University of Minnesota Athletics
Five Minutes with Kelsey Cline
2/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- Senior Kelsey Cline reflects on her Gophers career so far, including her experience playing both forward and defense, mental toughness and keeping a positive attitude, and more as the University of Minnesota women's hockey team prepares for the final three weeks of the regular season.
Gopher Sports: How have injuries affected the team this year?
Kelsey Cline: It's crazy. I have never been a part of a team that has been like this, injury after injury. They're all weird injuries, too, ones that you normally don't get all in one season. Here we are facing them week after week. It is just a good time for people to step up and obviously for me it's a chance to step up and fill those missing forwards roles the best I can.
GS: You're normally a defenseman but have been asked to fill it at forward from time to time. When is the last time you played forward?
KC: I was trying to think of that. I think the last time might have been at St. Cloud State either freshmen or sophomore year. I do know I scored a goal one time [at St. Cloud]. That was freshmen year I am pretty sure. It's been awhile, but I got a full week of practice at forward this week working with Lindsey, Sophie, and us three, we communicate a lot and communicate well together so hopefully they make the transition easy.
GS: What's the most difficult part of switching between forward and defense for you?
KC: For me, I think it's being a winger. When I have moved up, I played center and at least for our team the center takes almost a defensive role in the defensive zone. So, for me, I guess the hardest thing as a winger is stopping myself from going low to the corners and getting pucks and being patient and waiting for the defender and center work together to get it out.
GS: Do you look forward to playing forward?
KC: In high school, I played the majority as a forward. You know I've missed it; it's fun. You get to bring out more of your creative side. I think it will be just a fun opportunity to mix it up and do something different. I have obviously been defense here for three years now and half way through this year, but just to mix it up and get a new look at the game and work with Lindsey and Sophie each shift will be really fun.
GS: How do you keep a positive attitude even when the team is struggling?
KC: It's super hard. At least from my perspective, being a senior, it's my last year of hockey so you have X, Y, and Z, people getting hurt, this and that, but at the end of the day everyone on our team is a really good hockey player. People have the ability to step up and keep that positive energy and believe in ourselves. It's not going to be perfect all the time, but just working hard and working through that as best we can is something we try to focus on every night.
GS: What kind of legacy to you think you're leaving behind here?
KC: I think I will just leave behind a legacy of being a really good teammate, always having a really positive attitude and energy, and always being there for my teammates, just giving my best effort all the time. Obviously, it's not going to be a legacy of all these pretty plays and pretty points, but just having that grinder mentality, being a good teammate, and working your butt off.
GS: What's your mentality as being a player who's not in the spotlight all the time?
KC: At least for our team, defense is super important and with each other we get that gratification when we play a really good defensive game. People aren't really going to talk about that, but at least within each other we know that so we can cheer each other on. It definitely takes a special person and a different kind of mentality to be able to tell yourself that was a really good shift, or if defensively we didn't do this or that, maybe they score, and it's a different game. Being able to see a different perspective and pat yourself on the back even though others might not, you learn to do that.
GS: What are your career plans, and do you know if they will include hockey at all?
KC: I still am figuring it out. If it does include hockey, it would most likely be more in a coaching side of it, not really playing. I think now, just because we are going into the final month, month and a half, I will just kind-of focus on finishing the season and being with my teammates and stuff and then once all of that is over and calms down, I will look more into the job stuff.
Listen to Cline's complete interview hosted by the voice of Gopher women's hockey, Dan Hamann.
Cline's Favorites...
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite musician: Beyonce
Favorite color: Baby blue
Favorite movie: The Notebook
Favorite TV show: Quantico
Favorite sport other than hockey: Tennis
Favorite practice drill: White Power Play
Favorite class at the U: Creating Identities Throught Art and Performance
Favorite spot on campus: Treehouse
Favorite book: Green Eggs and Ham
Favorite candy: Kit-Kat
Favorite animal: Puppy
Favorite post-game meal: Qdoba
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite Halloween costume you wore as a kid: Barney
Role model: Sasha Wolfe
Favorite thing to do in your spare time: Go to plays
Favorite thing about the Twin Cities: There are a lot of different things to do and see.
First job you had: Cashier at Westwood Sports
Biggest fear: Robbers
Who would play you in a movie: Melissa McCarthy
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