Hilary Knight

“I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play hockey, especially when there weren't equal opportunities as there are now. But at times, it was challenging.”

“Whenever you step on the ice, you need to be a student of the game and try to hone your craft. You're never going to play a perfect match, but you're always chasing that perfect game.”

“For lunch, I usually have a burrito or burrito-style bowl with rice, beans, a little cheese, avocado, and tomato.”

“I don't think any game means less than the other ones. You always want to win.”

“'Playing like a girl' was used as a demeaning term instead of an empowering one. I am proud to be a girl and rocking the ice.”

“I am the oldest in our family. I have three younger brothers. I needed to set a great example for them. It instilled a sense of competition in me and hunger to strive to be the best. There's a lot of pride being the only girl and the oldest.”

“Strong is beautiful. I want to shatter that stereotype that strong isn't beautiful, because it absolutely is.”

“As long as I still love the game and I can contribute to a team, I'd love to keep playing.”

“I absolutely have loved my career path and everything that I've done personally, but it was tough.”

“I've always been sensitive to the phrase 'like a girl,' especially when I was growing up and was told I couldn't play with the boys. It really resonated with me. I was so inspired by the first #LikeAGirl video, and I wanted to be a part of such a powerful message.”

“I went to a lot of Chicago Wolves games when I was growing up... They would come out of the tunnel, the pyramid would be there, and the fire would come out of the pyramid. I thought it was the coolest thing.”

“It's a great culture to be a part of: there are hockey players all over the world. It has taken me to an education, getting an education at Wisconsin. I've been able to travel the world.”

“I absolutely love music. Music is so powerful and can set the tone and change your mood.”

“The Olympics are a completely different beast. It's the most magical moment of your career.”

“When our world is telling girls and women who they should be or what they should look like, it is critical that we empower those girls and young women to be confident with who they are.”

“Being surrounded by great women and amazing role models and good teammates allowed me to unfold and evolve into the person that I am today.”

“You have to lose to win a silver medal, so that's always the tough thing to wrap your head around.”

“Growing up, and the way that the media portrays, you're supposed to look a certain way. Muscles aren't beautiful. Muscles aren't feminine.”

“Obviously, different people identify me as the face of women's hockey and whatnot, but like my teammates, I'm just there to perform and compete.”

“When I was 5 years old, I told my grandmother I was going to play hockey in the Olympics. Fifteen years later, I competed in my first Olympics.”