Episode 12 - Going Great with hockey star Laila Edwards

Shortly after helping the Wisconsin womens hockey team to a runner-up finish in the NCAA tournament, sophomore forward Laila Edwards earned MVP honors at the IIHF World Championships in Utica, NY. Hear from the first black woman to ever skate for Team USA and what her goals are for the future.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I was really young, and itwas definitely a process that I had a
lot of different emotions about. Iwas scared, but I was also excited
because I visited the school and Iwas like, I love this. It's
all about you know, hockey andschool and you know, get to hang
out with the girls. But movingthere, I was I was very nervous.
I think I remember one point inbegging my parents not to make me

(00:20):
go anymore. But I was alreadycommitted at that point that I had to
and I'm glad they made me gobecause it definitely helped me get where I
am. Now. Welcome to GoingGreat Across UWD Women's Athletics presented by Great
Clips, Great Clips, It's goingto be great. Going Great across UW
Women's Athletics is a showcase on thegreat thing student athletes are accomplishing on the

(00:44):
field, in the classroom and beyond. Now here's your host, Ryan Posick.
Hello and welcome to the iHeartRadio podcastGoing Great across u Dowd Women's Athletics
presented by Great Clips. On BrianPosik, the father of a former UWID
women's hockey player and NCAA poleball qualifier. The brother of an All American basketball
and soccer player and the husband ofan iron man. In this podcast,

(01:07):
we'll talk with a guest or guestswho have made or are making an impact
on uw women's athletics, and ourguest today from the Wisconsin Women's hockey program
and Team USA, Laila Edwards withUS. Layla, thanks so much for
doing this. How are you today? Good? How are you? Thanks
for having me, You're very welcome. Layla just recently came back from Utica,

(01:27):
New York, where she was partof the US women's national team at
the World Championship. The Americans madeit all the way to the gold medal
game and lost in overtime to Canadasix to five, and in the process,
Layla became the first black woman toplay for Team USA at the World
Championship. She also scored six goalsin eight points and was named the tournament's

(01:49):
most valuable player. What an experiencethat must have been for you? Tell
us about it. Yeah, itwas incredible. I mean, I'm so
grateful for every step of that way. You know, to make history it
was awesome and an honor. Andthen to have a little bit of success
there alongside such a special group wasamazing. Definitely a tournament and moment I'll
never forget. Yeah, always playingCanada the United States, it's each one

(02:09):
is a thorn in the other's side. You got a taste of that in
the rivalry series back in November,but now in the World Championship two,
and it seems it's a one goalgame no matter when it's played preliminary round
or meddle round. Oftentimes it's overtime. That must have been well, a
wildly entertaining game for fans. Whatwas it like from players perspective? I

(02:30):
mean, it was definitely the oneof the craziest games I've been a part
of. I mean, it's sucha high level and very intense. Mean,
obviously the preliminary round was very intense, but then as soon as you
get to the finals, it's eventhat more intense. So it was it
was crazy, just back and forth, a lot of emotions, you know.
I try not to get too downor too high, you know,
because there was eleven goals, soit was tough to do that, but

(02:53):
I try my best. I mean, we'm very proud of our group.
We fought to the end, youknow, they got to overtime. You
know, power play goal, Sonot what you can do about that.
But we had a very special groupwho I thought earned it, but it
didn't come out with it. Yeah, you still got a silver medal,
of course, for your first timewith the senior women's national team. Where's
that silver medals in hockey bag?Is it in a sock in the hockey

(03:19):
bag or is it just like layingin the hockey bag with a roll of
tape and stuff. I think it'sjust laying in the hockey bag. Yeah,
it's still very special ball. I'llhave to hang it up now.
If it was gold, would itbe in your hockey bag? It would
I don't know where it would be, but it would be in a sock
and it'd be much more protected.Leila Edwards is with US sophomore from Cleveland
Heights, Ohio. She's a younglady that had a fantastic sophomore season with

(03:43):
the Badgers twenty one goals fifty sixpoints. Wisconsin made it to the National
Championship Game that after a freshman yearin which she was named to the conferences
All Rookie Team. But Cleveland Heights, Ohio tell us about Cleveland Heights,
oh Cleveland Heights. It's a lovelylittle talent, you know, so happy
to live there. It's just alwaysI feel like radiates good energy. It's

(04:03):
not super big, but I feellike I know everyone, and there's a
lot of you know, cool peoplefrom there, like Travis Kelcey and his
brother Jason kelce But yeah, ClevelandHeights, it's it's pretty small. There's
a little bit of hockey there,but it wasn't enough for me to stay
for a while. Sad to leave, but I love going home there every
time I get a break. It'san awesome place to go to. Yeah,

(04:25):
Cleveland Heights, it sounds like it'sright outside Cleveland, Is that right?
Yes, Okay, that's see.I'm relatively I'm not that smart.
Actually, I was just guessing.I was just guessing there, and you
mentioned Travis and Jason Kelcey. We'llget to that tidbit in just a little
bit. You are one of fourchildren, one of five children, yes,
to Robert and Sharon Gray. Youhave brothers Robert and Colson, sisters

(04:49):
Brittany Gray, and of course Sheila, who just completed her eligibility here at
the University of Wisconsin. Tell usabout your parents a little bit. I've
gotten to known Robert and and Sharonaover the years, when Chilla joined the
Badgers, when my daughter Maddie wasplaying here too. Tell us about your
parents a bit. Oh, yeah, my parents are. It's an interesting
duo. I mean, my mom'sall energetic and super tearful and my dad's

(05:13):
more low key. He's obviously stillvery supportive. But yeah, my parents
are great. They're the reason I'mwhere I am right now. They dedicated
so much time, effort, moneyto my hockey and my academics. So
and then they got me started earlyand my dad was always taking me to
skills and I mean, I justcan't thank them enough. I mean,
then obviously they they've also been hardon me about academics, which I've appreciated

(05:34):
too, because you know, it'snot good if you're good at hockey.
If I can't do school, youneed a degree, sure, So I've
been very appreciative about that. Andthey're both very smart. So they've helped
me through a lot of things,have been there all the time, and
they've handled five kids very well.I mean, I don't know if I
could do that. I don't planon doing it, but I don't know
if I could, But yeah,they're awesome, and that my mom is

(05:56):
so outgoing tears for everyone. Imean, every single player doesn't at her
who it is. Sometime even onthe other team. I have to tell
her tone it down, really ifshe knows that. Okay, okay,
ye I was gonna say, yeah, not for a Canadian in a game,
right, never. Never. Yeah, But there's even a little clip
of her celebrating when I scored inthe finals, So she's Yeah, she's

(06:17):
crazy in the best way and Ilove her. That's awesome. What does
your father do? My father ownedhis own painting company. Okay, so
yeah, he's uh, he's beenpainting for a while and sometimes he'll walk
in and he'll be painting somewhere inour house or outside. But yeah,
he's a very good painter who's prettyknown around Cleveland Heights. Okay, all
right, it was just his birthday, right, it was? Yeah,
you went back home? I did. Yeah, So how did you celebrate

(06:40):
your dad's birthday? Yeah, Iflew home Friday and his birthday was Saturday.
We he cooked out. He wasthe one cooking, and he's the
guy who cooks out. So yeah, he's very good. So Yeah,
it was awesome. We got together, we ate and my nephews. Everyone
was home, all his kids,and it was awesome. I got him
a couple of pair of little lemonpants. He loves them, but he

(07:01):
doesn't want to know what I knowhe loves them. Okay, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was awesome. It was nothing
crazy. We were just all togetherand he loved every second of it.
Sure, what does your mom do? My mom? She works in the
Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Okay,yep, because she's a face coordinator,

(07:21):
so family and children executive. Soit's a special program within the school district.
Yeah, all right, I don'tknow much about it. Yeah,
she's been involved with the schools fora long time. So yes, that's
why education is so important exactly.Yeah, what are you studying here?
What do you hope to study?I've been all over the place. I
started with engineering, switch to business, and now I don't know, I'm

(07:43):
just signing between business and maybe Ilike social work too, but still a
little bit engineering in there. Idon't know. I'm figuring it out,
and I need to figure it outsoon. I know that you're only twenty
years old, Leila. Yeah,Leila Edward's our guest here going Great Across
the UA Women's Athletics, presented byGreat Clip. Yeah, Robert was,
uh the gentleman that got Leila involvedin hockey. Now you were when you

(08:05):
first got on skates. You werethree years old and you were figure skating?
Is that right correct? Yeah?Did you enjoy that? There were
moments where I didn't. Okay,I was more of a I know I
was three years old, but uhlike seeing hockey. I don't know.
I felt like figure skating was veryinteractive, but and I would follow a

(08:26):
couple of times, and I hatednot being good at things. Sure,
but I eventually I was three,so I eventually got a little bit better
at it, and I'm sure toenjoy it more. Yeah you enjoyed the
outfits, dude? Is that true? No? You didn't. I was
more of a tomboy, so wehad to wear like twutuo's and stuff.
Yeah. I did not love it. No, okay, all right,
just wondering about that. So thenyour your dad had you get into hockey.

(08:48):
Did he make you play hockey?If I remember correctly, yes,
But I don't think I was superposedto it because I remember trying it out
and like liking how you know,interactive it was and stuff versus figure skating.
So yeah, he did kind ofmake us. And I'm not sure
I wanted to let figure skating go, but I had to at some point.
Sure. Sure, did Britney play? Did your brothers play too?

(09:09):
No, Brittany's not played, buteveryone else played. My older brother played.
He was actually very good. Heended up playing club at Bowling Green
Motion University. Yeah, he was. He was good. He started pretty
late too, he was like twelvewhen he started. Okay, Yeah,
then my little brother's playing right now. He's actually really good. He's I
think he just made a Triple Ateam in Cleveland. So yeah, I'm
really happy for him, and Icould see him having a really bright future.

(09:31):
Sure. Leila edwards with us,and she had mentioned that there wasn't
a lot of hockey around her hometownof Cleveland Heights. So when you were
what twelve or thirteen, you wentto the hockey factory some would say Bishop
Kearney in Rochester, New York.That must have been interesting, leaving home
just as you became a teenager,you know, Yeah, yeah, I

(09:52):
was. I was really young andit was It was definitely a process that
I had a lot of different emotionsabout. I was scared, but I
was als so excited because I visitedthe school and I was like, I
love this. It's all about youknow, hockey and school and you know,
get to hang out with the girls. But moving there, I was
I was very nervous. I thinkI remember at one point in begging my
parents not to make me go anymore. But I was already committed at that

(10:16):
point and I had to and I'mglad they made me go because it definitely
helped me get where I am now. But yeah, it was at the
age of thirteen. I don't knowI was. I was told I was
a little bit more mature for myage, so I think that helped with
the transition and being comfortable being awayfrom home. But it was definitely a
struggle at some point. Sure.Sure, and your older sister, Sheila
obviously was a very good hockey player, is a very good hockey player too.

(10:39):
Did you find yourselves kind of yourselfkind of just following her everywhere she
went and trying to learn as muchas you can with her at the rink?
Yes, definitely, I mean,and especially when we'd have just individual
sessions, like just me and mysiblings. I would always make everything a
competition with her because I wanted tobe better than her and she wanted to
be better than me. But wewere each other's biggest competitors but also each

(11:01):
other's biggest supporter, so it wasa good balance in my opinion. But
yeah, I found myself kind ofjust following what she was doing because it
was working, So why not.Exactly right, and good luck to Shaila
too. She's declared for the PWHLdraft. She may play overseas. Yeah,
who knows. She's got often playas long as you can, right,
Leila, exactly Yeah. Laila Edwardswith US here silver medallist at the

(11:22):
World Championship. Also, by theway, she was a silver medallist for
the United States Under eighteen team atthe World Championship here in Madison back in
twenty twenty two, when she wasalso named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
What is it about you and MVPawards? I don't know. I think
both tournaments. I was obviously,you're playing with the best players in America,

(11:46):
some in the world, so they, I mean, oftentimes they just
made me look good, and Iwas set up very well if I'm being
honest, I mean, if Iremember, every single goal was set up
by someone else. Okay, sureyou can't do it by yourself. One
on six doesn't generally work exactly.Yes, yes, yeah, I mentioned
Layla six goals in the World Championshipthat was just completed in Utica, New

(12:07):
York, and it took her onlyten shots on goal to score the six.
In fact, she scored six goalson the last seven shots on goals
she had, which is amazing.Hat trick against Finland and the semi finals
and then onto the gold medal gameand scoring against Canada and losing unfortunately in
overtime. It was interesting, Laila, just looking at how the lines were
set up. I mean, there'sso many good players on the US national

(12:28):
team, including a bunch of formerBadgers like Brittet Curl and Lacey Eton,
Kirsten Sims who are current Badgers,but Caroline Hrvey to Hillary Knight obviously,
but I remember looking at the linecharts, all right, where's everybody?
You know, is Leila in thelineup? Where's she going to be?
And you were at times you werefourth line with Kristen sims sometimes with Tessa

(12:50):
Janicky. I believe you were onthe fifth line extra skater a couple of
times, but then you made onsuch an impact. I suppose if your
name's in the lineup, it doesn'tmatter where you are in the lineup,
right, you just want to makean impact exactly. Yeah? Yeah,
and that was your mindset. Meanwhat did coach John Rubluski tell you about,
all right, this is the waywe kind of foresee things with you.
Did he kind of set the tableabout, Hey, this is what

(13:11):
we're we're planning here for the WorldChampionship. Yeah, we had like a
little bit of conversation. I meanthe first game, I was fourth line
with panic Inskimura, and before helet me know that I was going to
be fifth line the next game toget some other people some experience. So
I was just like okay, Andin my head, I was like,
I know my shifts are going tobe limited, so I've got to make
the most out of every single shiftand treat every single shift like that was

(13:33):
my last. And I think thatmentality really benefited me because I took advantage
and made the most of every shift, which in turn got me some more
ice time. Your coach said,I don't think there's another woman like Layla
in the game right now. That'swhat John Rubluski said. When you hear
something like that, what do youthink. Yeah, that's that's a really

(13:58):
nice thing to say. I reallyappreciate that. But yeah, I think
it's more motivation to, you know, make sure it stays that way.
Yeah, you are unique. You'rea unique hockey player, right, Yes,
you are. You're long, you'relean. I mean it seems to
take you one stride to get toplaces it takes other skaters three or four.

(14:18):
And that's I mean, you haveto adapt to your skills. So
was it difficult to do that initially? Was you when you were growing up
being a as a hockey player.Oh yeah, definitely. I mean after
my first year at boarding school,I hit a growth spurt and it took
me a really long time to growinto my body and feel comfortable. I
was like falling a lot, andit was just kind of like Bambi the

(14:41):
Little Deer. Sure, yeah,so it was. It was definitely an
adjustment. But I finally, youknow, I started working out more and
I started eating the right things anddoing what I need to do, and
I filled out and I kind ofgot more lean and I was able to
keep my balance better and be morecomfortable in my body so I could use
it to its best ability. Butyeah, it was definitely took a few

(15:03):
years and it was a process andI'm still learning, but it's got a
lot better and I've been able touse it to my advantage. Yeah,
for sure. Leila Edwards with ushere on Going Great across the UW Women's
Athletics presented by Great Clips. Youknow you do things with such ease.
There are times where it looks likeyou're not working hard at all. You
know. Is that that's a goodthing, Although some people may look at

(15:26):
it and say, is she reallyworking that hard? Is there more inside
her? Is there more inside you? Leila? Well, yeah, I've
been told that a lot. Ithink I just have a unique game where
I like to evaluate and anticipate thingswhere you know, there's no reason to
go sprint to a play when youknow what's gonna end up there. So
I think I just calculate things quicklyand I try to be more strategic with

(15:48):
my energy and effort. But Ido. Yeah, I have been told
that a lot. But you know, defensively in backchecking, I do try,
but with the puckey and when likeford checking or whatever, I think
it's it's more work, smarter,not harder for me. And that's been
working, so I figured why changeit? Yeah, John Rabluski said,
an IQ off the charts? Where'dyou learn that? You know? I

(16:10):
mean really, you know, justplaying over and over and over. I
think so I just watched hockey allthe time. I played all the time,
and growing up it's just he breathedsly hockey kind of thing. Sure,
so, and then watching my olderbrother, he was a very very
smart player. He could pass incrediblyand he was just super smarter than Shala
as well. So I think justbeing surrounded by so much hockey has helped

(16:32):
me adapt and you know, developthat IQ. Who are your role models?
Yeah, good question. Definitely HillaryKnight of course growing up, and
then I actually currently like, Ilove to watch Austin Matthews play. He's
definitely my favorite player, and youknow, I try to take some of
his game and implement into mine alittle bit. And then see, I

(16:53):
know she's a she's an enemy,but I love Marie Fleepaline. Sure,
Yeah, he's an incredible player aswell. But yeah, she's fun to
watch, but not against us.Yeah yeah, no, right, because
she always comes up with those fantasticplays and scores the big goals. Yeah,
that's pretty annoying. But I liketo watch her in the PWHL too,
that's good. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. You had a great

(17:17):
opportunity, obviously to play with withHillary Knight. Yeah, in the Rivalry
series in Los Angeles back in November. That was your first go around with
the women's national team. But youalso had a locker next to her at
the World That's so cool. Whatwas that like when you walk in,
it's like, there's my and there'sHillary's. Right, Yeah, that's that's
funny because I remember walking into thelocker room and looking for my stall and

(17:37):
then I saw it next to hers, and I was like, oh,
like that's you know, a goodthing. But also I'm nervous. It's
Hillary Knight. I don't want tomess up. I don't want to say
the own thing or bump her onaccident. You know, I've got long
arms and legs, so I wasvery nervous. But it was it was
a crazy moment for me because youknow, you grow up idolizing her and
I still do. And then Ihave pictures with her as a little girl,

(18:00):
and now I'm sitting next to herin the locker room. It was
surreal and yeah, I'm super gratefulfor that. I'll never forget it.
Yeah, she say anything to youor words of advice, encouragement, I
suppose, I mean she's the captainafter all, right, Yeah, Yeah,
she was awesome. She would justsay little things here and there,
which I appreciated. She didn't wantto overwhelm me, but she would just
say, hey, you got this, or after a game to a great

(18:21):
game like hell of game, youknow, certain plays. Yeah, she
was super low key about it,but it really meant a lot and her
words, of course mean a lot. Yeah. Well, Hillary and I
could have been the MVP of theWorld Championship. She had points, but
instead Laila Edwards got it. AndHillary, by the way, with winning
a silver medal for Team USA,that's the fourteenth medal she's earned at a

(18:41):
World Championship. That's a record.I mean, she is she's a goat.
Yeah literally, yeah, no betterway to put it, exactly exactly
Laila Edwards with us here. Thatexperience overall for you at the World Championship,
but I wanted to go back toNovember. You became the first black
woman to skate for the US women'snash team at the senior level. When
you played in that rivalry series game, a lot of attention was thrown your

(19:04):
way, a lot of newspaper articles, a lot of social media, television,
radio. I think you mentioned itwas overwhelming but an honor, right
exactly. Yeah, yeah, Imean I mentioned before you are unique not
only in your skill set, butyou're also a black woman playing hockey,
and we haven't seen a lot ofthat. So put that into words.

(19:25):
What that's like, I don't,you know, overwhelming, it's it a
burden, but you tell me,right, yeah, there's a lot of
things about it. I mean,overwhelming for sure, but it's something that
you know, I don't really havethe choice too, but take pride in
because it's you know, it's history, and there's gonna be hopefully other little
black girls who play and need someoneto look up to. I mean,
I remember wishing that I had someonewho looked like me on the national team,

(19:48):
and I didn't. But you know, it is what it is.
So I'm glad that I can bethat for some other little black girls,
and it's a I think it's likeI've broken the barrier and I'm hoping that
that's, you know, opened alot of for other girls and it'll flood.
And I think I've even received afew messages about how I've inspired,
you know, certain girls of colorand even anyone, like a ton of

(20:10):
girls. So that means a lot, and it gives me motivation to keep
doing what I'm doing in that.Yeah, but like I said, it's
it was overwhelming, but I'm supergrateful and it's it is what it is,
Like I said, Yeah, butrepresentation matters, and I'm hoping that
I've been able to like represent anddo what i need to do to inspire

(20:32):
other little girls of color. AndI think that I'm on the right track,
and I hope that it continues togrow. Yeah, long overdue you
anyone like you playing for sure,But you're inspiring so many people besides just
young black kids, you know,so many people. Again. Leila Edwards
with us here, a sophomore atthe University of Wisconsin. She's gonna run
here in just a few minutes becauseshe has a workout she has to do.

(20:55):
But you said, you chose Wisconsinbecause of its atmosphere, academics,
and it's periority. What do youmean by that? It's superiority, what
do you mean? I mean alot of things by that. I mean
it's such it's a beautiful campus.I mean, if we start with the
school in academics, it's a greatcampus and it has great academics. It's
a big ten school, you know, I absolutely love the campus. And

(21:18):
then it's superiority athletically, I meanit's one of the best woman hockey programs
and yeah, and the NCAA andit has the most winningest coach. So
and then the facilities are second tonone. I mean, there's so many
things that could go on about abouthow it's superior. So yeah, I
would say with athletics academics, it'sjust incredible and you don't really find it

(21:40):
many places, and the places Ivisited, I didn't find it there.
So that's what I mean by itssuperiority. I got you perfect again.
Laila Edwards with us here from ClevelandHeights, Ohio. She mentioned she went
to the same middle schools as Travisand Jason Kelcey Roxboro Middle School, Right,
that's right. And uh, whenyou were named the US national team,

(22:00):
the first black woman to play forTeam USA, you got a shout
out on their podcast. Tell usabout that. You know, I've seen
the little clips about it, butthen you reached out to him, So
tell us that story a little bit. Yeah. My brother texting me or
called and was a, Kay,did you know you're on the New Heights
podcast? And I I forgot that'swhat it was called to me and I
knew of it, and I waslike, oh cool. I figured it
was just a podcast in Cleveland Heights. You know that shouted me out.

(22:23):
I was like, oh, reallycool, like send it to me or
something. And he was like,go to it on YouTube. And then
I went to a YouTube and itwas Travis and Jason Kelsey and I was
like, wait, what what?Yeah, So I went to it and
when I heard him Travis saying myname and then Jason was like cheering,
I was like, wow, thisis this is crazy. I mean I
never you know Travis, especially atthe time, I mean he still is.

(22:45):
He was one of the most famousmen in the world with the Taylor
Swift stuff and then the NFL playoffscoming up, so that was crazy and
then I was like, you knowwhat, I'm gonna just try to DM
him and say thanks for the shadow, and nothing's gonna come of it.
So I damned him and said thanksfor the shadow. It means a lot
like good luck in the play offs, and he was He replied with like
two paragraphs like oh, yeah,no problem. We were just wondering,
like your path with hockey, becausethey were wondering if I stayed and played

(23:10):
in Cleveland. And he was like, or did you do what like the
good hockey players do and leave?So I explained him my process and he
was like, oh, yeah,cool, Like I also went to rock
Pro Middle but so he obviously wentto the high school which my brother went
to and my little brother currently goesto, and then my older sister went
to Brittany. So yeah, there'sa lot of ties there. But it
was super cool. And then wehad a bit of a conversation and then

(23:33):
at the end I said, goodluck, but go Browns because they're both
from Cleveland. Oh and the okay, all right, okay, yeah,
so are you swiftie? No,I'm not, no, no, nothing
against her just because Lacy eaton yourteammates. Yeah, both onsa and the
Badgers. Probably was very jealous.Yes she was, and she was helping

(23:53):
me with the DMS to Travis,and then she wanted me to ask her
about tickets to concerts. Absolutely not, absolutely not. Again, Leila Edwards
with us here for another moment.So you've been you know, you've done
this, the first to do this, the first to do that. You
very well could be the first toskate with Team USA, the first black
player to skate with Team USA atthe Olympics in Milan, Italy in twenty

(24:18):
twenty six. You ever been toItaly? Yes, I have, but
no Milan. Okay, Yeah,I went for like some select hockey stuff
back in the day. Sure,yeah, yeah, yeah, that would
be think of that. Yeah,that would just a thought of that.
It's kind of, you know,crazy that it's even a possibility and that
I've even I'm in the position tobe considered for that, even though I

(24:40):
know it's a long process and toughto get there. But just right now,
I think I'm on the right path. So I hope that I continue
to go down this path, andyou know, the thought of being on
the Olympic team be just incredible.Yeah. I can't even imagine, you
know, being there or like whatit would be like. So, yeah,
I really hope to make that.Yeah, and if it's not,

(25:00):
I hope it's the next one.I think you're setting the path to reach
that goal very very soon, forsure. For sure. It's a lot
of fun watching you play. I'veknown Layla since I met Sheila and Sharona
actually at Lyndenwood and Saint Louis.I think it was a long long time
ago, and Laila was probably thirteenyears old or something like that, almost
just as tall as Shila. Yeah, and now you are, I think

(25:22):
taller than Shaila for inches really yeah? Three or four? Come on,
yeah, promise really, I thinkit's four. All right, So you're
you're taller than her, and you'rea better hockey player than her. No,
I'm not better. You said youwanted to be better than well,
yeah, but you're not good differentpositions, exactly, defense, yeah,
exactly. A lot of fun chattingwith you, congratulations. It's you're so

(25:45):
good as a as a speaker inpublic and listening to the questions and taking
it all in. Oftentimes young peopleget so excited they can't keep their thoughts
together. But you've been fantastic andI can see why USA Hockey and is
so excited about what's to come foryou. Oh well, thank you so
much for the kind word. Thanksfor having me. This was awesome.
Yeah good good. See how doyour folks want me to? Of course,

(26:07):
of course I well I will forsure. That's Leila Edwards going great
across UW Women's Athletics presented by GreatClips and iHeartRadio going great across UW Women's
Athletics presented by Great Clips, GreatClips. It's going to be great.