Molly Schaus, BC Student and Winter Olympian

The Observer: Having played on so many different teams over the past few years, how do you feel the Olympics compare to those teams/tournaments?

Molly Schaus: Every team is a little bit different. I have been fortunate to play on a lot of good teams over the years, but it is hard to compare one to another. The Olympics is obviously on a bigger stage than other tournaments so we are enjoying that and looking forward to the medal round next week.

O: How did you feel when you found out you made the Olympic team?

MS: There really are not words to describe that feeling. You are feeling every single emotion at once! It was hard for me to wrap my head around the idea at first, but I called home right away and shared the excitement with my family.

O: How did it feel to have to leave the Eagles in what would have been your senior season to go train for the Olympic team this past year?

MS: Everyone at Boston College has been so supportive for not only the past six months but ever since my freshman year so they made it a really easy transition. I have kept in touch with most of the team and coaching staff so I pay attention to what is going on with them. I am definitely looking forward to returning next season.

O: Who has helped the most in getting your hockey career to the Olympic level?

MS: My family has been my number one support system ever since I was a little kid learning to skate so I definitely wouldn’t be here without them. Whether it is my mom and dad putting in the hours taking me to practice and driving me across the country to tournaments or my brothers firing shots at me on the drive way or pond, they have all had a tremendous impact on me and my hockey career.

O: So many people tune into watch the Olympic opening ceremony. What was it like to be there in person and walk out with the US team?

MS: It was an amazing experience and one that I will remember for the rest of my life. The actual walking part was only about 5 minutes but for almost three hours before hand we were waiting as a whole U.S. Olympic Team and the anticipation and excitement almost matched the actual moment. I definitely took a lot of pictures and videos!

O: Is your Olympic experience anything like you imagined it would be? What’s the atmosphere like?

MS: Even though I spent years imagining what it would be like at the Olympics, I really had no idea what to expect. Every day is new and exciting and I am just trying to soak it all up. The atmosphere is great. The Athlete Village is constantly buzzing and the crowds at all of the venues have been great.

O: Have you been able to watch any of the other Olympic events in your free time? What is your favorite Olympic event to watch? Do you have a favorite athlete?

MS: So far the only other event I have been to is Short Track Speed Skating and I loved it. I hope to be able to see some of the men’s hockey as well as a few other events if time permits going forward. I have really enjoyed watching all of the other sports especially after getting the chance to meet a lot of the athletes at Opening Ceremonies or in the Village. I don’t think I have a favorite, but any time a US athlete is competing, we are all watching and cheering loudly.

O: What is your schedule in Vancouver like? Do you have to practice a lot?

MS: Our schedule is a pretty good balance between down time and scheduled events. We have played three games so far and have at least one more, hopefully two more, next week. If it is not a game day, we head to the rink for a quick practice. At this point, we have pretty short practices just to get our legs moving and go over some last minute details about our opponents.

O: What teams do you think were the hardest opponents in the tournament?

MS: So far we have played China, Russia, Finland, and Sweden and all four played us hard. Going forward, obviously, everybody wants to see our match up with Canada so if that happens next week, it will be a great game.

O: Is it nice to have a fellow Eagle teammate with you?

MS: It is always fun having a teammate from college on the team. We both made the U.S. team at the same time so we have shared a lot of great experiences over the past few years.

O: Has any of your family made the trip to Canada to watch you play?

MS: I am fortunate to have a lot of family members who made the trip. I think there are about fifteen people here total and I know they are enjoying the experience as much as I am.

O: Did you ever imagine that you would be representing the United States in the winter Olympics? What is it like to represent your country?

MS: It is a great honor to be able to represent the United States. All of the athletes here have worked their whole life for this opportunity and we are doing our best to make the U.S. proud. This has been my dream ever since I was nine years old so I have definitely imagined what it would be like, but it is hard to believe that it is now a reality.

O: Have you had the opportunity to meet any athletes from other sports? If so, who is the coolest or most interesting person you’ve met?

MS: I have been able to meet a lot of different athletes in the past two weeks and they have all been really cool and friendly. Everybody is rooting for one another and I can really feel the camaraderie of Team USA as a whole, and it is pretty special.

O: You have achieved some impressive statistics in your BC career, with a very high save percentage and a very low goals-allowed-per-game average, do you expect that to be hard to maintain in the Olympics?

MS: Once you get to the Olympics, it is about winning five games to take home the Gold Medal. It doesn’t matter how you get it done so statistics kind of go out the window. Obviously I want to do whatever I can to help the team achieve our goal, but I am definitely not concerned with maintaining any stats along the way.

O: How does it feel to play alongside the best players in the country? Is there less pressure on you to lead the team in scoring since there are high-quality players at every position?

MS: Every day I get skate with the best 20 players in the country and learn from them on and off the ice. At this level, everybody is an amazing player so we don’t rely on just one person to carry the team. Everybody plays their role and does their job to make the team a success.

O: How different is it playing behind the best defenders in the country? Do you feel as if you are not seeing as many quality shots because of those defenders, or do the high quality offensive players make it a wash?

MS: I think it is a little bit of both. Our defense does a great job at keeping the opposition chances to a minimum so in some games I don’t face many high quality shots, but in other games, the offense of the other team is also very strong so we all work together to keep the puck out of the net. I have definitely enjoyed playing behind these players all year long.

O: How do you rate your success so far? You played almost a complete game in the net and got a shutout, and your team is 4-0, allowing only 2 goals in 3 games thus far.

MS: Like you said, our team is 4-0 and we are playing in the final game on Thursday so that is the best we could ask for at this point. As we go forward, it will be harder to win a game so we are looking to build upon our early success and hopefully keep the streak going.

O: What are your plans after the Olympics? In regards to hockey and your degree.

MS: I will return to BC next fall for my senior year, both academically and athletically, so right now that is as far as I have planned. I will have some time this spring after the Olympics to think about my future, but right now I am just enjoying where I am now.

O: What will you take away from your Olympic experience?

MS: All the amazing friendships and memories that have formed over the past six months. This is definitely a once in a life time opportunity.

O: Have you thought about hearing our national anthem played at the end of all of this? What do you think it will take for team USA to win a gold medal in women’s ice hockey?

MS: Obviously when you dream about going to the Olympics, you also dream about winning the gold medal and watching your flag and listening to your anthem so I have definitely thought about it. It will take a whole team effort to make it happen.

O: If you could sum up your Olympic experience in one sentence, what would you say?

MS: It is worth the wait!

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