Email interview 2009.
Q. What is your nickname?
A. My nick name is Ivet. Not really sure why but I guess its just a short and easy way to say my name.
Q. What is your parent's attitude towards playing hockey?
A. Dad played hockey and my older brother plays hockey too so it wasn’t big surprise when i said I want to try it. They liked the idea that I would do some sport. Of course they would have been happier for something gentler like ballet, gymnastics or tennis but they were always my biggest fans.
Q. What is their occupation?
A. Dad is coach and works for the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation and mom works in a office.
Q. Brothers and sisters?
A. 1 brother (23 years-old) who plays hockey
Q. Favorite thing about your team-mates?
A. Would be our strong team spirit and that we can have lots of fun together.
Q. Tell us some highlights of your hockey history.
A.I started to play hockey when I was 6 years old. My dad coached one season in Italy where I started with hockey and then continued in Slovakia. I played with boys till I was 16 years old. Then I went to high school in Canada where I played for Caronport High School in Saskatchewan for 2 years. Right after I moved home for one year. Then I played for a team in Linkoping, Sweden. It is now my third season and I am an assistant captain.
The first time I played for the national team I was 12 years old and my first World Championship I was 14 years-old. I have been an Assistant Captain on the national team for 2 years now. And last season I was the captain for our University Slovak team that played in 24th Universidad in China.
I was also named the best Slovak hockey player for season 2007/2008
Q. What is your favourite hockey game you've played in and why?
A. It was a game against Germany and then Kazakhstan in the qualification for Olympics. It was really emotional and our team was so strong!
Q. What is your favorite part of playing hockey?
A. Speed and the fact that the game plan is always different.
Q. What are your goals outside of playing hockey?
A. Find a good job that I will enjoy (something with hockey or some other sport) and also family time.
Q. What are your hobbies outside of hockey?
A. Any other sport, traveling, hanging out with my friends and family.
Q. What is the best story about your team in the last year or in general?
A. The best story would be definitely the qualification for Olympics in Germany last season 2009. It's hard to describe it. Our team spirit was sooo strong that we made it to the top 8 teams in the world and qualified for Vancouver even if there is only about 250 hockey girls registered in Slovakia.
Q. What has been your biggest accomplishment on ice?
A. Making the Olympic qualification
Q. What has been your biggest accomplishment off the ice?
A. Traveling and seeing so many different countries.
Q. If you won the lottery, what would you do with your winnings?
A. First I guess travel with my family so that I could spend some more time with them and have some great memories.
Q. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be, why?
A. Vancouver :) I was there as a kid in a hockey tournament and I love it there. Its so beautiful and I am soooo glad that the Olympics are going to be there.
Q. What is your favorite book and/or movie?
A. Right now I am reading Twilight and I really like it. I can't think of the top movie but I really like comedies and romantic comedies.
Q. What is your favorite food?
A. Tacos
Q. What is the best advice your parents gave you?
A. They gave me lots of advice so I can't pick just one but my parents are definitely my model for life.
Q. What is your favorite food to eat before competition?
A. Some light food like pasta for example but I am not really particular about that kind of thing.
Q. What advice would you give to a young athlete who would like to one-day follow in your footsteps?
A. To work hard because that is the only way to have success and of course to have fun with it.
Q. What would help women's hockey in your country the most?
A. If more people would be involved which would increase the audience and we need help from more sponsors.
Q. What are you doing differently in your training now for Olympics?
A. I get more help from my coaches on my team in Sweden. They know its really important season for me so they are trying to help me as much as they can to become a better hockey player.And of course I am doing extra practises and strength training.
Q. What did you learn playing hockey outside your country that was most helpful ?
A. I played high school hockey in Canada and it was amazing experience.
Q. What was the most important influence in your hockey experience and why
A. My parents and my family are most important because they supported me and gave extra time for me. But also many coaches during those 15 years I played hockey.
Q. What is your contribution to the team?
A. I try to be a good example for my teammates, and also motivate them and bring some fun to the team
Q. How is this Olympics team different from previous teams?
A. We have pretty much the same team as before.. just a few changes.
Q. What would you ask your country's fans to do to support the team?
A. Maybe to give more attention to women's hockey in Slovakia.
Q. What is your strategy vs Canada and US?
A. Play well on defense and try to punish their mistakes.
Q. What is a regular training day for you?
A. Morning is off ice or on ice training ... then rest and another ice practice in the evening plus off ice training.
Q. What do you read to inspire you or who inspires you in the hockey world?
A. My inspiration are all the better players that I play with or against ...that makes me push myself even harder to be as good as the best ones.
Q. What is your mental motivation to keep working so hard?
A.So I don’t disappoint my family, coaches, fans and teammates at the Olympics.