“You don’t always get to choose your role, but you always get to choose how you play it.” – Sami Jo Small

Everyone who watched the 2021 Women’s Hockey World Championships knows who Jamie Lee Rattray is.

In case you missed it, she started the tournament as the 13th forward on the Canadian team. She saw limited ice time in most of the games. She also scored a lot of goals in big moments that helped lead Canada to victory. She made an IMPACT.

She is an amazing role model that all players can learn from and that coaches should point to when they need an example of perseverance and rising to the occasion.

Rattray exploded onto the scene at the Worlds by making the most of an opportunity. With captain Marie-Philip Poulin out of the lineup in the preliminary round match-up against the USA, Rattray scored two goals in the 5-1 win. Keep in mind that she did this with only 9:36 of ice time out of a 60 minute game (which was the 3rd least of any forward in the game). She continued to be the 13th forward up until the gold medal game – and still managed to finish the tournament with 4 goals, 1 assist and a plus/minus of +8 after 7 games. I don’t have the time-on-ice stats for the tournament, but there is no question in my mind that she produced the most points per minute played in the tournament by a landslide.

I’ve known Jamie Lee for over a decade and I can tell you her attitude and energy are unparalleled. She brings that enthusiasm day in and day out on and off the ice. There’s no question she’s got the skills to wear the maple leaf too. She’s won multiple team championships at the NCAA and pro level. She won the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best player in NCAA hockey. She’s been a part of the Team Canada program for 10 years. She can do it all – she can score, she can defend, she can play in the top 6 or the next 6 and contribute. She’s an all-star in every sense of the word.

And yet, she found herself in this role. The TV commentators questioned why she didn’t get more ice. My fellow coaching friends and I asked ourselves the same question. But none of that actually matters.

Rattray focused on WHAT SHE COULD CONTROL. She had no control over how much ice time she got. She didn’t get distracted by the questions or noise surrounding her time on ice.

She remained a great teammate and a great contributor. She scored again in the gold medal game off a beautiful tip in front.

Rattray made a significant impact every single time she touched the ice. She made the most of what she was given and now she is a World Champion. And even more importantly, she continues to be a phenomenal role model for all players.