Fly-fishing a welcome reprieve for off-season Olympians

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“It’s an escape. I really love it and I’m happy Blayre really enjoys it because otherwise, it would just be me escaping on my own every weekend.”

Sommer has been fly-fishing all his life, but it’s something Turnbull has only taken up in the last couple of years. They both swear by it, and it gave them a way to escape the craziness of the pandemic and get their minds off the uncertainty of their immediate sporting futures.

“It’s great. A lot of people don’t understand the finesse and tactical thinking that goes into fly-fishing, but it’s a lot of fun,” Turnbull said. 

Having fun was important this summer, because like everyone else, it’s been a challenging time for athletes. 

Normally for top women’s hockey players like Turnbull, the third year of a four-year Olympic cycle is critical. National team coaches would be evaluating potential talent constantly in advance of making decisions on who would be earning invites to be on the centralization roster next September before the 2022 Olympics. 

Those opportunities to stand out just aren’t available right now. There are small groups of players spread out across the country who can train together, but few chances to actually play competitive games. 

“Honestly, everybody’s just taking care of their own stuff and making sure if you’re training with a group that you’re pushing that group and pushing yourself so that if we do get an opportunity to play again we’re ready and at our best,” Turnbull said. “We do have a group text and we’re in constant communication with the whole group. 

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