University of Minnesota Athletics
Five Minutes with Sierra Smith
2/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - Junior Sierra Smith spoke with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann before last Saturday's WCHA First Round game against St. Cloud State. Smith discusses growing up in Texas, getting into hockey, her recent engagement, playoff hockey, and more.
Listen to Sierra Smith's interview.
Dan Hamann: Today I am joined by very special player guest Sierra Smith, a junior from Stillwater. Sierra, a strange situation for you last night. All year long, playing forward, and all of a sudden, I couldn't find you on the line sheet and I looked way down to the bottom and there you are playing defense. What was up with that? When did you find out, first of all, that you were going to be playing defense last night?
Sierra Smith: Well, I've practiced defense off and on all year but never really played because of our line situation. But, now that Kippin is back, there's a spot for me on D and I found out right before the game that that's where I'd be.
DH: Have you played much defense at all in games at either the high school level or the college level?
SS: No, I think that might be my second shift at defense.
DH: And how did it go for you?
SS: Pretty good. I was a little nervous. My legs kind of gave out on me whenever I was skating back for the puck. I tried to turn backwards, but I figured that would be a bad idea because I wasn't sure if I would fall or not so I skated forward. But, I made it through, made a good breakout pass and we were good.
DH: I've talked to Sophie Skarzynski about this because she has been moved back and forth more times than you can imagine. And I ask, what is her preference, and she likes forward. You haven't had too much experience at D but, now that you've had a few shifts, what is your preference?
SS: I think I like D better honestly. Through practice and everything else, I think there's more opportunity for me there. I just enjoy it more. I like having the play in front of me.
DH: That's a good enough reason for us too. Some background information on you because you're not a native Minnesotan, are you? You were born and spent the first few years of your playing career down in Texas. So, how does a girl from Texas start playing hockey?
SS: Yeah, so, I moved up to Minnesota when I was in eighth grade so I was fourteen. I grew up there, started playing hockey there. I started playing ice hockey in fifth grade and roller hockey prior to that. We were golfers and my mom thought hockey was similar to golf in some way and the Dallas Stars had just won the Stanley Cup. Hockey was just starting to get big in Texas. So, my mom put me and figure skating and my brother in hockey, and I wanted to be like my brother, so, I started playing hockey.
DH: And then, when you were in eighth grade -- this is the story I get from your mom, so, if the story is incorrect, please blame her -- but, in eighth grade you moved to Minnesota, primarily because you wanted to play hockey, is that right?
SS: That and there weren't many opportunities for us in Texas on the job market so, one day we just said, 'Let's go.' And, we packed up and left, on my birthday, actually. But, hockey was the main reason of why we came up here, yes.
DH: All the way, that whole drive up to Minnesota, what was going through your mind, as far as, at least, your opportunities to play the game?
SS: I was excited. I didn't really know what there was for me. I didn't really know girls played hockey, I didn't know if they had girls teams, so I was a little nervous for how the transition would be but it worked out well.
DH: You got to Minnesota, landed in Stillwater, and, what were your first experiences playing for the Ponies?
SS: Well, it was exciting, obviously. It was different playing with girls, and I struggled, well, I don't know if I struggled, but, it was just very different. I played bantam hockey and I had just made the high school team down in Texas before coming up, and it was just a big transition. It was a lot of fun and I made a lot of friends. I was, obviously, able to connect with the girls differently than the boys so, it was nice having those relationships.
DH: On a personal note, congratulations on your engagement. Not many people may know that, I don't know how much you want to divulge about that, it is kind of a personal thing. But, it's got to be an exciting time, so, talk a little bit about your fiance, and how did he go about proposing?
SS: Yeah, so, Ben, my fiance, proposed to me on December 23, 2017. We went to a family Christmas party, we were out in Texas visiting my dad, and, he popped the question there. It was nice.
DH: Did he get down on one knee, or did he pick a romantic spot?
SS: Yeah, so, my step-mom goes, 'Hey, we're going to go outside and take some pictures.' So, I kind of knew this was happening. I was pretty nervous, too. We started taking pictures all around the ranch, and then we got to this one spot and there was a sign. But, you couldn't see the sign because there was a jacket over it. And I was like, 'Well, what is that?' Texas sky was in the back, Texas sunset, and all of a sudden, Perfect by Ed Sheeran comes on; my brother had it playing on the speaker. Then, they pulled the jacket off and the sign had a 'D' for Drayton, which is his last name. And, he said a whole bunch of stuff to me, I don't really remember what he said, but then, he got down on one knee and the rest is history.
DH: No pressure there at all in front of your entire family, huh?
SS: Yeah pretty much. He told my parents that he just wanted it to be us and, of course, it was my entire family.
DH: Well, that's exciting, congratulations. And, I know you were hyped up about the Valentine's gift he gave you, and you showed me, and I got to tell you, I am going to steal that gift idea because, it is a marvelous gift idea. If you could tell the rest of the listeners out there what that was?
SS: I can't remember what the brand is, but he made me a book. Each page has a different thing, like, a free coupon when you're sick, I'll take care of you. Or, a 'I love it when you do this' type of thing, and he was able to make the images look similar to us so you could kind of see what was going on.
DH: Alright, now, playoff hockey, here, can't get much more pressure than this. I've asked almost all the players this but, what do you think it will take in order to reach the NCAA tournament?
SS: Yeah, honestly, I think we just have to believe. We have to come together and believe that we have the talent and the skill, and trust in our abilities. It's going to take a bit of luck, but first we have to believe.
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