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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Five Minutes with Emily Oden
11/11/2018 8:20:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Rookie forward Emily Oden chatted with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann last weekend.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Freshman forward Emily Oden joined the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann before Minnesota's 2-1 win over Bemidji State last weekend. Oden discusses the transition from high school to college hockey, winning back-to-back state titles, playing for the U.S. Under-18 Team, settling in at the University of Minnesota, and more.
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Dan Hamann: Welcome back to Gopher Women's Hockey, today from Ridder Arena as the Gophers go for the sweep against the Bemidji State Beavers. I'm joined today by freshman forward, Emily Oden. Out of Edina, Minnesota, and with a goal and assist last night. The transition from high school to college has seemed seamless; you've really added a lot to this team and contributed early. Has that been a surprise for you at all?
Emily Oden: Yeah, coming in, it has definitely been a lot of getting used to. Being a couple games in, it's been getting easier to settle in, know my role on the team, figure out how others are playing, and figure out where I fit in.
DH: What was it like for the first couple of games for you? I know taking to other freshmen, that they were pretty nervous. How was it for you?
EO: I was definitely really nervous, but the excitement definitely took over the nerves. I was able to play with more excitement and was ready to get after it.
DH: You were high school teammates with senior Taylor Williamson, so you reunited a little bit. What do you remember as a freshman when she was a senior in high school? What was Taylor really like? Let's get the low-down.
EO: She was a really good leader. Obviously, being one of the younger ones on the high school team, it was definitely helpful to have a leader and a captain like Taylor. She helped me fit in and helped me on and off the ice.
DH: What kind of things did she say or do that helped you specifically? If you can think of one thing. Was she more of a leader by example, or more of a vocal leader?
EO: Definitely more of a leader by example. Every time we got on the ice, she always gave the extra effort and was working hard and really set an example of how we should be practicing every day.
DH: Now, you probably carried that advice to heart, because as a junior and senior, you won back to back state championships. Was there anything more satisfying than getting out there on the ice at the Xcel Energy Center and representing your school and winning a state championship?
EO: Coming from Edina and having a team who has never won the state championship before, it was a huge honor and accomplishment for not only our team that year, but for the Edina hockey program.
DH: How about at U18? You won a couple of goals there at U18 tournaments. How does that compare to a state tournament?
EO: They're obviously very different. In high school, you've been with the team for so long, and then on U18, you're on a team with very talented players, and you have to figure out how to work with them in a matter of two weeks. But, being able to represent the country at the U18 level is very awesome, and being able to beat Canada is always a good time.
DH: Absolutely. Do you have any favorite memories as you look back at the U18 experience? Or what was your experience trying out? I can imagine at that age it was very nerve-wracking.
EO: Yeah, it was really nerve wracking. That was the first time I had played with that many talented players and I think that was the most fun I had, being able to play with such highly respected players and get to know people that I had never played with before.
DH: How long did it take for you to realize that you could hold your own there on a team like that?
EO: My first year there, I was one of the younger ones on the team and wasn't playing as much and I started to settle into that role. Coming back for my second year, I knew that I definitely belonged and was able to contribute.
DH: Let's talk about what college is like and that transition. From your player bio, you do plan to major in business, what kind of classes have you been taking this fall? How has school been in general?
EO: I say I'm planning on studying business, but I'm not 100% declared that. I'm taking the classic requirements, like writing and English requirements. It's been going well. I've been settling in.
DH: Do you have any favorites right now or maybe a class you're looking forward to for next semester?
EO: I'm in a science class that's really interesting; it's a human evolution/anthropology class, but I'm looking forward to next semester and getting into some classes, now that I know what I like and what I don't like.
DH: Some of your hobbies that I read about in your player bio is that you enjoy rock climbing. To me, that would seem quite dangerous at times, but what kind of rock climbing do you like to do and where do you usually go to do that activity? Â
EO: I haven't done a lot of rock climbing, only a couple of times since when I was younger, but when I was in Idaho, we went up and there were different areas that you could go. It's something that's fun and different than what you would do in Minnesota.
DH: So you haven't scaled El Capitan or anything like that?
EO: No, not yet.
DH: Do you have any plans or any aspirations to?
EO: Probably not (laughs). It's definitely something I could do more, but being in Minnesota…
DH: Unfortunately here in Minnesota, we don't have a lot of big mountains. And for me, I prefer to keep my feet on the ground. What do you see as this team's direction? Because for a lot of freshmen, you came in with a big incoming class, and I'm sure you knew most, if not all, of them coming in. What do you see as the team's aspirations and goals?
EO: We have a really strong freshman class, which I think obviously helps out. We have a lot of great leadership because we have so many seniors this year, so work together as a whole team instead of only in your class or on the upperclassman to get things done. We have a lot of skill throughout the team.
DH: Best of luck, Emily, and keep scoring those goals.
EO: Thank you.
###
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| EMILY ODEN INTERVIEW |
Dan Hamann: Welcome back to Gopher Women's Hockey, today from Ridder Arena as the Gophers go for the sweep against the Bemidji State Beavers. I'm joined today by freshman forward, Emily Oden. Out of Edina, Minnesota, and with a goal and assist last night. The transition from high school to college has seemed seamless; you've really added a lot to this team and contributed early. Has that been a surprise for you at all?
Emily Oden: Yeah, coming in, it has definitely been a lot of getting used to. Being a couple games in, it's been getting easier to settle in, know my role on the team, figure out how others are playing, and figure out where I fit in.
DH: What was it like for the first couple of games for you? I know taking to other freshmen, that they were pretty nervous. How was it for you?
EO: I was definitely really nervous, but the excitement definitely took over the nerves. I was able to play with more excitement and was ready to get after it.
DH: You were high school teammates with senior Taylor Williamson, so you reunited a little bit. What do you remember as a freshman when she was a senior in high school? What was Taylor really like? Let's get the low-down.
EO: She was a really good leader. Obviously, being one of the younger ones on the high school team, it was definitely helpful to have a leader and a captain like Taylor. She helped me fit in and helped me on and off the ice.
DH: What kind of things did she say or do that helped you specifically? If you can think of one thing. Was she more of a leader by example, or more of a vocal leader?
EO: Definitely more of a leader by example. Every time we got on the ice, she always gave the extra effort and was working hard and really set an example of how we should be practicing every day.
DH: Now, you probably carried that advice to heart, because as a junior and senior, you won back to back state championships. Was there anything more satisfying than getting out there on the ice at the Xcel Energy Center and representing your school and winning a state championship?
EO: Coming from Edina and having a team who has never won the state championship before, it was a huge honor and accomplishment for not only our team that year, but for the Edina hockey program.
DH: How about at U18? You won a couple of goals there at U18 tournaments. How does that compare to a state tournament?
EO: They're obviously very different. In high school, you've been with the team for so long, and then on U18, you're on a team with very talented players, and you have to figure out how to work with them in a matter of two weeks. But, being able to represent the country at the U18 level is very awesome, and being able to beat Canada is always a good time.
DH: Absolutely. Do you have any favorite memories as you look back at the U18 experience? Or what was your experience trying out? I can imagine at that age it was very nerve-wracking.
EO: Yeah, it was really nerve wracking. That was the first time I had played with that many talented players and I think that was the most fun I had, being able to play with such highly respected players and get to know people that I had never played with before.
DH: How long did it take for you to realize that you could hold your own there on a team like that?
EO: My first year there, I was one of the younger ones on the team and wasn't playing as much and I started to settle into that role. Coming back for my second year, I knew that I definitely belonged and was able to contribute.
DH: Let's talk about what college is like and that transition. From your player bio, you do plan to major in business, what kind of classes have you been taking this fall? How has school been in general?
EO: I say I'm planning on studying business, but I'm not 100% declared that. I'm taking the classic requirements, like writing and English requirements. It's been going well. I've been settling in.
DH: Do you have any favorites right now or maybe a class you're looking forward to for next semester?
EO: I'm in a science class that's really interesting; it's a human evolution/anthropology class, but I'm looking forward to next semester and getting into some classes, now that I know what I like and what I don't like.
DH: Some of your hobbies that I read about in your player bio is that you enjoy rock climbing. To me, that would seem quite dangerous at times, but what kind of rock climbing do you like to do and where do you usually go to do that activity? Â
EO: I haven't done a lot of rock climbing, only a couple of times since when I was younger, but when I was in Idaho, we went up and there were different areas that you could go. It's something that's fun and different than what you would do in Minnesota.
DH: So you haven't scaled El Capitan or anything like that?
EO: No, not yet.
DH: Do you have any plans or any aspirations to?
EO: Probably not (laughs). It's definitely something I could do more, but being in Minnesota…
DH: Unfortunately here in Minnesota, we don't have a lot of big mountains. And for me, I prefer to keep my feet on the ground. What do you see as this team's direction? Because for a lot of freshmen, you came in with a big incoming class, and I'm sure you knew most, if not all, of them coming in. What do you see as the team's aspirations and goals?
EO: We have a really strong freshman class, which I think obviously helps out. We have a lot of great leadership because we have so many seniors this year, so work together as a whole team instead of only in your class or on the upperclassman to get things done. We have a lot of skill throughout the team.
DH: Best of luck, Emily, and keep scoring those goals.
EO: Thank you.
###
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