Caty Flagg

Q: Where are you from?
A: Methuen, MA.

Q: What team do you play for?
A: Currently: Buffalo Beauts of the NWHL.

Q: What do you do for a living?
A: Along with playing professional hockey, I am also a personal trainer.

Q: Did you have to overcome any large obstacles or challenges to achieve your current career?
A: I had to make a tough decision to transfer colleges after my sophomore year. I think it was the best decision for me hockey wise, and I don’t think I would be in the position I am today if I did not decide to transfer.

Any advice for achieving your goals?
A: I think staying focused is the most important piece of advice. If a goal is really something you want, don’t forget about it or put it on the back burner because if you really want to accomplish it you need to put in the work and make it happen.

Q: Did you attend a University or College?
A: I graduated from UMass Boston.

Q: What was your major?
A: Exercise and Health Sciences.

Q: Why did you choose to play hockey, and how did you get involved with the sport?
A: I started out figure skating at the age of 3/4 and always wanted to play hockey, but my parents would never let me. Eventually when I was 11 they realized I definitely wasn’t graceful enough to be a figure skater so they let me make the switch to hockey and I never went back.

Q: How long have you been playing for?
A: I have been playing hockey for 11 years now but have been on the ice for 18. I played 1 game as a forward and got to try out playing goalie and I loved it and stuck with it! My grandfather and my dad were both goalies, so I guess it was meant to be!

Q: What’s the biggest lesson you have taken from your athletic career that translates into everyday life?
A: There are so many things that I have learned from playing hockey, but I think the most important thing is to be resilient. Throughout my years of playing hockey, not everything has gone my way, but I haven’t given up on my end goals. That can be used in life as well as my personal training career. If something isn’t going the way I want it to, I have to keep pushing and can’t just give up when things get tough!

Q: Why do you enjoy playing hockey?
A: I enjoy playing hockey because it is such a fast-paced game, but also being a goalie, I love being in control. A goalie can control the pace of the game and has the ability to win the game for their team, and I love the pressure that comes with the position!

Q: Do you have any hockey career highlights, accomplishments, or favorite team memories?
A: In high school at Austin Prep, we won the Division 1 State Championship at the TD Garden. It was Austin Prep’s first girl’s hockey championship, and it was awesome! We beat Arlington Catholic, who we had never beaten in my 4 years, 1-0 at the TD Garden! That was probably one of the most exciting moments of my hockey career!

Q: What’s your connection with TSR? Any fun memories?
A: Since I live in Methuen, I have been going to TSR for an extremely long time now. Brendan has been a huge help when it comes to equipment needs and always takes care of me in any way he can! Adam has been sharpening my skates for as long as I can remember. It has gotten to the point that I won’t let anybody else sharpen them! I ship my blades home from Buffalo just so Adam can sharpen them! Nobody else has sharpened my skates since Adam started sharpening them!

Q: Any advice for younger athletes?
A: Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the ride! Sometimes we get too hard on ourselves and forget that we love to play hockey. There are going to be times when you aren’t having the best time, during those hard practices or tough games, but you always have to remember why you started playing and to just have fun and realize how lucky you are to get to play the game you love!