MEET RILEI SIEDLECKI!

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Rilei Siedlecki and I am 11 years old.  I live in Medina, Ohio and have two brothers who also play hockey. I play full time for the Team Ohio ’08 Major Team in Lakewood, Ohio and I play part time for the Lady Barons U12 Elite in Cleveland, Ohio.

I taught myself how to skate one day at the rink. My parents always dragged me to the rink for my brothers practices — one day, I decided I wanted to try.  My parents put me in figure skates and they were horrible. They switched them out for hockey skates and I spent the first 30 minutes hugging the boards and the last 30 balancing around the rink. After that, the love for ice and hockey became my passion.

What made you want to be a WHL Brand Ambassador?

I want to be a WHL Brand Ambassador because I feel it is important for girls of all ages to recognize that we can play just as well as the boys, if not better.  There are little girls at the rink who look up to me and I hope that when they get a little older and they are my age, they can be a leader and have the same passion I do to pass it down to a little girl who was once their age.  I am lucky to have so many older girls in my Girls Club to look up to, and I think it’s important that all girls have a female hockey player to look up to and trust.

What are you most looking forward to as a #WHLAMBASSADOR?

Sharing what works and doesn’t work in my development as a player. Team bonding activities and just sharing how I am trying to be better teammate and leader for my club.

What’s something not a lot of people know about you?

I started riding horses at the age of three. I have been in English riding shows. While I do not have as much time for it anymore, I still really enjoy it.

If you could sit down and have dinner with one female hockey player, who would it be and why?

Nadine Muzerall, Ohio State Women’s Head Hockey Coach.  I want to know what she is looking for in a women’s hockey player to play for The Ohio State University.  I live in Ohio and my family are big Buckeye Fans. I would love to play for her one day.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given in hockey or in life?

Always plays together and not as an individual on a team. It’s a team for a reason. If you play as an individual, your entire team suffers. It’s important to be a good leader and a good teammate. I think a lot of us as we start growing in the game and the passion becomes stronger sometimes lose that.

What’s your dream for women’s hockey?

My dream is for there to be just as many professional women’s teams and opportunities for women as there are for men.

Featured Image Credit: Sean Bass, Lake Photography

Want to join our #WHLAmbassador team?

Get more details and apply here!