VANCOUVER (BP)–Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej and her U.S. women’s hockey teammates wasted no time in their pursuit of a gold medal, clubbing China 12-1 in their opening game in Vancouver Feb. 14.
“I think each game, the level of competition is going to increase,” Zaugg-Siergiej said after the game in which she was on the ice about 11 minutes. “We’re excited to get to the faster-paced games. We try to play at our game no matter who we’re playing.”
Despite the lopsided score, Zaugg-Siergiej said the U.S. team did have room for improvement, such as better teamwork and keeping a fast pace with quick passes.
That’s on the ice. Off the ice, Zaugg-Siergiej said before the Winter Olympics started that she wanted to be a role model to others and to represent Jesus Christ well.
“In the Olympic setting it’s hard, because we’re so locked up from the public eye,” she said of her experience thus far. “We just see media and other athletes.”
Zaugg-Siergiej has a blog (www.jinellezaugg.blogspot.com) in which she posts some behind-the-scenes accounts. Her primary audience is her family and the girls at the hockey camp she runs in Wisconsin. She hopes to communicate to them that the reason for her accomplishments isn’t because of her own efforts.
“Obviously there’s a lot of hard work that’s involved, but ultimately I wouldn’t be where I am today without God giving me the opportunities to be here,” she said.
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