As an elite-level athlete, U.S. Women’s National Team goaltender Alex Rigsby has been trained to control her emotions and make sure she’s prepared for anything that comes her way.
That has been the case for Rigsby, not just throughout her illustrious career, but most recently when she helped lead the U.S. to the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship title in April.
“I’ve been part of the program since the 2013 World Championship and there have been so many highs and lows,” Rigsby said. “I’ve played every single position within the program and it’s important to stay focused on what you need to do. It’s about just knowing that you’re capable and you’re prepared for the opportunity when it arrives.”
The U.S. captured an historic fifth consecutive world championship last month following a thrilling shootout victory over host Finland, but it was not without drama. During the overtime period, Finland found the back of the net but the goal was called back for interference.
“There was a shot, it popped up, it was about to go into my glove and then all of a sudden, I was thrown out of position,” Rigsby said. “I knew right away that I was interfered with.”
When the shot reached the back of the net, the Finnish bench cleared and the team began to celebrate, but Rigsby was confident that after a review, they would play on.
“I was going up and down our bench telling everyone that we were going to continue to play and to get ready,” Rigsby said.
