Mom: Jill Pfalzer
Athlete: Emily Pfalzer
Sport: Women’s Hockey
Imagine you’re the young kid sister – with two older brothers – and all you want to do is be included in the family fun.
That’s exactly what Emily Pfalzer wanted. She was so determined she put on skates when she was only two-years old.
“She was supposed to be my little figure skater, she threw those plans out the window,” Emily's mom, Jill, jokingly recalls.
When Emily’s mom and dad converted their backyard in suburban Buffalo into an ice rink, Emily would watch her older brothers through the window, itching to get outside.
“You know, she would play any position, If it meant goalie, they would put her in the net. She would do anything they said, as long as she could be out there with them," Jill Pfalzer explained.
As Emily's love of hockey grew, Jill took on the role of a "hockey mom," traveling with her daughter on road trips.
It's the time in the car with her daughter that puts a smile on Jill's face.
"We did all kinds of crazy things in the car, sing songs. A lot of times she would do her homework. We have a lot of funny stories.”
Now the perfect ending to this story is watching Emily and her teammates standing on the medal stand in South Korea.
“It’s just going to be amazing," Jill says.