When Katie Evans was a mere 11 years old, she had a dream of becoming an Olympic athlete. The torch had passed through her town as part of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the young hockey player knew that on the pitch representing USA was where she wanted to be.
Fast forward to 2008 and right after the Beijing Olympics Katie began the final leg in achieving her dream. She was selected for the US team and hockey became her entire life. “My life became all about hockey, travelling the world, playing matches and wearing the USA uniform,” she recalls. “My ultimate goal was still ahead of me though. My eyes were fixed on the 2012 Olympics in London.”
However, Katie’s dreams were dashed when, in 2012, the coach cut the squad and Katie found herself off the roster. Within 24 hours of receiving the news, she was moving out of the Olympic Training Centre and back home to Pennsylvania.
Katie has been writing a blog for the WiSP World – a monthly podcast of news, magazine show – with editions from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The show is hosted by a number of regular presenters and co-hosts and gives a stage to female sports people across the world.
In the case of Katie, it is a story of an athlete whose dreams were shattered but who picked herself up to create a new life. In this Olympic year, it is a story that will resonate with many athletes in many sports.
While plaudits and adulation are given to those who do make the grade, there are many, many athletes who have given their lives to training only to fall at the last hurdle. When the dream is shattered, what do you do next?
“I had graduated from college five years earlier, so I decided the best thing to do would be to get a job. The only problem was, in those five years, I had gathered zero work related experience. I could have coached and immersed myself back in hockey, but a return to the hockey world was not an option.”
When she did get a job, with a small division of fashion giant Ralph Lauren, Katie cried the whole way home from the interview. “This marked one step further from the hockey field. Every good thing that happened was always overshadowed by what would never be.”
As time went by, Katie was able to return to her sport. She played in a league in Manhattan: “It was strong and filled with talented and wonderful people. Most importantly, it was fun. It became a major part of the healing process.”
It was when she was out on a training run with a friend from the hockey league that Katie had her lightbulb moment. “I mentioned that I would always see women looking for maternity workout apparel… suddenly my mind became clear.” Katie and her friend spent the six mile run planning the new venture.
Four years after her heart was broken by hockey, Katie is on the verge of launching Babu Activewear – maternity wear that allows pregnant women to continue to exercise in style and comfort. “As fate would have it, by continuing to love the game, it provided me with another opportunity to pursue, and a new goal to fulfill.
“I miss hockey every day… I’m not sure the wound will fully heal. With that being said, I’ve also come to realise that the goals we craft ourselves are amazing and help us become the best version of ourselves.”
Katie gave this interview to WiSP Sport, and she is just one of a number of female hockey players and coaches who have appeared on the show in the past year. With a dedicated hockey show all set to launch soon, WiSP is helping to raise the profile of hockey across the globe. To find out more, visit their website: www.wispsports.com
