How Ice Hockey Player Laila Edwards Gets In The Zone

In Bustle’s The Pregame, we ask athletes about their pregame rituals. How do they get in the zone? What do they listen to? Do they have any superstitions? What’s on their pump-up playlist? Here, Team USA ice hockey player and Red Bull athlete Laila Edwards shares her most memorable career moment, playlist faves, and the comfort shows she loves.

Laila Edwards got the call that she’d made Team USA’s Olympic ice hockey team on Dec. 31. While it was a great way to start the new year, all the work that led to that moment made it even sweeter.

Tryouts started last August, and Edwards says it was a bit of a roller coaster. “There were good times and not-so-good times, but I think once I was progressing at a constant rate, that's when I felt more confident in my chances of making the team,” she tells Bustle. Now, she’s ready to rise to the occasion of the Milano Cortina Games (Feb. 6-22).

Edwards, 22, first stepped onto the ice at age 3. First, she tried figure skating and speed skating, but hockey ultimately won her over. By the time she was 8, she was traveling around the country for games. At 12, she chose to attend boarding school in New York so she could focus even more on the sport. She dreamed of pursuing hockey professionally. All of these years later, she doesn’t forget the people who made that possible for her.

“My life's too chaotic to rely on superstition.”

“My parents sacrificed so much just to let me keep doing what I love and get as much exposure from scouts as much as I could,” she says. “I owe a lot of thanks to them.”

Edwards says she didn’t grow up in a big hockey state (the sport wasn’t particularly popular in Ohio), but her family constantly supported her pursuits. Now, thanks in part to a GoFundMe page and a notable donation from the Kelce brothers, 14 members of her family will be heading to Italy to watch Edwards on the ice.

Now she’s a senior on the University of Wisconsin’s D1 team and is taking her skills to her first Olympic Games. She’s already won two International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships and was the youngest player ever to be named Tournament MVP at just 20.

Below, Edwards shares how she prepares to play, what she can’t wait to experience at the Olympics, and the songs that pump her up.

What do you do to get in the zone before a game?

I put in my headphones and drink a Red Bull. That's it. I just shuffle my top songs. It could be anything from “Headlines” by Drake or “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish.

Do you have any other superstitions or good luck charms?

No, it helps not having too much to depend on. My life's too chaotic to rely on superstition.

Do you have any pregame rituals with your teammates?

We play a little bit of soccer before hitting the ice. We just kick the ball around, and some of us go on the bench and tape our sticks. We have some handshakes that we do, but we keep it simple.

What’s been the most memorable moment of your career thus far?

Freshman year, I won the national championship with my sister, which was pretty cool. Then the following year, when I made the U.S. team, I was the first Black woman to do so, and that's something I take a lot of pride in.

How do you wind down after an intense game?

If it's an away game, I get on the bus and put in my headphones and listen to some music. If it’s a home game, I might grab food with my family or watch one of my comfort shows like Grey’s Anatomy or Criminal Minds.

What are you most looking forward to experiencing in Italy?

Being among other really cool athletes in their respective sports. I think it's going to be super cool.

Is there anything else you want to add?

Just watch women's sports. That's all I have to say.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.