Read Erin Keys’ Chat with Fans – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Senior forward on the women’s hockey team answered fans’ questions
COLUMBUS, Ohio Erin Keys, a senior forward on the women’s hockey team, held an online chat Wednesday to answer fans’ questions. Find out more about Keys and the Ohio State women’s hockey team by reading her chat below.
Ninth-ranked Ohio State (1-2-1) plays host to No. 10 Minnesota (2-1-1) for a two-game series at the OSU Ice Rink at 7:07 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Buckeyes’ home opener against the Golden Gophers comes a week after snapping Wisconsin’s 17-game win streak with a 2-2 tie Oct. 14 in Madison, Wis.
Last year, Keys, a native of St. Paul, Minn., led Ohio State in goals (22) and points (48) in 37 games. The second-team All-WCHA honoree scored a league-high 12 power play goals in her junior campaign. Her 48 points were the second-most scored by a Buckeye in a season as she was named the nation’s Most Improved Player by U.S. College Hockey Online.
| ohiostatebuckeyes.com:: | Welcome to Erin Keys’ online chat. Please post your questions for Erin here and check back for her responses starting at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. |
| ohiostatebuckeyes.com:: | Erin is here so we will go ahead and begin. |
| Dan:Columbus: | It seems unusual for women to grow up playing ice hockey. How old were you when you got started and how did you first get involved with ice hockey? |
| ohiostatebuckeyes.com:: | I’m from Minnesota so everything is hockey, hockey, hockey. My brother played so I wanted to play too. My dad and grandfather are really into hockey so I started playing at age 4. |
| Roberta:Gahanna: | How can young girls begin to play ice hockey at an early age? |
| Erin:: | Once the ground froze, my dad would make a rink in our backyard so we could play. He put up boards and then flooded the yard. Around here it’s different because it doesn’t get as cold. Probably by joining rec leagues would be the best bet. |
| Stan Logan:Grove City: | What do your male friends say about you playing ice hockey? Do they think it’s good that you play or do they think you shouldn’t? |
| Erin:: | They love it! They’re my biggest fans. In high school my guy friends held a campaign for me for the ‘Ms. Hockey’ award. They’re my biggest supporters. Plus, all our ‘Super Fans’ here at Ohio State are guys. |
| Danielle:Pickerington: | Are you a Twins fan? Who’s your favorite player? |
| Erin:: | I’m the biggest Twins fan. Joe Mauer is my all-time favorite player because he went to my high school. Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter are up there too. |
| Pete:Cleveland: | What’s the key to scoring in hockey? |
| Erin:: | Just being in the right place at the right time. Not all goals are pretty because some just bounce off your stick or body. |
| Ryan:New Albany: | Are you excited to play the Gophers this weekend? Is your family coming into town? |
| Erin:: | I’m pumped to play the Gophers because it’s always my favorite series and I have a bunch of friends on the team. My parents are coming down because they wouldn’t miss a Gophers series. It always seems we play our best hockey against them. |
| Laura:Cincinnati: | What’s your favorite thing about being a Buckeye? |
| Erin:: | The tradition and support we get from the university and community. |
| Adam:Dublin: | How does the team look this year after having such a good season last year? |
| Erin:: | Great! I hope we do even better than last year. We lost some key players but we also have good players coming in this year. |
| J.C.:Indianapolis, Ind.: | What’s your favorite sport other than hockey? Did you play any sports growing up? |
| Erin:: | I played softball and soccer until college. I almost played softball instead of hockey because my dad told me I was a better softball player than hockey player. |
| Courtney:Minneapolis: | What’s up with your wardrobe selections? |
| Erin:: | Some might call it ‘what not to wear’ but I call it perfection. |
| Erin:Colorado: | What’s something you do for fun on road trips? |
| Erin:: | We like to play the dollar game. We tie a $20 bill to the end of a fishing line and lay it in walk ways. Then when people try to pick it up we yank it away. |
| Henry:Columbus: | Men’s ice hockey seems very rough as well as full of skill. I’m sure women’s ice hockey players have tons of skill but is it as rough? |
| Erin:: | It’s not as rough because we can’t hit open ice but around the boards we find a way to make it rough. |
| Elizabeth:Ohio State: | Why do you think the Blue Jacets aren’t doing too well with attendance? Are you happy with OSU women’s ice hockey attendance? |
| Erin:: | Since the Blue Jackets have come to Columbus, hockey has been put on the map and is growing. It’s a new franchise and once everyone starts to understand the game better it will become more and more popular. Girls hockey in the area is growing as well so that will help with our attendance. We have a lot of loyal fans that are awesome. It’s a sport better watched in person. |
| Maureen:St. Paul, MN: | Why Ohio State? Why not Minnesota? |
| Erin:: | I wanted to move away from home for a bit and Ohio State offered the chance to visit Minnesota on road trips as WCHA rivals. It was a great move and I wouldn’t change anything. |
| ohiostatebuckeyes.com:: | Well, that is it for Erin! Thanks for all your questions and tune back in at 1 p.m. Thursday for a chat with men’s hockey senior Matt McIlvane. |
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