, left, right, left, right.” — Kendra Woodland, Ottawa Charge goalie
Ottawa Charge t-shirt
Montréal Victoire quarter zip
Men have playoff beards — what’s the PWHL equivalent?
Own the tunnel
“A lot of the players around the league who make the playoffs like to really step up their walk-in ’fits. You’ll see a lot of cool jackets and players wearing things that are a little more outside of their comfort zone.” — Shirley, who knows a thing or two about throwing a ’fit
Self-care queen
“Honestly, for me it’s a good outfit and some self-care the night before. Maybe [air styling] my hair!” — Heise, who’s always having a good hair day
If it ain't broke...
“Walk-ins are sometimes different in the playoffs. You know, like superstitions. If we win, for me, if I had my hair down and curls, I would replicate that the next game. Some people reuse the same outfits. I don’t know if there’s anything equivalent to the NHL playoffs. We don’t cut our hair — that’s one thing.” — Woodland, whose curls are in fact lucky
The evolution of the PWHL Tunnel ’Fit
As the league grows and grows, it’s also expanding its cultural footprint…and we all know that the key to a women’s sports fan’s heart is a good tunnel ’fit. When it comes to spotlighting players’ fashion, the PWHL has really moved the puck forward in Year 3, encouraged by fans who have helped to carve out a niche signature style (spoiler alert, it’s heavy on knitwear).
- Tunnel ’fits help players express their individuality, which is crucial for their connection with fans: The on-ice action is even more fun when you feel like you know the players on a personal level, and fans can feel more represented when they see their style reflected in a pre-game look. Slay.
Any special routines you do to get ready for a game, or locker room traditions?
Gas in the tank, cash in the bank
“A pregame locker room tradition that we have is with a song called ‘Downtown’ by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. At a certain point when we play it, everyone ends up dancing around the room. We basically have to do that for every single game!” — Woodland, who now has this song stuck in our heads
Keep it up
“Our whole team loves playing sewer ball before the game! That is a must for our group.” — Hayley Scamurra, Montréal Victoire forward, who just taught us a new synonym for keepie uppies
Snacks are non-negotiable
“I always do a special warmup using bands and stretching. But I always need to eat my fruit snacks and have some Gatorade during my warmup!” — Heise, who still needs to weigh in on Lightning Blast vs. Cool Blue
At The GIST HQ
🎧 Listening: To a new podcast for romance readers.
💌 Subscribing: To a monthly bit of joy via snail mail.
👡 Reliving: Y2K, because wedge flip flops are so back.
⚕️ Applauding: A PWHL player who truly does it all.
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