The alarm buzzes once, and she hits snooze. Then her Fitbit buzzes, but she turns it off. It’s her everyday routine, and a reminder that Melissa Samoskevich is human.
It may not seem like it, as the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey freshman already has so many accolades at just 18 years old. Samoskevich led the Under-18 World Championships in goals last year for the United States to win gold over Canada—an opposing team that was coached by Quinnipiac head coach Cassandra Turner. “[Samoskevich] is someone that we wanted to be aware of whenever she was on the ice, and every time the puck touches her stick she looks to be a threat offensively,” Turner said. “She earned that gold medal.” An offensive threat may be an understatement for a player who captained Shattuck St. Mary’s girls’ ice hockey team—a prep school rich in hockey history that can name NHL superstar Sidney Crosby as one of its most notable alumni. When recruiting Samoskevich, Shattuck St. Mary’s head coach Gordie Stafford could not have been more impressed with her talent. Finding Samoskevich as early as seventh grade is something Stafford prides himself and his program on. “If you are trying to create a hockey player, Melissa is what you would want,” Stafford said. One of the qualities you’d want in the ideal hockey player would be a strong work ethic, which is something Samoskevich has in droves. “When you have passion for something, no one ever has to tell you to work hard,” Stafford said. Samoskevich agrees. “Hockey is pretty much my life,” she said. “First thing I think about when I wake up is practice.” Players like Samoskevich are what drive a program to its peak. When highly-touted men’s basketball recruit Anthony Davis went to the University of Kentucky in 2011, and the team won a national championship after one year with him, everyone else wanted to join in. “Not only will [Samoskevich] come in and play at a high level right away, but she is a player that will help attract other strong players to the program,” U18 USA Hockey assistant coach Brent Hill said. “When we look at recruits like [Samoskevich], those are pillars for the future of a program.” When Samoskevich hears words like that, she is honored, but she is also reminded to stay humble and keep working. Athletes who play at as high of a level as Samoskevich are going to spark national attention. Samoskevich scored six goals at the U18 World Championships, and that does not go unnoticed as she has impressed at national camps, at the senior level. “The path she is heading in right now, in terms of what I see in her development, she has a strong chance for contending for the next Olympic roster,” Hill said. “I think she is the type of player that is in the top 40 of the U.S.” Before every game, “Samo” eats a tootsie pop—the kind with the chocolate in the middle— but one of the only things sweeter than her pre-game snack is her stick handling skills and shot. She recalls one of those times she used one of those “sweet” moves. “I toe-dragged it around one player, which usually isn’t my thing … and then I shot it low corner and it went in,” she said. Even when she is referencing her most memorable goal, she still gives credit to her teammates, and her ability to stay humble has not gone unnoticed by her coaches. Samoskevich has an essence about her that she controls the ice anytime she is out there. “When you’re in a tight game and you’re waiting for a player to make something happen you know she is going to do it,” Hill said. “Her ability to take control of the game is her best asset. She is clutch.” When Samoskevich wakes up in the morning, she may still hit the snooze button like everyone else, and get dressed for class just like everyone else, but her potential to don the red, white and blue at the Olympics one day makes her stand out. Article featured in QBSN: The Magazine, Issue 10: http://theqbsn.com/2015/12/01/qbsn-the-magazine-issue-10/ Photo Credit: Rebecca Castagna
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