Stevenson graduate Megan Bozek is a national champion.
Playing for the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League, Bozek scored a goal and added an assist as the Beauts beat the Boston Pride 3-2 on March 19. The victory earned Buffalo the Isobel Cup, the NWHL’s equivalent of the Stanley Cup.
Bozek, who is from Buffalo Grove, is also a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team. The team is currently locked in a contract dispute with USA Hockey and is threatening to sit out the IIHF Women’s World Championship, which begins Friday in Plymouth, Mich.
Pioneer Press contributor Jon J. Kerr caught up with Bozek for an interview about her career and the state of women’s hockey.
Q: You’ve won national championships with the University of Minnesota and played in the Olympic gold medal game in Sochi in 2014. How did those experiences stack up to winning a league championship?
A: Playing in Buffalo the last two seasons, we haven’t had the best start to our seasons. Last year we made it to the finals (before losing to Boston), and this year was a bit of a revenge game for us. We were complete underdogs with nothing to lose. It was a great way for us to come together for the city of Buffalo that hasn’t had a championship.
Q: This is your second year playing professionally in the United States. You played one year in Canada before that. How have you seen the growth of the sport during that time?
A: I got drafted by the Toronto Furies (of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2014), and me and my boyfriend (rugby player Andrew Ferguson) bought a house just outside of Toronto. It’s an hour away from Buffalo, so I travel back and forth. I volunteer for a few teams up (in Canada) and help coach. I see the looks on the girls’ faces. I know they want to learn the game. In Buffalo, the city rallied around us. We had fans in the stands. We had sports teams tweeting at us. The mayor declared a day for us. The word is getting out how skilled the women’s game is, and it’s incredible to see how far the game has come since 2014. We are in the right place at the right time to grow women’s hockey.
Q: The U.S. Women’s National Team released a statement today regarding negotiations with USA Hockey. The last paragraph stated, ‘unless there is an agreement, the players remain resolved to bypass the defense of the World Championship.’ Is there anything you can add?
A: Everyone is involved in some capacity. We are constantly on calls and in group chats about everything going on. Our lawyers have done a great job communicating with us. We are fighting to make sure that there is equitable support. It is so much more than about the money. We want this to be our love, our passion, our drive. The last sentence you read, we are holding true to what we are fighting for. We are still in negotiations (as of Monday) and hopefully we can still attend the world championships.
Q: What is the larger message you and the national team are attempting to get across with this stance? There is a Twitter hashtag players are using that says, #BeBoldForChange
A: Part of our job and responsibility is to grow the game. Without a generation to look after, you have nothing. You have no market. We put in just as much work as the opposite gender. We are defined as more than a female athlete. Like our hashtag said, we hold true and we are bold for change. We are not backing down. We are fighting through the blood, sweat and the tears not only in our lives but the lives of tomorrow and the next 20 years.
Q: Whom on social media have you heard from giving support?
A: The U.S. women’s soccer team posted something about this. It’s pretty cool to see legends like (Hockey Hall of Famer) Cammi Granato and (former tennis star) Billie Jean King. It’s incredible to see those icons stick up for this. They are fighting alongside us.
Jon J. Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press