Women in Hockey: Rebecca Johnston

The NHL is celebrating women in hockey, and every week this season, NHL.com will highlight a woman from each of the 32 teams. Today, a look at Calgary Flames player development/grassroot hockey coordinator Rebecca Johnston.

Name: Rebecca Johnston

Job title: Player development/grassroot hockey coordinator

Education: Cornell University, Communications

Years of hockey experience: 6 years on the Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team and almost a year working with the Calgary Flames.

Describe your job in 2-3 sentences

In my player development role, I work with the Calgary Flames prospects, analyzing their games and helping them develop on and off the ice. I also work with the Calgary Flames Foundation, which is committed to supporting education, health and wellness, and grassroot sports in southern Alberta.

What was the first career you dreamed of having as a kid?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always dreamed of being a professional hockey player. Sports were a huge part of my childhood and hockey was always my true passion.

Name one person who provided you with career guidance, what advice did they givee?

My parents have always been my biggest supporters and they have always stressed the importance of doing things to the best of your ability. Whatever path I choose, make sure to give it 110% of my effort. Work ethic and commitment are characteristics I have made sure I have always brought in any career I have pursued.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

Be comfortable being uncomfortable is a phrase Team Canada would continuously stress to us throughout my career. We must embrace being uncomfortable to see true improvements. In my hockey career I was someone who constantly looked for ways to improve my game, who was not scared to try something new on or off the ice, and that is why I was able to accomplish what I did in my hockey career. I was never satisfied and constantly strived to learn from others. I truly believed that to be successful, I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone to see growth and not be afraid to fail. I try to take the same approach in all aspects of my life, including my new role with the Calgary Flames.

What career advice can you give others?

I would encourage others to define their career goals early and work diligently toward achieving them. Nothing is impossible, but you must put the work in and need resilience in the face of setbacks. In life, there are always ups and downs but your ability to bounce back and continue striving for success is a crucial element in achieving your aspirations.

What is a quality you admire most in others (personal or professional)?

The qualities I admire most in others are resiliency and hard work. I admire someone that will do anything they possibly can to achieve their goals and aspirations. Hard work is something you can always control, and I admire people that continuously work to be successful and not let anything stand in their way.

What motivates you to keep pushing and be successful?

I am motivated by the challenge and the process of continuously striving to accomplish my goals and aspirations. There is nothing more rewarding than overcoming obstacles/adversity to achieve your dreams.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement to date?

My greatest achievement to date is being able compete in four Olympic games for Canada. It’s hard to make the National team, let alone play for Team Canada for 16 years. I have been through a lot of adversity throughout my career, so I am most proud of sticking with my goals and overcoming the hardships. It’s easy to give up and not try when it gets challenging, but it’s extremely difficult to battle through adversity when there is a high chance of failure/uncertainty.

What do you love most about your job?

I love the fact that I get to work in hockey for a living. I am surrounded by the sport I love and have been playing for my entire life, so I consider myself very lucky! I also love that I can help guide these young hockey players to fulfil their dreams to one day play in the NHL.

How would your closest friends describe you?

They would describe me as hard working, competitive, passionate, loyal, family oriented and likes to have fun/goofy. They would say I wear my emotions on my sleeve and will do anything for the people I care about.

Describe a moment where you proudly thought to yourself, “I can’t believe this is my job!”

I had a moment recently when the Calgary Flames Foundation and I ran our own all female hockey school. At the end of the camp, seeing how much they were enjoying being on the ice and their passion for the game, made me realize how much I love being around the rink. I want to make a positive impact in the game of hockey and the lives of aspiring athletes, which is why I love my role with the Calgary Flames. It allows me to be involved with different grassroot initiatives that the Flames Foundation supports throughout Alberta.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the dedication and hard work that led to becoming a 4x Olympic Medalist with the Canadian National Women’s team and my successful transition to now working with Calgary Flames Organization. I am proud that I have found a role that I am just as passionate about as I am playing hockey.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Greece

What’s your favorite book?

Harry Potter series

One thing you can’t live without:

Coffee

Do you collect anything?

Adidas shoes

What is your hobby outside of work?

Hiking, reading, sports