Allie Morse Is Loving Life with the Minnesota Whitecaps
December 12, 2019 - Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)
Minnesota Whitecaps News Release
Hockey has always been a part of Allie Morse's life. Her father grew up playing hockey and played a major role in her hockey development. Between her first year playing and her final season of high school hockey at Park High, he was her coach for all but two years. "It wasn't an option to not play hockey," Morse said.
Following her time at Park High, Morse attended Providence College where she started in 29 games as a junior in the 2014-15 season and finished her career with an .886 save percentage. From Providence, Morse joined the Whitecaps, who were an independent team and had yet to join the NWHL. "They were going to Sweden and needed a goalie, I had a lot of friends on the team and said I was in," Morse said.
Already enamored with hockey, Morse fell even more in love with the game during that week in Sweden. She formed a lasting bond with her teammates while the Whitecaps tested themselves against the SDHL's best clubs. To this day, she considers that week-long trip to Sweden to be one of her favorite memories.
The 2019-20 season marks the first season that Morse is on the Whitecaps roster since the team joined the NWHL last season. "It's more consistent now, especially with scheduling," Morse said. She's also excited about being paid to play for the first time in her career. "There are also contracts," she continued. "Before there was more inconsistent travel and our roster had around 40 players."
The Whitecaps have seven players on the team, including Morse, who were not on the roster when Minnesota lifted the Isobel Cup last year. However, she's not exactly a new face in the locker room and nearly every player on the club has deep roots in the State of Hockey, which means that their paths likely crossed long before they stepped onto the ice wearing a Whitecaps jersey.
"It was very easy to start meshing together because of our pasts," Morse said. "We're in a unique situation where everyone has played with or against each other for a long time. I first played against Jonna (Curtis) when we were 8."
Within the defending champions' locker room, Morse says that there are plenty of personalities. "Brooke (White-Lancette) brings the energy, (Lauren) Barnes is the jokester, and the veterans are the glue of the team." As a goalie, she's become all too familiar with the offensive skills of her teammates and named Curtis, Amanda Boulier, and Allie Thunstrom as the players who are poised to have big years in 2019-20.
Even though the Whitecaps have a workhorse starting goaltender in Amanda Leveille, Morse knows that she needs to be ready to step into the crease at a moment's notice and with a 24-game regular season this year, she could see some action sooner rather than later.
To get ready for games, Morse kicks the soccer ball around with her teammates and has either oatmeal or cottage cheese as a pregame meal. Although goalies are known to be eccentric and fond of rituals and routine, Morse doesn't necessarily fit into that stereotype. "I don't really have any superstitions," she said. "I dress left to right and drink some water at every whistle, but that's about it."
When she's not stopping pucks, Morse stays active by boating, paddleboarding, and rollerblading. Ahead of the 2019-20 NWHL season, she ramped up her offseason training in anticipation of her return to the Whitecaps' active roster. She skated at team captain Winny Brodt Brown's camps, established an exercise routine, and did a lot of goalie-specific training and drills.
As someone who has fallen in love with hockey a little bit more with each passing season, Morse didn't hesitate to offer some words of wisdom to young goalies and those who are just getting into the game.
"Just have fun," she said. "The day you don't love it, you won't want to do it anymore."
This weekend, Morse and the Whitecaps will host the Riveters during Girls Hockey Weekend in Minnesota. The first game of the weekend series starts at 7:00 p.m. CT on Saturday and the rematch arrives at 1:00 p.m. CT on Sunday. You can watch both games on the NWHL on Twitch!
Premier Hockey Federation Stories from December 12, 2019
- Allie Morse Is Loving Life with the Minnesota Whitecaps - Minnesota Whitecaps
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