Natalie Darwitz

Natalie Darwitz (http://pictopia.com)

My hero is my cousin, Natalie Darwitz. I admire her and hope to be a lot like her when I grow up. She's a great cousin and hockey player. Natalie always has a smile on her face and works hard in everything she does. She's also a great leader and teacher. If I need some advice in hockey, she'll help me.

Natalie was born on October 13th, 1983, in Eagan, Minnesota. She is the youngest of three children. Nikki is the oldest and Ryan is the middle child. Her parent's names are Nancy and Scott.

At the age of four, Natalie had a dream of being on the USA Olympic hockey team. Growing up, she would often play with her older brother and friends at the outdoor hockey rink by her house. She loved it so much that her dad would have to shine the car lights on the rink so she could play at night when it got dark. While watching the 1988 Winter Olympics Games, she told her mother she was going to win the gold medal in hockey. Her mom replied, "Little girls don't play hockey." Natalie said, "I'll win one with the boys, it doesn't matter."

Natalie went to high school in Eagan. She suprised everyone by earning a spot on the varsity hockey team when she was in 7th grade. While in high school, she earned 468 career points with 316 goals and 152 assists. At the age of 18, she got to play for the Olympic team. She says that she doesn't regret missing high school parties and proms to train for the Olympics.

http://pictopia.com

In the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Natalie was outstanding. She was a great playmaker and even scored a hat trick (3 goals) in one of the games. The USA team ended up getting a silver medal. In the 2006 Winter Olympics, the USA team won a bronze medal in Torino, Italy. Natalie still vows to get a gold medal.

She went to college at the University of Minnesota. She played on their hockey team and won two National Championships. Now, she is the assistant coach and is having a great season.

Natalie wasn't just born a superstar; she had some struggles in her life as well. Being a girl, it was hard to get the same respect as the boys. She played with the boys until 7th grade. Another struggle she had was when she injured her elbow in her sophomore year in college and had to rest awhile to let it heal. During that period, she realized that you shouldn't take anything for granted, and she became very thankful for what she had.

She has many awards and achievements. She won silver and bronze medals in the Olympics, two National Championships with the Gophers, and numerous personal awards. She also has her own hockey clinic where she helps kids improve their skills. She is now the USA hockey captain for the next Olympics.

Natalie's motto is, "Always have fun and do your best." The major influence in her is her parents. Her dad coached many of her teams and helped her become the player she is today. Her mom taught her good values and character. Her hero is a professional hockey player named Steve Yzerman. She likes how he's a great leader and player.

When she's not playing hockey, she goes up to her family's cabin. There, she enjoys wakeboarding and waterskiing. She also likes to play golf and tennis.

Natalie is a great player and person. She never gets hotheaded or boastful. In fact, she acts like you're the star! She is my hero and the hero of many others. That's why I chose Natalie Darwitz for my biography.