For this edition of 10 Questions, Sun columnist Katie Schubauer sits down with women’s hockey junior forward Kendice Ogilvie. They examine Ogilvie’s country background, Canadian pride and nicknames.
1.Kendice, you are a junior on the Cornell women’s hockey team. What has hockey meant to you over the course of your collegiate career?It has been a huge part of my experience at Cornell because I wouldn’t have been here otherwise. My life revolves around ice hockey and I really love it. Has it been hard balancing academics and athletics at such a high level?Actually, I find it harder when I’m in the off-season because I procrastinate a whole lot more. When I am in-season I don’t have enough time to procrastinate because it’s just like “go, go, go” all the time. So actually I think hockey helps me that way. Who is your favorite teammate?That’s such a tough question. I would have to say either [junior goaltender] Amanda Mazzotta or [junior forward] Chelsea Karpenko. They’re my roommates, and I spend most of my time with them. I lived with Amanda over the summer as well … can I please say both?
2. How did you become such a good hockey player?When I was little, my older brother started playing hockey and I wanted to be just like him so I started playing as well. I got all his hand-me-downs and his number. And it’s still my number now — No. 4. Did you ever try figure skating when you were young?No. I went right to hockey. Do you know how to figure skate?(Laughing) No. I would probably trip myself with the pick and kill myself or something. 3. How has your experience as a Canadian at an American university been? It’s funny because whenever people meet me, they listen to me for a bit and they hear me say words like “about” or “eh” and they’re just like “Wait a second …. are you Canadian?” It’s not even like I have a huge accent or anything but people can always pinpoint it within the first five minutes. Do you use those weird Canadian phrases, too?(Laughing) You mean like “I’m going to phone someone” or “I’m going to write an exam?” Yeah, I use those phrases. Would you say you have a lot of Canadian pride?Oh yeah. Definitely. Does that annoy your American friends at all?Sometimes. I mean, the Americans we have on our team right now are pretty low key and there aren’t many of them. Our team is mostly Canadian so it’s hard for the Americans to defend themselves.
4. What was your reaction to the Olympic gold medal hockey game last year?Oh my gosh. It was so amazing. When Crosby scored that goal our whole house went insane. So most of the people you live with are Canadian then?Yeah, all my roommates are Canadian. We have a huge Canadian flag in our front window. Oh, I see. You’re that house.
5. What is your favorite NHL team?The Calgary Flames. They’re not doing too well right now. I think they’re in seventh place currently. Hey now, according to my standards they’re doing very well. I’m an Islanders fan. (Laughing) Oh. That’s rough. It’s going to be pretty tight whether or not they make the playoffs, but we’ll see. I’m a fan no matter what. I’m also a huge fan of the Washington Capitals. I’m a huge fan of [Alexander] Ovechkin and I got to meet him last year. It was really cool.
6. I’ve been told to ask you about the “Names on the Back of Your Shirt” routine before games. What’s that about?At the very start of the year, we had a team bonding/chemistry thing, and the group I was in was Team Alberta. We had a ritual where wrote “tough” on the back of our hoodies and made a skit. The rest of the girls took the tape off the backs of their sweatshirts but I kept mine on. I was just kind of boasting to the dressing room how tough I was, and one day, one of our freshmen changed the word “tough” to “softy.” So it started from there on out. Every weekend now, she changes the word and it always has to end in a “y.” Last weekend it was “crispy”; the weekend before that it was “speedy.” One weekend she changed it to “hairy” which got a lot of weird responses from the parents.
7. Do you have any nicknames on the team?Most people just call me “Kenny.” Well your name is pretty unusual so I can imagine people probably mess it up sometimes right?(Laughing) Yeah. I’ve been called some pretty weird stuff. The weirdest name I’ve been called is “Can Dance.” I heard you had a pretty funny one in the Dominican Republic.(Laughing) Yeah: Nuggets. We were playing some Dominican game and the Dominican guy that was in charge couldn’t pronounce my name. I was like, “Kendice” and he was like, “Tenders?” So just went with it and then, sure enough, “Tenders” led to “Chicken fingers” which led to “Nuggets.” So my nicknames were “Nuggets” and “Tenders” for the week.
8. I understand you grew up on a farm. Do you ever get teased about it?Yeah, I guess the “hick” in me sometimes comes out, especially when I’m with city girls. Whenever I start talking about cows or chasing cows they get really weirded out by it. Is that a favorite pastime at home — chasing cows?On my farm, I do a lot of the work when I’m home, like feeding grain to the heifers and what not. I spend a lot of time out in the field either fixing the fence or cultivating or doing chores. Have you ever been chased by a cow?Oh, for sure. I remember one time specifically, I was riding my little motorbike and this one heifer — I’m not sure why she got so excited — but she got excited and started bucking and kicking and chasing after me. But my motorbike didn’t go that fast so I had to jump off it and run to the fence and jump over it. What other kinds of animals do you have on the farm?We mostly have cows and dogs. Oh, and we have one llama. They’re supposed to chase away coyotes or predators, but this llama is the most useless thing. He doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t even hang out with the cows. We named him Osama Bin Llama.
9. How do you feel about public speaking?(Laughing) I get so nervous. I’m actually really nervous right now.You’re doing a great job, though. Why do you get so nervous?I took that Communications 2010 class and every time I went to speak, I would freeze up or start stuttering. Have you ever had any bad experiences talking to other reporters?Oh yeah. I’ve had a couple pretty bad experiences. When I played for Team Alberta, they asked me what my role was on the team, and I answered, “I can’t stick handle good; I stick handle like I have hands as rocks.” The whole interview was brutal. But they taped it and they played it over the radio so I had people phoning and texting me telling me how brutal my interview was.
10. Which other Cornell team do you like to hang out with the most?I would have to say the men’s hockey team. What a surprise.Well the lacrosse team’s pretty good looking and pretty sweet as well, but whenever we go out we tend to find the men’s hockey team. Hockey players flock together, I guess.
Original Author: Katie Schubauer