When people watch a World Cup game, they see the 60 minutes on the field, the goals, corners, tackles, celebrations, and everything that happens in between. But what you don’t see is everything that goes into preparing for those 60 minutes, as well as everything that happens once the final whistle blows. For me, game day actually starts the day before.
The day before a game is all about getting our bodies and minds ready without doing too much. We usually have a walkthrough practice where we get some light touches, move our bodies, and get a feel for the field. We’ll work through some goalscoring and then go over our attacking and defensive corner pieces. After practice, we’ll typically have one or two meetings. One is usually our corner meeting, and the other is our opponent briefing. As players, it’s our responsibility to review the scouting report on our opponent beforehand, so when we get into the meeting, the coaches can focus on what we specifically need to do against that team.
After the meetings, it’s time for dinner at the hotel, and of course, a little carb loading! Once dinner is over, we usually have the rest of the night to relax. At that point, there isn’t much left to do besides get off our feet, mentally unwind, and make sure we get to bed at a good time. Sleep is a huge part of getting ready to compete, so the goal is to be as rested as possible going into game day.
The next morning starts with hydration testing to make sure everyone is properly hydrated. Then we’ll have breakfast followed by an activation. Activation is very light. We’ll go through stretches and different movements to get our bodies primed and ready to compete without taking anything out of us. Usually, we finish with some team Zumba, which is one of my favorite parts! It gets our heart rates up while giving us a chance to have fun together and loosen up before the intensity of the day begins.
Depending on our game time, we’ll then head back to our rooms to get ready. This is one of my favorite parts of game day because it gives me some time to myself to mentally prepare. I like to give myself plenty of time to do my hair, makeup, and get dressed rather than feeling rushed. Doing my hair and makeup is really therapeutic and meditative for me. I’ll put on some music, take my time, and let myself settle into game mode.
Once I’m ready, it’s time to really lock in. I’ll put on my Beats and listen to my favorite pump-up music, pack my bag, and head down to the bus. At that point, the nerves and excitement are usually kicking in, and I’m ready to go.
Then comes the part everyone sees: the game.
But what happens after the game is just as important. Once the final whistle blows, we have about 10 to 15 minutes of cooldown. We’ll roll out, stretch, and get our bodies moving before heading into the locker room. From there, its ice bath, shower, change, and recovery mode.
One thing that’s really important after a game is getting our post-game nutrition in quickly. We try to eat our snack within about 30 minutes of the final whistle because getting protein in right away helps kick-start the recovery process. My go-to is usually some combination of a protein shake, bar, and banana.
After that, we usually get a bit of time to see our family and friends, which is always really special when we’re competing overseas. Then it’s back on the bus and back to the hotel.
Depending on what time the game ends, we’ll usually head straight into our next meal. We may also have a debrief that evening or the following day where we review the game, talk through what went well, and identify things we can learn from and improve on. There’s always something to take away from a game, regardless of the result.
Personally, I also like to have a little time to reflect after competing. I’ll review some film, mentally go through the game, and think about what I could have done better or what I want to carry into the next one. Recovery is also a big part of my routine, so I’ll spend some time in the Normatec boots to help my legs feel a little better…But honestly, sometimes I just need to turn my brain off.
After spending an entire day thinking about hockey, what the other team is doing, what I need to do, what happened during the game, and what we need to fix for the next one, sometimes the best thing I can do is completely disconnect. I’ll FaceTime my family, read, or, if I’m being honest, just doom-scroll on my phone for a little while. Sometimes you need to give your brain a break and not think about hockey at all.
That’s the part of competing at a World Cup that people don’t always get to see. The game is only 60 minutes, but the preparation, recovery, mental work, and little routines surrounding those 60 minutes are what allow us to step onto the field ready to compete. Every game has its own story, but so much of that story happens long before and long after the final whistle.
