Plenty of pressure comes with the weight of being perfect. That’s something that Boston College goaltender Katie Burt knows all too well.
After going on a stunning 40-0 run, the Boston College women’s team fell just short of a perfect season with a loss to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in the national championship game. While it was a disappointing end to an otherwise spectacular season, Burt knows that one game does not define a season.
“It’s tough to look back on so soon, but overall, I think our season was tremendous. Even though we fell short of our goal, we were able to push the program forward,” said the sophomore goalie.
The team had one rule during its undefeated regular season: take it day by day. Under the direction of Boston College Head Coach Katie King Crowley, the Eagles strove to quickly put each game behind them after the final buzzer sounded, wiping the slate clean for the next one.
“We learned from each game, of course,” Burt said. “But we didn’t dwell on them.”
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Katie Burt #33Position: Goaltender |
Practicing against talented teammates like Alex Carpenter, who won a silver medal with the 2014 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team and received the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2015, has helped Burt grow as a goaltender.
“It gives me a ton of confidence. As a goaltender, knowing that my team will probably score early on, usually within the first five or 10 minutes, enables me to take a breath and just worry about doing my job,” she said. “At this level, all of the goalies are pretty similar in skill, so the most important thing is to have confidence. This position is very mental.”
The Lynn, Mass., native is no stranger to the international stage. As a member of the U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team, she back stopped her squad to a gold-medal win over Canada, an experience that prepared her for the pressures of so much attention.
“Katie had a great year for us. She is the backbone of our defensive core and did a great job using what she learned last year to put her team in a spot to win a national championship this year,” said King Crowley, herself a three-time Olympian.
“I’m proud of all she has accomplished and I know it’s only going to continue getting better through her career.”
For all of her success, Burt knows that the key to maintaining her edge is to never get complacent.
“There’s always something that every player needs to work on,” Burt said. “The goalie position is changing constantly, so I try to look at what other players are doing and I do my best to incorporate some of those things into my own game.”
With the Frozen Four behind her, Burt has her sights set on whatever the future holds.
“Anything can happen, which any hockey player knows,” she said. “A few years ago, I didn’t make [the U.S. Women’s National Festival], and then I ended up on the U18 team. So anything can happen. Anything is possible.”
Youth Star
Audrey Wheeler
Age: 9
South Bend, Ind.
For Audrey Wheeler, hockey has always been a family affair. When her older brother took up the sport, watching him play sparked Audrey’s interest, and she soon followed. In 2012, Audrey began attending Learn to Skate programs and graduated from Mites to Squirts.
Early on, she got a taste for the goaltender position, influenced by her team’s policy to have each player try standing in the crease for a game or two. For Audrey, the pads fit perfectly.
“I like playing goalie because when you make a great save, everyone on the team cheers for you,” said the fourth grader who is the only girl on the Irish Rovers Squirt A travel team.
Even in her free time, it’s hard to tear Audrey away from the rink. When she’s not on the ice, you can find her sitting in the stands, cheering for her brother. The South Bend, Ind., native has been to almost too many Notre Dame hockey games to count, and loves watching the Chicago Blackhawks.
In the rare moments that she’s not playing or watching hockey, Audrey enjoys softball and archery. But for Audrey, life is really all about playing hockey.
“I just love it because it’s fun.”