Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1423991
Q&A T I N A K A M P A 12 M H J ON L I N E . C O M | N O V / D E C 2 0 2 1 MHJ // Growing up in Maple Grove as a Latina hockey player, did you ever sense that you were 'different' than many of your peers? TK // I think growing up I always knew that I looked different than everybody. I looked different than my family and my sisters, and that was just some- thing that was pretty known, and not something that was out of the ordinary per se. My experiences in the neighborhood and sports were always great. Everyone knew I looked different, but they never made it a negative thing. I was very lucky to have played with two other girls at a young age who were also not white. They didn't necessarily look like me, but they had different backgrounds as well, so we had this special bond. It was something we didn't exactly talk about, but you could feel that. It was a little bit of comfort. MHJ // You recently had an opportunity to embrace your heritage… TK // I did. I went to Florida to play for the Colombian National Team in a Latin A merican tournament with countries from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil. There were men's and women's, all sorts of different divisions, but just to be able to go down and play and represent Colombia is super exciting. MHJ // You were drafted 12th overall by the Minnesota Whitecaps. Will you be playing pro hockey? TK // To be drafted by them and for them to think of me in that manner was super exciting. But I was offered an assistant coaching job at Hamline University, so I'm going to take that on. I am super excited to be able to start my coaching career at the college level. It's not an opportuni - ty you get every day, and it's something you have to think about and decide what you want to do. Hamline was a no-brainer for me. It's college hockey, it's Division III, a great level to be at, and it's close to home and a place I get to work with a lot of talent. Everything happens for a reason. As great as it is to continue to play hockey, I'm doing something a little different and giving back, so I'm excited about that. MHJ // You were a part of the newly launched College Hockey for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. What was that like? TK // That was one the coolest things I've ever MHJ // Hockey—was it love at first skate? Tina Kampa // I actually started in just skating les- sons, and that didn't go as well as my parents were hoping. I didn't want to go every day, so then my dad was like, 'OK, well, I played hockey growing up, I really want her to play hockey, I want her to try it,' so he was on his way home from work one day and he signed me up. It was one of the best decisions he's made. I absolutely loved it. I always wanted to be at the rink, I was the last one on the outdoor rinks when it was dark. I kind of never stopped. "Knowing they are different and that's special and they should not be afraid to walk into a rink every day. MN Unbounded has teamed up with the Hockey Niñas in their shared mission to grow the game.