Hello again Golden Gopher fans! I have another treat for an interview. This is a name all hockey fans should know. Renee Curtin was a Ms. Hockey award winner and followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Ronda, to become a Golden Gopher hockey player. The problem was she was seriously injured as a high school senior. Her injuries were severe enough to not allow her to ever play a game as a Gopher. As sad as this story could be, Renee is still as happy and content as ever. Her dream may have been crushed, but her spirit was not. Check out what she had to say about life, injuries, and Gopher glory.
Jeff Examiner- How does it feel to have been a former Ms. Hockey award winner?
Renee Curtin- It’s a great honor for me to be a former Ms. Hockey award winner. After my sister received the award I knew that it was one of my goals that I wanted to achieve!
JE- How much of a competition did you have with your older sister, Ronda, in hockey and in life generally? And do you still?
RC- There really wasn’t much competition between Ronda and I in hockey. I looked up to her so much and wanted nothing but the best for her and I think she would say the same thing about me. If anything she made me a much better hockey player. I wouldn’t have accomplished as much as I did without her on and off the ice!
JE- How much has the game changed in high school and college since you played? Do you see women's hockey making major strides?
RC- The game has improved quite a bit since I was in high school. The game is faster now and it’s not just one player that stands out anymore! It’s great to see how much it has grown and to be a part of girl’s hockey from the beginning makes it that much better. I’m excited for the future of women’s hockey because it’s only going to get better and better.
JE- Do you think checking will ever be allowed in the women's game?Are you for or against checking?
RC- I honestly don’t think checking will be allowed in the women’s game and I hope it never is. I think it takes away the skating part of the game. Sometimes people just assume that because there’s no checking in women’s hockey that means there’s no contact. I had a severe head injury, broken neck and a broken lower back all playing high school hockey.
JE- You were injured in high school and unable to ever play for the Gophers. How much did that affect you emotionally?
RC- Not being able to play for the Gophers because of my head injury was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through! It was my dream to play for the Gophers and to get chance to play with my sister again. It was something I had worked so hard for on and off the ice. It was an extremely emotional time for me.
JE- How has your injury developed since? Are you 100% now? And how long did the injury effects last?
RC- I did many months of therapy for my head injury. I had severe amnesia for a really long time and couldn’t even recognize who my family was. To this day I still have trouble remembering a lot of my childhood and I have headaches almost daily.
JE- Do you play hockey at all today?
RC- I play hockey on a women’s A league during the winter. It’s nice to be able to get out on the ice and play with former college players since I never got that chance. It’s pretty competitive which makes it even better.
JE- How much of an impact could you have made on the Gophers had you played? How badly did you want to play for the Gophers and with your sister again?
RC- I’m not sure what kind of impact I would have had with the Gophers but what I do know is that I would have loved another shot to play with my sister again. I have a feeling we could have put some pucks in the net!
JE- Do you often think about what might have been or do you leave 'what-if's' in the past?
RC- After I was told I couldn’t play hockey I think that is where I hit rock bottom. Hockey was my life, it was my identity, and to have that taken away from me it was like I didn’t know what to do with my life. Everything was always so hockey related! Do I think about what could have been? Absolutely! There’s not a single day that goes by where I don’t think about my head injury. However, even with all the pain it has caused me I will say that in many ways I’m glad it happened! I’ve learned so much about myself and have become a much stronger person because of it! I took so much for granted before. I realize I could have been paralyzed or brain dead! Instead, minus my headaches, I’m a very healthy person. With my faith in God, amazing family and friends, I’ve overcome something I never thought was possible. God had a different plan for me and I’m just as happy now as I would have been had I played four years of college hockey!
JE- What was it like to be so dominant in high school and who do you credit for your skills?
RC- I loved playing hockey so much that I constantly wanted to get better and improve.
I would spend hours and hours out in the driveway playing hockey with my sister and brothers. It also helped living next door to the Brodt family! They would walk over to our house and we would play all day! I also credit my success to playing boys hockey. I realized I had to work harder in order to keep up with them! They definitely prepared me for high school hockey!
JE- Do you think your record for most points in a high school career will ever be broken?
RC- I’m not sure if my record for most points in high school will ever be broken! I know with the game improving so much it will be harder to do but anything is possible! Who knows, maybe one day my kid will break it!!!!
JE- What advice do you have for girls that dream of playing D-1 hockey?
RC- The advice that I have for girls dreaming of playing D-1 hockey is chase after your dreams! If you work hard on and off the ice anything is possible. The days you feel like giving up are the days you have to work that much harder! Most importantly don’t forget to have fun! That’s what hockey is all about.
JE- Tell us about Renee. What are you doing now?
RC- After I left the Gophers I received my degree in Massage Therapy! I plan to go back for Physical Therapy.
What a great story.Talk about making lemonade out of lemons! Renee is a real trooper and I wish her all the best. Thanks again to her for allowing me the interview.
More interviews on the way and I will dedicate all of August to the breakdown of the WCHA and what the Gophers will be facing in 2010-11.
Stay informed, stay here!
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