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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Five Minutes with Emma May
1/16/2019 11:41:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Senior goaltender Emma May chatted with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann last weekend.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Senior goaltender Emma May chatted with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann last weekend before game one between the Gophers and Mavericks. May shares her fondest memories of her Gopher career, her nature as a goaltender, projects away from hockey, and more.
Dan Hamann: And welcome back to Verizon Center, this weekend as the Gophers take on the MSU Mankato Mavericks. My player guest today is senior goaltender, Emma May. She comes to us from Eagan, Minnesota, and is a Cretin-Derham Hall graduate. Emma, being a senior now, as you reflect on your time here with the University of Minnesota, what is your fondest memory?
Emma May: Geez, I don't know. There's just so many! As a team, we've all come together and became such good friends. Probably the best memory that I can remember is winning the national championship my freshman year. That was such a surreal moment; we were all jumping on the ice, and there were helmets everywhere. Lee Stecklein even cut herself with the trophy. We were so excited.
DH: I vaguely remember that. That trophy was heavier than you think it really is, and the base was pretty sharp, wasn't it?
EM: Definitely. I was amazed when I touched it. It was like touching the gold medal when Hannah Brant brought her medal in. I was like, "Oh my gosh, I've never seen something so beautiful!"
DH: You've always been a consummate team player. You're always there to support your teammates, however and wherever you can. As you look back on your legacy here, what would be the one thing you would want to be remembered by when people remember you?
EM: Just as a welcoming person, I think. It's always hard coming in as a freshman and not really knowing a lot of the girls on the team. I just want people to remember to always be welcoming and to be warm to each other. College is scary. You just want to be able to have people come in and create that atmosphere of friendship and family.
DH: Goaltenders seem to be very possessive, meaning that once they come to a college or high school, they want the goal crease to themselves and don't want to share it too much. That doesn't really seem to be the case with you. You actually kind of seem to be the welcoming, "Hey, let's bring in more goaltenders here," and want to share the wealth.
EM: Definitely. I think it just comes from me knowing my spot on the team and knowing where I'm most useful. I love when we have new people come in, and it's better when we have good goalies come in and can push our team just a little bit more. Especially when Sydney Scobee came in, we were able to push the team a little further, because we have so many different ranges of goalies; tall, small, everything. It's awesome for us. Either way, I love having a new goalie partner.
DH: It seems that the competition has certainly elevated Alex Gulstene's game. And Sydney has had a good year, too. It's going to be tough for the coaches to make a decision as the wire comes down to an end. It could go one way or the other, especially during tournament time, don't you think?
EM: Yeah. They are both very good at different areas of their skill set, so I think it's going to come down to who is the most comfortable in the net at that point and who the team really wants to play with.
DH: Goaltenders, stereotypically, are a bit over-superstitious. Do you have any superstitions of your own?
EM: I can't say I have many superstitions, except for keeping it lose before the game. I'm always dancing and singing. But, I definitely am one that likes to make sure that I talk to everyone on the ice, so when everyone is getting off, I make sure I give everyone a high-five so, I think if anything, that would be my biggest superstition. I just want to make sure that everyone feels like they are ready for the game.
DH: In the past, we've talked about projects that you've done, like in high school you did a cyber-bullying website. Do you have any projects or anything you work with away from the ice, as far as giving back or contributing to the community?
EM: Yeah, I'm an avid volunteer for the M.A.G.I.C. program. I do a lot with the Masonic Children's Hospital. One of my favorite days is probably superhero day, because I get to dress up and act like a goofball, and the kids love it. I try to do as much as I can with them with the time that I'm given. I think it's always important to give back.
DH: You keep busier than just about anyone else I know in college. I'm sure you probably carry a full course load as well. You do volunteer work, and work with the Minnesota Wild. Talk about how that job came to be and what exactly you do with them.
EM: So I work on the promotional team. I was really lucky to find the job; I just went to a networking event and ended up meeting Jim Vanek, who is now my boss. He went to Cretin-Derham Hall and he liked my enthusiasm and how excited I was to work, so he put me on the team right away. Basically, I do all the game days that I can there, and try to manage my time. I always know that our hockey always comes first before my job, so if something gets in the way of our hockey here, I make sure that I cancel and talk to Jim, who is always really good about it. They're awesome over there, and I love working for the Wild, so I hope to continue that.
DH: A couple weeks ago, you got to meet 1980 Olympian, Jim Craig. Where is Jim Craig on your totem, as far as goaltender idols?
EM: Oh, he's the highest, easily. I was definitely drooling a little when I met him, and my boss was like, "Emma, you're okay." He's such a great speaker, and everything he says is from the heart. It was awesome to get to talk with him to get his thoughts on goaltending and life later on, after goaltending.
DH: As your career comes to a close here in the next couple of months, how are you going to be able to handle that? I don't know if you're an overly emotional person, but I imagine like most seniors, it's going to be pretty tough.
EM: I think it will be really tough in the sense of not having that team atmosphere anymore. That's where I find my home, with all of the girls. So figuring out how to step away from all of the girls and find my own path and journey will be interesting, but fun at the same time. A ride, that's for sure.
DH: Is hockey in your future, as far as coaching goaltenders?
EM: Not that I'm aware of at this point. I think once I'm done with hockey, I might put the pads away, just to give my body a little bit of a rest.
DH: As always, it's been fun having you around. It's been a pleasure talking to you today. You're going to be really missed, and you know that right?
EM: We'll see (laughs).
DH: Emma May, best of luck to you in the future.
EM: Thank you.
DH: This is Golden Gopher Women's Hockey.
###
| Listen to Emma May's interview. |
Dan Hamann: And welcome back to Verizon Center, this weekend as the Gophers take on the MSU Mankato Mavericks. My player guest today is senior goaltender, Emma May. She comes to us from Eagan, Minnesota, and is a Cretin-Derham Hall graduate. Emma, being a senior now, as you reflect on your time here with the University of Minnesota, what is your fondest memory?
Emma May: Geez, I don't know. There's just so many! As a team, we've all come together and became such good friends. Probably the best memory that I can remember is winning the national championship my freshman year. That was such a surreal moment; we were all jumping on the ice, and there were helmets everywhere. Lee Stecklein even cut herself with the trophy. We were so excited.
DH: I vaguely remember that. That trophy was heavier than you think it really is, and the base was pretty sharp, wasn't it?
EM: Definitely. I was amazed when I touched it. It was like touching the gold medal when Hannah Brant brought her medal in. I was like, "Oh my gosh, I've never seen something so beautiful!"
DH: You've always been a consummate team player. You're always there to support your teammates, however and wherever you can. As you look back on your legacy here, what would be the one thing you would want to be remembered by when people remember you?
EM: Just as a welcoming person, I think. It's always hard coming in as a freshman and not really knowing a lot of the girls on the team. I just want people to remember to always be welcoming and to be warm to each other. College is scary. You just want to be able to have people come in and create that atmosphere of friendship and family.
DH: Goaltenders seem to be very possessive, meaning that once they come to a college or high school, they want the goal crease to themselves and don't want to share it too much. That doesn't really seem to be the case with you. You actually kind of seem to be the welcoming, "Hey, let's bring in more goaltenders here," and want to share the wealth.
EM: Definitely. I think it just comes from me knowing my spot on the team and knowing where I'm most useful. I love when we have new people come in, and it's better when we have good goalies come in and can push our team just a little bit more. Especially when Sydney Scobee came in, we were able to push the team a little further, because we have so many different ranges of goalies; tall, small, everything. It's awesome for us. Either way, I love having a new goalie partner.
DH: It seems that the competition has certainly elevated Alex Gulstene's game. And Sydney has had a good year, too. It's going to be tough for the coaches to make a decision as the wire comes down to an end. It could go one way or the other, especially during tournament time, don't you think?
EM: Yeah. They are both very good at different areas of their skill set, so I think it's going to come down to who is the most comfortable in the net at that point and who the team really wants to play with.
DH: Goaltenders, stereotypically, are a bit over-superstitious. Do you have any superstitions of your own?
EM: I can't say I have many superstitions, except for keeping it lose before the game. I'm always dancing and singing. But, I definitely am one that likes to make sure that I talk to everyone on the ice, so when everyone is getting off, I make sure I give everyone a high-five so, I think if anything, that would be my biggest superstition. I just want to make sure that everyone feels like they are ready for the game.
DH: In the past, we've talked about projects that you've done, like in high school you did a cyber-bullying website. Do you have any projects or anything you work with away from the ice, as far as giving back or contributing to the community?
EM: Yeah, I'm an avid volunteer for the M.A.G.I.C. program. I do a lot with the Masonic Children's Hospital. One of my favorite days is probably superhero day, because I get to dress up and act like a goofball, and the kids love it. I try to do as much as I can with them with the time that I'm given. I think it's always important to give back.
DH: You keep busier than just about anyone else I know in college. I'm sure you probably carry a full course load as well. You do volunteer work, and work with the Minnesota Wild. Talk about how that job came to be and what exactly you do with them.
EM: So I work on the promotional team. I was really lucky to find the job; I just went to a networking event and ended up meeting Jim Vanek, who is now my boss. He went to Cretin-Derham Hall and he liked my enthusiasm and how excited I was to work, so he put me on the team right away. Basically, I do all the game days that I can there, and try to manage my time. I always know that our hockey always comes first before my job, so if something gets in the way of our hockey here, I make sure that I cancel and talk to Jim, who is always really good about it. They're awesome over there, and I love working for the Wild, so I hope to continue that.
DH: A couple weeks ago, you got to meet 1980 Olympian, Jim Craig. Where is Jim Craig on your totem, as far as goaltender idols?
EM: Oh, he's the highest, easily. I was definitely drooling a little when I met him, and my boss was like, "Emma, you're okay." He's such a great speaker, and everything he says is from the heart. It was awesome to get to talk with him to get his thoughts on goaltending and life later on, after goaltending.
DH: As your career comes to a close here in the next couple of months, how are you going to be able to handle that? I don't know if you're an overly emotional person, but I imagine like most seniors, it's going to be pretty tough.
EM: I think it will be really tough in the sense of not having that team atmosphere anymore. That's where I find my home, with all of the girls. So figuring out how to step away from all of the girls and find my own path and journey will be interesting, but fun at the same time. A ride, that's for sure.
DH: Is hockey in your future, as far as coaching goaltenders?
EM: Not that I'm aware of at this point. I think once I'm done with hockey, I might put the pads away, just to give my body a little bit of a rest.
DH: As always, it's been fun having you around. It's been a pleasure talking to you today. You're going to be really missed, and you know that right?
EM: We'll see (laughs).
DH: Emma May, best of luck to you in the future.
EM: Thank you.
DH: This is Golden Gopher Women's Hockey.
###
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