The Unique Journey To Success: How To Be A Pro Women’s Hockey Player – Episode 14 w/ Mallory Souliotis
Everyone’s Journey to success looks different was the message Professional NWHL Ice Hockey Champion Mallory wanted us to know in Episode 14.
When she first laced up her skates there was no such thing as Pro Women’s Ice Hockey and that remained true until she was in college.
The thing you will find through this interview is Mallory wanted to go after something she was passionate about and inspired by her mother she was taught to have moxy.
Leaving her lukewarm connection to soccer behind she took the ice hockey world by storm and experienced a lot of success in her career pre college.
She encountered adiversity at Yale and not in the classroom exactly but learning how to push herself to make herself better. Mallory felt the rigors of her private high school education more than prepared her for the next level. To the point Yale may have felt easier.
Souliotis also gives us a behind the scenes look into the journey to winning the top prize in her sport, The Isabel cup (the sister to the Stanley Cup from the NHL)
You will be inspired by her story and come away with a new found appreciation for this amazing Woman and the example she sets for those who will come after her.
00:00:00 Podcast Preview
00:00:45 Intro of Mallory
00:01:30 She could have been an ice skater
00:05:13 I was quite a Tomboy so my trajectory toward hockey makes sense
00:06:21 Being a multi sport athlete helps you gain skills you maybe wouldn’t uncover or develop otherwise
00:09:05 Was there a girls hockey team or did you have to play with the boys
00:10:26 Technical Difficulties Part 2 (skip to next part if you prefer)
00:10:51 I was well known as the girl on the team (continued after Tech Difficulty)
00:11:19 I was generally the best on the team even though I was playing with boys and they looked out for me like older bros
00:13:23 Playing with Girls was more camaraderie and the boys gave me more technical knowledge and made me a tougher hockey player
00:15:28 Different rules for different genders should it change?
00:18:41 When were you introduced to the mental game
00:22:53 Pinnacle HS Moment
00:24:56 My regular HS & Club teams were very successful, College was the opposite
00:26:45 How to process losses and wins
00:28:52 How do you win a national championship in hockey in club and how many teams etc
00:30:40 Putting one in the top corner of the net was my most memorable moment in a National Championship game
00:32:57 They say defense wins games but sometimes they score too
00:33:44 Academics vs Hockey: Choosing a college
00:39:23 Ivy league recruiting is like dating
00:40:33 My High school was harder than Yale: Balancing school and sport
00:43:26 Yale is a program that continues to improve and those that came after me are taking it to the next level
00:45:18 It’s about putting in the work and time to improving as a player not just relying on your coaches
00:47:58 When does professional hockey become a thing?
00:49:27 My DRAFT night experience was so stressful I needed a beer
00:51:43 Senior Year Decisions: Get a Job and the hockey possibility
00:53:16 What was signing day like
00:55:07 Playing Hockey at the professional level: a lot of the familiar faces but still intimidating
00:56:52 23 and 1 then COVID
01:00:40 Operation Unfinished Business and goosebumps
01:01:40 We got off to a rough start to the championship
01:03:22 It’s Do Or Die time and I score the first goal: great personal win now for the team will we win?
01:04:41 The road to the championship is paused again due to Covid
01:05:44 Semifinals resumes we are the 4th seed …And we make it on primetime TV
01:07:52 Full Circle moment: Boston VS Minnesota playing loose and having fun
01:10:02 The longest 20 seconds of my life and then sweet victory
01:11:45 The NWHL Championship Trophy The Isabel Cup makes it podcast debut
01:12:41 Having the cup in my hands made everything worth it and winning on national TV lets young girls and boys know whats possible
01:16:47 Your journey may not look like anyone else’s but all roads can lead to the cup if you work for it and stay committed
01:19:33 Rapid Fire Questions with Mallory
01:28:25 Connect with Natalie and Closing Comments
Give this episode a listen and leave a comment below with your biggest takeaway.
To Connect with Mallory:
https://instagram.com/mypalmal14
She says if a young girl wants an autographed picture to reach out. She knows how much it means to that young girl and the future of the sport.
To connect with the host:
IG: https://instagram.com/bryndrescher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bryndrescher
Facebook: https://facebook.com/bryndrescher
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bryndrescher
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/bryndrescher
