We’re exploring the worlds of Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey this week! First, the women’s Rivalry Series between Team USA and Team Canada came through Cleveland. Jill got to attend a practice and the game. Along the way, she interviewed goalie Ava Mc Naughton and defensive player Rory Guilday.
Next we have para ice hockey interviews from the Team USA Media Summit, where Alison talked with two-time Paralympic defenseman Jack Wallace, and then we both chatted with three-time Paralympian Declan Farmer and one-time Paralympian Malik Jones.
Follow our athletes on social:
Milano Cortina 2026 news is coming fast and furiously as we get closer and closer to the Games. Lots of kit news this week from Team Canada and Team Australia, and the Organizing Committee unveiled the volunteer uniforms.
The Closing Ceremony, which will be at the Arena di Verona, a World Heritage Site (a first for an Olympic ceremony!), will have the theme “Beauty in Action.” The creative team from Filmmaster unveiled the set design this week:
Closing ceremonies set design for “Beauty in Action.” Image courtesy of Milano Cortina 2026.
Plus, the speed skating temporary stadium at Fiera Milano Rho is ready to go, and the sliding track got all of its certifications.
The torch relay starts next week! Follow along at the relay’s website. And if you’re going to the Games, you’ll want to download the official app that has spectator information for every venue. Plan ahead!
In LA 2028 news, the organizing committee has released the competition schedules for both the Olympics and Paralympics. Start planning for your ticket purchases now!
We also have a lot of news from Team Keep the Flame Alive, including sprinter Kenny Bednarek’s vlog:
We want to know if you are a Milano or a Cortina! Let us know by helping us raise funds to cover the production costs of our Milano Cortina 2026 coverage, which includes at least 32 daily episodes (and probably 100+ escapades that only your favorite Olympic and Paralympic aunties can get into). We need your support to make this coverage happen. Please make a contribution here: https://flamealivepod.com/milano-cortina-fundraiser/
Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!
Show pic photos: Jill Jaracz, Alison Brown
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is an uncorrected machine-generated transcript and may contain errors. Please check its accuracy against the audio. Do not quote from the transcript; use the audio as the record of note.
418-Olympic and Paralympic Ice Hockey
Theme Music: [00:00:00] The greatest festival of our contemporary society, the Olympic Games is about to begin. This is gonna be close. Oh,
Jill Jaracz: they’re all completely gas. They’ve given everything on.
Oh, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. But that is an Olympic champion.
Theme Music: Ready.
Jill Jaracz: Hello and welcome to another episode of Keep the Flame Alive, the podcast for fans of the Olympics and Paralympics. If you love the game, if you love the games, we are the show for you. I am your host, tilers joined as always by my lovely co-host, Alison Brown.
Alison. Hello, how are you?
Alison Brown: I’ve got my ice skating cheerleader outfit on ’cause we’re talking hockey. Oh,
Jill Jaracz: and you know, the ice skating [00:01:00] cheerleader outfit. Really, that’s like a, a forward promo for next week. Because we are talking hockey next week as well and there were cheerleaders involved.
Alison Brown: Yeah, but I don’t wanna be one of those cheerleaders.
Yeah, I understand that. Understand that didn’t work. Didn’t out very well for them. But we’re talking women’s hockey. We’re talking para ice hockey. And you know how excited I get hockey.
Jill Jaracz: You gonna be so excited that you talk about sled hockey because it’s hard. They’re still calling it sled hockey too.
Alison Brown: I know. They assured me I was not insulting them by calling it sled hockey, so I was like, wow. Now that you’ve given me permission,
Patron of the Week
Jill Jaracz: well, first, before we get into ice hockey tuck, we would like to give a shout out to our patron of the week, who is Stanley Yang? Stanley’s been a patron for a long, long time.
This is a name we know well. So Stanley, we love you. Thank you and Stanley was great ’cause he’ll go [00:02:00] back when he misses the games and I think I would not be mistaken. Hopefully if this applies to you too, listener, when you miss the games, you go back and listen to a daily episode. And
Alison Brown: just need that refill once in a while.
Right, right, right. If you go over those
two empty years.
Jill Jaracz: Yes. So Stanley is one of those people who likes to do that from time to time. So we appreciate you, Stanley. We appreciate your support so much. if you’d like to be an ongoing patron of the show, you can learn more about that@flamelivepod.com slash support.
We also have a fundraiser to talk about those. So you, you, your funds may be divided. But we still need your support. The patron money goes to, keep the show going and pay for operating costs throughout the year. We’re having a special fundraiser to get to Milan
Alison Brown: though. Yes. So that is at, flame A live pod.com/milano cortina hyen fundraiser.
And that is the special expenses that it takes to
Jill Jaracz: [00:03:00] we’ll hope anyway, how we work.
Are you a Milano? Or are you a Cortina?
Jill Jaracz: But we are having another fundraiser specifically to get us to Milano Cortina.
Alison Brown: Yes, so that is@flamealivepod.com slash milano Cortina fundraiser. And that’s for the special expenses because when we do daily shows, we’re gonna have 32 of them during the Olympics. And Paralympics, we gotta get there, we gotta get around, we gotta eat something.
Not that we eat much. No, that’s very true. Honestly, during the games, we’re eating like rolls and a piece of fruit.
Jill Jaracz: But you know, it, it, it is an incredible weight loss program. I’ll say
Alison Brown: that, and running around with the giant backpacks. But yes, it gets very, very expensive. But we wanna be able to do the daily shows for you are amazing listeners, because we know a lot of you are not going to Milan.
It’s in the middle of the school year. It’s in the middle of of work time, so, but we will be there and making daily shows for you. But it [00:04:00] does get expensive. So if you can help us out there, that would be amazing. And keep our flame alive all the way to Italy and back. That is correct. Thank
Jill Jaracz: you. And thank you for everybody who’s kicked in so far.
We have made really good headway. On our goals So we really appreciate all of you who have, donated so far. And, uh, we cannot wait to bring you the show from Italy and let you know what it’s really like there today.
Team USA and Team Canada women’s ice hockey Rivalry Series kicks off in Cleveland
Jill Jaracz: Speaking of getting ready for Italy, we are talking ice hockey.
We’re talking Olympic hikes hockey. We’re talking Paralympic ice hockey. So first off, we’re gonna talk about women’s ice hockey and the rivalry series, which is USA versus Canada. It kicked off in Cleveland, so I was able to get accredited for that, which was great. Thank you. USA hockey for allowing me in.
We were allowed to go to practices during the week and the game, which was on a Thursday. this year is the sixth [00:05:00] iteration of the rivalry series. It started back in 20 18, 20 19, and going into this year, Canada had a slight edge in the overall standings.
They’ve won 10 games to USA’s nine, and then when you look at overtime wins and losses, they’re tied. So this is a really, really tight. Matchup and, they, they play four games and you look at that and go, okay, what does it look like going into Milano, Corina, because this is highly likely to be one of the medal games, or at least a very good matchup.
you know, we don’t cover a lot of hockey here in the show. Uh, pair of ice hockey’s different but we don’t cover a lot of standup hockey. This is true. part of it’s because it’s got a, a lot more exposure, at least in the US and other kind because we do have pro hockey. Part of that is ’cause, and I will not speak for you ’cause I’ve been a fair weather hockey fan.
I will watch it. I’ve lived in cities that have [00:06:00] hockey teams. Cleveland has minorly coffee but I have not been yet. I’m still trying to figure out what to talk about when you talk about hockey. Uh, there are some team sports where I go, like, I don’t know how you develop strategies because you’re all kind of running around reacting anyway.
Alison Brown: And hockey is different because we don’t know who the players are gonna be, certainly on the men’s side until kind of the last minute. So it, it is hard to see how this is all going to play out, but I could talk hockey 24 7, let’s be honest.
Jill Jaracz: Oh, that’s good. That’s good. so like, trying to dissect it for the podcast and for you, the listener, what I, I, I couldn’t figure out what to do, like, what to talk about and that’s tough when you want to get interviews because.
How do you figure out what to talk about? But this experience really helped me out and I went to the team’s first practice on Monday, November 3rd. Watched a lot of small group drills, and as I looked at the roster, I realized that goalies are different and I wanted to [00:07:00] talk to a goalie. those players don’t tend to show up at the team USA media summit.
Interview with goalie Ava McNaughton
Jill Jaracz: And so I asked and, and got a short interview with one of the three goalies on the roster. Ava McNaughton. Ava plays for the University of Wisconsin. She has served in the net for the 2024 US Collegiate Select Team during the Six Nations tournament and skated for the US at won, uh, IIHF Women’s World Championships, where the team USA took gold.
So Ava broke down some of the details about Goalkeeping for me. Take a listen.
Your lefty.
Ava McNaughton: yes. I catch left. Yes.
Jill Jaracz: That was my first question. Yes. Catch left. Stick right. it is more the dominant hand needs to be, the more of the action happens with your glove.
Is that correct?
Ava McNaughton: Um, I would say I catch left because I used to play softball when I was younger. Mm-hmm. And so obviously I throw righty, I’m right-hand dominant.
Jill Jaracz: Oh,
Ava McNaughton: okay. So I’m used to catching left for like softball Okay. And things like that.
Jill Jaracz: Okay.
Ava McNaughton: but if I was a player I would shoot Right. But because I catch left, I have to shoot left as a [00:08:00] goalie.
Jill Jaracz: what does shooting left mean for you?
Ava McNaughton: so as a goalie, I have to shoot left so that I shoot double overhand.
Jill Jaracz: Okay.
Ava McNaughton: that’s how most goalie is, I think play the puck. so I have to shoot left because I want to catch with my left. So I have like, my curve is a lefty.
but if I was gonna be a player, I actually like can’t shoot. Left with a regular stick. I have to shoot. Right. With a player stick.
Jill Jaracz: Oh, okay.
Ava McNaughton: Yeah.
Jill Jaracz: Okay. what drew you to goaltending?
Ava McNaughton: I was in like cross ice mites. Okay. And I was at the age where you just start, like passing the goal gear around the team.
Mm-hmm. Um, and so each week it was someone else’s turn and I remember it was, my week to be the goalie and I was just like jazzed up about it all week. and I loved it the first time I did it. And after that I was just like. Almost hoping that someone wouldn’t be there for their turn so that I could be the fill in.
and I think back then, I think it was probably just cool to have the gear on and just kind of be like the odd man out almost and kind of be unique. but now I think the main thing that I like about Goaltending is the how much impact you have on the game [00:09:00] and you really have the ability to, you know, make or break it for your team.
Uh, which can be a lot of pressure, but I think that it’s something that you kind of grow to love. So, yeah.
Jill Jaracz: You’re also relatively tall.
Ava McNaughton: Mm-hmm.
Jill Jaracz: How is that? Because you can cover more of the net with your body. Mm-hmm. But your muscles are also longer.
Ava McNaughton: Yes.
Jill Jaracz: So what do you do to work on reaction time and things like that?
Ava McNaughton: Yeah, I think, you definitely can see it. Um, you know, taller goal is play a little different than a shorter goal just because. You don’t necessarily have to come out of the crease as far so you can kind of make it, a shorter push for a lateral play. And it’s definitely helpful, like percentage wise, just how much that you take up.
but yeah, I think there’s definitely a component to it where, you know, takes a little bit longer for my, my legs to come in and then, you know, errs might. so it’s just kind of adapting to what you have, but also, I don’t know any different. So I think it’s just kind of always been something I’ve grown up with and kind of just known.
Jill Jaracz: What do you do for flexibility?
Ava McNaughton: I honestly, I’ve really been a pretty flexible person, [00:10:00] my whole life. I wouldn’t say I really necessarily do anything to make me more flexible, but I think, as I’ve gotten older, they call it like strength at length. So like having a lot of strength and stability at length in positions is really important just because.
you know, it’s important to be stable, you know, almost in a split or, you know, reaching, reaching to the right to, to your right or to your left, and then maybe even trying to push back. And so I think that that ability to be strong and powerful at a lengthened position is something that I focus on a lot.
Jill Jaracz: So what kind of exercises do you do?
Ava McNaughton: that’s a good question for my strength coach, but, um, I kind of just do what they tell me to do and, um. Yeah, that’s kind of what I do there because they’re, you know, awesome at their jobs. So I kind of follow the program and, you know, if I have a, an idea or something I wanna work on, um, they definitely take to it.
But, definitely, obviously a lot of, uh, single leg movements, a lot of lateral kind of stuff, and it definitely depends on the equipment that we have. But, um, I, Wisconsin, we’re really fortunate to [00:11:00] have a really beautiful strength facility. So, we have a lot of cool toys and things that, we use, specific, we use the 10 80 a lot, which is like a.
I don’t even know what it is, but that’s what we use a lot. Um, and it’s, it’s pretty cool. So yeah.
Jill Jaracz: When the puck, puck is at the other end of the goal or other end of the ice, how do you focus? What are you focused on?
Ava McNaughton: I’m honestly, most of the time I’m looking at what they’re, what the other team’s doing and seeing, you know, if we’re about to turn like you, maybe turn it over if they have someone slicing through the middle, if you know, if we’re gonna have a potential odd man situation.
I think that’s what I’m mostly looking at. and then obviously like, like when we’re kind of cycling into the zone, I’m kind of just watching our team, but then once it starts to be a little bit more of a 50 50 puck, I’m looking at, what they could potentially have coming down the ice. And then, um, you know, if they do exit the zone, then I’m looking at how many people they have, how many people we have coming back, and, what hands their, their people are.
And, you know, if they could be a potential one time or if it’s a shorter play or kind of a longer play, if it’s, um, people on their strong side. so yeah, definitely a lot to take in all at [00:12:00] once, but it kind of happens in a split second.
Jill Jaracz: so for practice, they had all the skaters here and all the goalies were separated.
Do you listen to like what they’re talking about tactically to kind of think about how you would defend that?
Ava McNaughton: Yeah, I think, um, there is definitely an advantage to, you know. We had like shooting sessions at one point and obviously we weren’t really learning how to shoot, but they were teaching them how to, you know, shoot more powerfully and quicker and all that kind of stuff.
And just kind of taking it in and, and seeing what they’re looking for I think is helpful. For us to, you know, be able to recognize it and see it. because, you know, players evolve so quickly these days and the sticks are so, you know, so advanced and they’re able to get a lot on their shot. So it’s, you know, you wanna get any edge you can.
And so it’s kind of the same thing on the other end. It’s a lot of players enjoy doing Goalie World with us and they can see, you know, what our goalie coaches are looking for. And, they can see like where we might be vulnerable. So I think it’s kind of a, a balanced relationship where we can learn stuff from them and, and they learn stuff from [00:13:00] us.
Jill Jaracz: What is more satisfying to stop? a big slap shot or one of those Dribblers.
Ava McNaughton: Oh, a slap shot, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like a lot of the time too, it’s, you know, everyone, it’s a loud noise, big wind up and it’s fun to be able to make a big save like that. Yeah.
Jill Jaracz: How hard is it to move that goal office little post.
Ava McNaughton: it depends on what pegs are in it. in games, they’re drilled into the ice pretty far, probably like three to four inches. So, and then it’s three or four inches into the post as well. So I think those ones are pretty hard to push off for me, but it comes off easily. Like if a player were to slide into it, it would come off, um, just for like safety reasons.
but in practice we don’t normally have them drill in just ’cause we move the nets around a lot. so they’re a little bit easier to move, especially in like a youth rink. they’re pretty small pegs. They’re only maybe, you know, three quarters of an inch. Mm-hmm. Um, and so when you have someone who like me, who’s pretty tall and has a lot of mass, it’s pretty easy to push ’em off, especially with how, how much power you’re trying to come off the post with to be able to make saves coming off the post.
you know, you [00:14:00] try not to knock it off on purpose ’cause it kind of ruin, ruins the fun and moves the net around. So
Jill Jaracz: what do you like the ice to be like in front of your goalie? Because I know a lot of goalies like scrape it up and stuff.
Ava McNaughton: I don’t necessarily scrape it up a lot. I, if it’s really wet, I will to try and, you know, get some of the water off just ’cause it, it kind of like soaks your pads and it’s not the, not the most enjoyable experience.
but I don’t really scrape it up a lot. Maybe like. A couple each way, but not a ton. and I sweep it off like all the time. I don’t like when there’s like a lot of snow on it. which I think is pretty universal. Why, um, it kind of slows you down a little bit. I probably not a ton, but also it’s just kind of part of my routine at this point.
You know, like the whistle blows and I don’t like, just like standing there. I normally do something. The options are normally skate to the corner, get water or, or sweep the, the crease off. So, And also like the ice crew comes out and does it too. So, it’s nice to just kind of have it clean and kind of organized almost.
Jill Jaracz: Do you notice a difference in ice quality from like when you played as [00:15:00] a kid versus college versus international?
Ava McNaughton: Yeah, there’s definitely, definitely a difference. Um, especially at Wisconsin. Our rink, our rink guy is really, really good at what he does. He has. All sorts of technology and the ice to, you know, see the thickness of it and how cold it is in different spots.
And, um, he’s really good at maintaining it. Um, and it’s definitely pretty impressive there. Um, and then, you know, when you go home to play youth rinks and that kind of stuff, obviously they’re, they’re cutting the ice multiple times a day and just trying to get, turn it over as quickly as they can. So it’s a little bit less of a science and more of just a, one after another.
so it’s definitely a little bit choppier. It’s almost like a little bit sticky, I’d say. and sometimes it might be a little rough and like you can feel it on your pads, like it’s just extra friction. So, it’s definitely nice to have, have nice ice. Yeah.
Jill Jaracz: How long does it take you to gear up?
Ava McNaughton: probably if I’m like really, really trying to move probably eight minutes.
Jill Jaracz: Okay.
Ava McNaughton: Yeah. Definitely not as fast as a player, but I’ve gotten faster as I’ve gotten older. And my [00:16:00] skates are actually, I have the bower ones that are almost like a ski boot kind of. So, um, it’s not laces so you don’t have to time.
So it’s definitely a, a
Jill Jaracz: why do you choose that option?
Ava McNaughton: Um, I like how I, like I get them to feel the same every time. with laces, you, you know, you might tie one tighter than the other on accident and it doesn’t feel right. or they kind of loosen up as you go, as you, keep skating, they get a little looser.
but with the Bowers, it’s kind of the same fit, the same fit, the same feel every time, which is, which is nice for the consistency part of it.
Jill Jaracz: Do you sharpen your own blades?
Ava McNaughton: No. Our, um, equipment managers do. Yeah. Yeah.
Jill Jaracz: When did you get to not have to do that anymore?
Ava McNaughton: I’ve never sharpened my own skates.
Yeah. I think most, most players don’t typically sharpen their own skates. Okay. Um, it’s. Normally I done at like a hockey shop or if you have an equipment manager typically. so, I’ve never actually even learned how to do it, so, yeah.
Jill Jaracz: one last question. What’s different between international play and college play?
Ava McNaughton: [00:17:00] Well, I haven’t had a lot of experience at an international level,
Jill Jaracz: but like the difference, like did you notice a difference the first time you went to, when you went to World Chance?
Ava McNaughton: I mean, yeah. Like it’s definitely, it’s the best players in the world. Mm-hmm. Um, you know, coming together. So it’s, you almost like, you know, it’s the best players out of our best NCAA players plus, you know, players who are, you know, 10, 12 years older than me.
So it’s definitely. Um, an experience to kind of change the pace and, try and, you know, push myself to, to compete with that pace and, and be able to, develop into a goalie who’s able to maintain. My, you know, my play under more pressure and more speed. So, um, it’s been an, a learning experience for sure, but even just since April at my first event, I think it’s definitely been a lot of positive improvements and, um, feel a lot more comfortable at the speed.
And so, it’s been fun so far. So yeah.
Jill Jaracz: Excellent. Excellent. Well, thank you so much. Yeah,
Ava McNaughton: absolutely.
Jill Jaracz: I will, Thank you so much, Ava.
Rivalry Series Game #1 recap
Jill Jaracz: Then we got to first game, which was on November 6th at Rocket Arena downtown [00:18:00] Cleveland, that’s where Cleveland’s minor league hockey team plays. And so the arena, the, the top part was all flagged off. And you’re talking about the lower two thirds of the bowl, I guess.
And. I would say it was about three quarters full lot of little kids. I did hear some talk amongst people. I knew that the low ticket price was 40 bucks and that was a little too high. It’s a little too high for some people, and that’s not the low, like if you’re looking at the men’s team, they’ve got a low ticket of 26 bucks, but that’s in the upper tiers,
Alison Brown: so right.
You know, a little bit more what you’re getting, I guess with men’s hockey, just more people. Yeah, more people are more familiar with it. And if you have, you know, a family of four at $40 a pop. That gets really expensive, really quick.
Jill Jaracz: Right. And I didn’t know if they did something special with group sales for, ’cause there were a lot of like, girls hockey teams were there and they were so excited kind of thing.
It was really cute. [00:19:00] But I, it was one of those conundrums where I wondered if the prices had been lower, would you have sold more seats? uh, they did marketing outside of The hockey team community, but I, I kind of wondered like that’s a big chicken in the egg conundrum you have when you’re setting ticket prices too.
I bet. but it was fun game. People really got into it. Ava McNaughton, sadly, did not dress for the game. so I was on the lookout for someone else to talk to and add to our team. Keep the flame alive roster. May have done that, don’t know yet. we found out that team USA, the, coach Rob bluesky, in the, the mix zone after the game, he said that team USA tends to win the first two games of the rivalry series.
And that was the case here. Canada did get out to a one oh lead in the first period on a power play goal. And then team USA answered like seconds later. And then that was it. It was all team USA two goals. In the second one in the third, they won for one for team USA. Abby Murphy had a hat trick, [00:20:00] which is pretty, she had just an amazing night.
And then Taylor hee got the other goal and, uh, lots of people assisting and all of that, press was in a corner. For the, the match. So for two periods it was on the side of the ice where Canada would be scoring. So I ended up seeing a lot more defense and, and for some reason, and I will say this is my own ignorance about hockey playing, even though I’ve watched a lot, there are different positions on the ice and defense players.
I don’t have to stay back. So every, it’s, it was one of those like, well, all five of them are on the ice everywhere they’re all everywhere, all the same time. But I didn’t realize that two of them are defensive players and they stay closer to the center line or they’re further back, but they can also score.
Interview with defender Rory Guilday
Jill Jaracz: So where I was sitting at the rivalry series, I got to see more defense going down, and One defender caught my eye. Little Bruiser named Rory Gilday, and not even a little bruiser. She’s giant. [00:21:00] She’s really big. She was say a
Alison Brown: a a defense woman is never gonna be described as little.
Jill Jaracz: No, she’s very tall.
And, I did love watching her whenever she was on, she, she was the fifth line, so did not get a ton of playing time. But when she was out there, she was like, grabbing arms, grabbing sticks, doing a little joslyn. Oh, it was so much fun to be like, oh, you are the bruiser. So, uh. I wanted to talk with her and team USA got me a few minutes with her after the game was over.
Rory has played for Cornell University. She recently got signed by the Ottawa charge in the PWHL. She’s been on a number of team USA rosters, including the 20 24 6 Nations tournament. She’s been on three Women’s World Championships teams, uh, winning a Gold and two silvers. She was. On the team USA roster in the run up to Beijing and got cut on the final cut.
But, Rory is still playing for a spot on the Olympic roster for sure. Got a few minutes with her, [00:22:00] take a listen,
Rory Guilday: My name is Rory Gilda.
Jill Jaracz: Okay. You play defense?
Rory Guilday: I do.
Jill Jaracz: Defense are in pairs. Is that important? do you work together as a pair?
Rory Guilday: Most definitely. Okay. Your partner is probably your greatest asset and. You always are constantly working off each other, and we like to talk about balancing, which just when one is up, one is back, and you know, kind of like a piston and working together and communicating it makes things work.
Jill Jaracz: Okay. Did I notice. Tonight that you were with different people? Yes. As your partner? Yes. Okay.
Rory Guilday: Yes. How was that? That is not unusual. We gotta learn to adapt and work with one another, and that’s where communication is huge. Because maybe we didn’t practice as much with the person you’re out there with, but we all know the.
Same basics and, communication helps work out the kinks for sure.
Jill Jaracz: What kind of communication, what, like what are you saying to each other? Are you just,
Rory Guilday: just like when there’s pressure, when you need to push up, or if we need to pick up a man in the middle or something like that.
Jill Jaracz: [00:23:00] Okay. So. With defense, you can also score ’cause you’re all down there.
Rory Guilday: Yep.
Jill Jaracz: Do you typically stay back towards the center line or blue line or No? Wait, you’re up all over the place.
Rory Guilday: Yes, indeed.
Jill Jaracz: So what’s up? What’s up with that?
Rory Guilday: Basically in the ozone, you kind of work as a five man unit. So it’s not necessarily forwards and D, but rather you’re working together. Anyone can score.
Okay. And there’s certain times when you tighten up, which I would put into simpler terms of like if you’re on the blue line area. You get more towards the top of the circles, just it’s very situational and you’re reading off each other like I mentioned earlier. But yeah, five man unit, anyone can score.
Jill Jaracz: Okay. Do you like scoring?
Rory Guilday: I
Jill Jaracz: do. You wait, you have a hard, you have a hard, uh, class shot,
right?
Rory Guilday: Yes. if I’m able to use it, then. I’ll use it.
Jill Jaracz: How did you develop that?
Rory Guilday: lots of work in the gym. Lots of work in the shooting room.
Jill Jaracz: Okay.
Rory Guilday: Grip strength.
Jill Jaracz: Grip strength. Mm-hmm. What else? What else in your body is doing the slap shot?
Rory Guilday: It’s your whole entire [00:24:00] body. You know, like a lot of the power actually comes from your hips. Okay. And like your glutes and thighs and stuff. And one fluided motion.
Jill Jaracz: Okay. Mm-hmm. Okay. Do you like being a bruiser, do you think? I do. Wait, do you think of yourself as a bruiser?
Rory Guilday: I do. You know, I am tall and a large body out there and strong, and I have to use that to my advantage, and I think it’s an asset of my game specifically, and I do enjoy it.
I think it’s fun. Okay.
Jill Jaracz: Because. How often do you get caught? Not that often.
Rory Guilday: I feel like I’m pretty good at keeping it clean. Maybe some other people have different, um, take on that, but especially in college, like I’ve been a larger body than all the other girls. I’ve learned to keep it pretty clean and make it look like an accident so.
Yep.
Jill Jaracz: Is there much trash talk going on? Um,
Rory Guilday: you know, I feel like that more happens, like in our offensive zone. Like I’m not, I don’t really get involved with the trash talk. If I’m trash talk and it’s not a good sign ’cause it’s not good. [00:25:00] It’s not good.
Jill Jaracz: You were in this position four years ago.
Rory Guilday: Yes.
Jill Jaracz: Right. So what did you learn from that process and how did you grow in the interim?
Four years?
Rory Guilday: Yeah. You know, I think just playing your game. What can you bring to the table? Don’t, it’s not about trying to be someone, you’re not someone else, like one of your teammates. because that’s not the reason you’re on this team. You’re on this team to. Because you bring something to the table that other people don’t.
And so focusing on that and doing that to your best ability, and I think just playing your game as a whole, and that’s where I feel I find myself most confident and, um, when I’m just playing.
Jill Jaracz: How hard is it sometimes to play your game?
Rory Guilday: Yeah, it’s difficult. Like I’m constantly impressed by my teammates and their abilities and their skills.
And sometimes I’m like, Ooh, I wish I could do something like that. But I’m like. They’ve practiced that, like that’s their asset of their game. Mm-hmm. And that’s not necessarily mine in this moment. And [00:26:00] so not gonna attempt that
Jill Jaracz: you just signed your, this is gonna be your first year as pro. Correct. So how are they balance, how are you balancing team USA versus pro commitments and moving to Canada?
Rory Guilday: Yeah. You know, I just try to be where my feet are. When I’m in Ottawa, I’m trying to be present there and be with my team there and do what I can for them. And same goes for when I’m with Team USA, being present, being with my girls and being the best me I can be.
Jill Jaracz: You have two different wallets with two different
Rory Guilday: Pretty much.
Pretty much
Jill Jaracz: what I, that’s what I,
Rory Guilday: yep.
Jill Jaracz: So do they like give you time off or is it just like, you gotta fit this? This team stuff on the, in, in your life somehow?
Rory Guilday: Yeah. You know, like obviously coaches, especially at this level are very understanding. Like they, each team has national team players, um, so they’re kind of used to it and they do a good job of um, knowing when we need a break and when we don’t, when we can roll with it.
So, yeah.
Jill Jaracz: Alright. Alright. Anything else we [00:27:00] should know?
Rory Guilday: That’s all I got.
Jill Jaracz: Alright. Excellent. Well thank you so much for taking a few minutes to talk with us. Thank you. Thank you so much, Rory.
The Rivalry Series continues
Jill Jaracz: The rivalry series moved on to Buffalo on November 8th. Team USA won six to one, and then they move over to Canada for the final two games in Edmonton, Alberta on December 10th and 13th.
We will have a link to information for those two games in the show notes because tickets are available and if you live up that way and go, let us know. A big thank you to USA Hockey. I will say this experience really helped me, even though I saw hockey at Beijing and even though I’ve seen pro hockey and watched hockey on tv, this experience really helped me understand how to approach the sport for our regular episodes.
So I do appreciate that.
Alison Brown: what is the biggest thing that surprised you in seeing it live?
Jill Jaracz: Well, seeing that and seeing practice. Also was one of those like, oh, there are different people doing different things and talking about a little, well, we heard from [00:28:00] Rory a little bit about how much power you put behind a shot.
Ava talked a little bit about sticks. I mean, there’s a lot of other elements that go into hockey that aren’t necessarily just what happened at the game.
Alison Brown: Very much so. ’cause
Jill Jaracz: we, we aren’t that kind of show. We don’t Do that kind of, how do you feel about the game? And they’re, you know, they get chippy out there.
They were getting love. They were, I love team USA and Team Canada getting chippy. That’s, uh, I mean, even though they play together. they’re interspersed in so many ways. They’re interspersed in college. They’re interspersed on the pro level. They’re, and, and on their, the respective countries.
Like still, you get that mix of women together.
Alison Brown: You get that flag on your jersey and all bets are off man.
Para ice hockey with defenseman Jack Wallace
Jill Jaracz: Alright, we’re gonna move over to para ice hockey. We had a lot of fun at Team USA media summit talking with some players. First up, Alison, you got to talk with Jack Wallace.
Alison Brown: Yes. I got Jack Wallace for a few minutes in the middle of his round table. [00:29:00] Kind of waited for a couple people to move on and then I had a malt to myself. Poor thing, he did not know what hit him.
Jill Jaracz: Alright, Jack is a two-time Paralympian.
He was part of Team USA’s gold medal teams in 2018, in 2022, was named Best defenseman at Beijing 2022 and he was also part of Team USA’s win at the 2025 Para Ice Hockey World Championships. Take a listen to Jack.
Alison Brown: I watched a lot of sled hockey in Beijing.
Jack Wallace: Nice.
Alison Brown: And nobody does under the sled handling the same way that you do?
Jack Wallace: I think Declan’s pretty good at it. I think he’s pretty good at it.
Alison Brown: Where does that come from? Was that your hockey player, you know, before you were injured or is that just you developed It’s as sled hockey player?
Jack Wallace: I definitely developed that as a sled hockey player. I think it’s, um, it’s definitely been more of a recent development. I think, a lot of people are starting to catch on. A lot more people need to catch on really. But using both hands and being effective with both hands in sled [00:30:00] hockey is, it’s a cheat code.
’cause you’re able to. completely reposition the puck. Any time you’re able to protect the p any time. And it’s, it’s not the, our sticks are much shorter than standup players, so it’s not like, ’cause in standup hockey you can check someone and then immediately reach around them in either direction and, you know, make an attempt to steal the puck.
At sled hockey, that’s not possible. So, yeah, definitely in the, I’ve put an emphasis on it since, after COVID I injured my left arm. I had Tommy John surgery, so it was more of a, okay, let’s, like, I basically continued the rehab process, like spending all that time on my left hand. I continued it in through my training process into Beijing and tried to develop my left hand as best I could.
Alison Brown: What’s changed since Beijing for team USA?
Jack Wallace: Um,
Alison Brown: because it’s a lot of the same players coming back.
Jack Wallace: Yeah, I was gonna say we’re just more experienced. It’s, it’s, it’s almost the same roster that we had in Beijing, maybe three new, three or four new players. So the majority of the [00:31:00] team, the majority of the guys that we’ll dress have already have already been due.
A Paralympics, which is pretty rare. so yeah, I think it’s just more experience. The preparation will be even better, which is hard to say after how good the team felt and looked in Beijing. but, I’m really ex, I’m, I can’t wait. Obviously I’m part of it, but I cannot wait to see how the team plays after residency.
When we get to Milan in the first game, it’s gonna be unbelievable.
Alison Brown: Do you, you don’t have the schedule yet?
Jack Wallace: We technically do have the schedule. Okay. It’s not a hundred percent set, but they have the seating schedule set. Okay. And we know we’re the one seed going into it. The last two or three seeds are kind of still for grabs right now.
Um, but since we know we’re the one seed and we know what the initial schedule is through this seating, so we do know.
Alison Brown: So who’s your first team?
Jack Wallace: Uh, I believe we are playing, uh, Seamus. Do you know who we’re playing first? I don’t know. It might be China. It might be China. Are you not allowed to say it? I don’t know.
Okay.
Alison Brown: Nevermind. Okay. Seamus doesn’t know. I
Jack Wallace: don’t wanna get anyone in trouble.
Alison Brown: No, that’s my, so we’ll leave it alone [00:32:00] if it’s China. That’s interesting because obviously last time around they were kind of an unknown.
Jack Wallace: Yeah.
Alison Brown: And the way you played them the first time versus the way you played them the second time was very different.
Is that still true now? Like they kind of disappear. Wow.
Jack Wallace: We actually just played them.
Alison Brown: Okay. You did like,
Jack Wallace: uh, five days ago, we were just at our first World Cup, so they’ve been, they’ve been much more active in the international community. They’ve been coming to a, coming to a lot of tournaments and, uh, I mean, they’re getting better.
They’re, they’re a very, they’re a very good team. we think they, them in Czech probably have the most potential. How to, uh, to either beat Canada or US like outside of, you know, it’s always US in Canada, right? So it’s been a long time since we’ve lost to any other team. We think Czech and China are kind of the two up and comers that pose the biggest threats
Alison Brown: and.
Do they still play like an old style Soviet team, or has the change in coach changed China?
Jack Wallace: Oh, uh, honestly, it, honestly, it has a little bit. I was very impressed with the way they moved the puck. It was certainly a less [00:33:00] physical game than the last time we played them. Um, but they were, they were moving the puck very well.
They clearly had, um, some preset plays, which, you know, you don’t always see in hockey, but, uh, they definitely had them. where we had to kind of, in the second period co our coach came in and we designed a counter against a play that they were running off of every face off. So, you know that that’s, that’s kind of a cool thing to see.
’cause you don’t get to see that a lot in hockey. It’s like, okay, off this type of face off, they’re doing this, so we gotta do this. So it’s, it’s fun.
Alison Brown: Did you get to watch any of the world’s, uh, women’s championship?
Jack Wallace: Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I watched the, when they were, they played, I think check in the semi-final, and it was a really close game.
and then obviously the gold medal game was fantastic. but yeah, no, that, I love that tournament. It’s, it’s always fun to watch in the USA Canada rivalry holds, holds true. And it’s great. And it’s great to see all the young international players, right? ’cause I feel like a couple years ago there weren’t really that many young, like studs outside of the US and Canada.
And now I believe it’s the. I’m forgetting her name. I [00:34:00] think she’s from Finland. Um, she’s, she’s unbelievable. Like she’s one of the best players in the world and, and it’s just really cool to see the growth all over the planet.
Alison Brown: Perfect. Thank you so much, Jack. No problem.
Interview with para ice hockey players Declan Farmer and Malik Jones
Jill Jaracz: Thank you so much. Jack, then we have Declan Farmer and Malik Jones who sat down for an interview with us. Declan is a three time Paralympian winning gold at 20 14, 20 18, and 2022, and was very, very young when he made the team. He was, uh, 16
Alison Brown: at 2014.
Jill Jaracz: Wow. Uh, he also was in the 2025 Para Ice Hockey World Championships Gold Medal Team.
he was the first US para ice hockey player to score over 200 career goals. Declan Hales from Tampa, which as you may remember, is also where team keep the flame alive. Other sled hockey player, Monica Quimbee is from, Malik Jones, relatively new to the team. Joined them for the gold medal.
Paralympic win in 2022, and he has been in three World Championships, including that 2025 win. Take [00:35:00] a listen to our conversation with Declan and Malik.
for the tape, please say your names.
Declan Farmer: Declan Farmer
Malik Jones: Malik Jones.
Jill Jaracz: Thank you.
Alison Brown: Are you on the same line?
Declan Farmer: Oh, right now we’re not, but we’ve played a lot together over the um. It’s the last, like, quad kind of since, since, uh, Beijing,
Alison Brown: because you’re both forward. So does that mean you’re on same side or opposite sides, or does it matter?
Malik Jones: , It doesn’t really matter. Yeah, it doesn’t matter.
Um, it just really depends on, you know, what we’re feeling, what’s what, like, what team we’re playing and, uh, yeah, it really does matter.
Declan Farmer: Yeah, hockey in general has kind of changed lately where there’s not like a set left wing, right wing, everything is. You know, based on defense’s own coverage, it could be shifting weird.
So you end up on different sides, you know, on a different rush. You could, you know, down the ice you could be crossing and, and stuff. So it’s really, um, you know, everyone kind of has to be able to play everywhere on the ice. Yeah.
Alison Brown: What’s changed? For the team in the last four years and for each of you in the last [00:36:00] four years?
Malik Jones: I think what’s changed for the team is just how young we’re getting. You know, there’s constantly new young guys coming in and it’s cool to see that. ’cause I remember I was a young guy and I’m pretty sure he remembers he was a young guy. So, yeah. It’s good to see young players coming in.
Declan Farmer: It is, yeah.
I mean, everyone’s getting better. It’s, You know, for me, just trying to like, keep pace with a lot of the other guys’ improvements, like, you know, Malik’s gotten so much better as, as one of the younger guys on the team, but, you know, experience now having a Paralympic games under his belt and, yeah, it’s about, you know, these guys are so fast.
So for me it’s like I am like, pretty set in a lot of skills, but like speed’s. One thing is like, you know, I gotta keep pushing and. Trying to like, you know, keep up with the young guns.
Jill Jaracz: We have heard that before, ’cause we interviewed Taylor Lipsett a long, long time ago. Yeah. And he talked about that as, as you get older Yeah.
That, that can be difficult. the level of skill on the team has improved so much since mm-hmm. You started. How much more difficult would [00:37:00] it have been for like 16-year-old that time? Yeah, that’s a, to make it that a good point.
Declan Farmer: Yeah, definitely would’ve been really difficult.
Don’t know. You know, maybe I would’ve made it at 16, but probably not when I made it like at 14, like two years before Soji. So yeah, I, it probably would’ve taken a couple more years. I mean, if the team we had now was played against our like 2018 gold medal winning team, like we would smoke ’em like.
Probably 10. Oh. Of ’em. Like, it, it, you know, the sports has gotten so much better, like, like an average, like everyone on our team now has skills that only a couple people had like eight years ago. you know, the passing skills people had now have now really only Josh Chet was doing like in the Pyeongchang time.
Um, so sport has really elevated across the board.
Alison Brown: I was just talking to Jack Wallace about his, under the. Sled, stick handling and puck handling. And he gave you a compliment saying You are as good as he is under the sled. And that seems to be what you’re talking about, that that new skill coming up that you didn’t see that much even as late as Beijing.
So besides that, [00:38:00] that under the sled, what else are you seeing in the changes of play?
Malik Jones: I think, you know how. good guys are getting, moving with the puck. You know, that’s one of the hardest things to do in slut hockey is to keep yourself moving while you have the puck because our arms are, are arms and our legs.
So, I think yeah, that’s just improved dramatically even from when I was, my first year in Beijing. Like even from then to now, like it’s even gotten. So much better. I can only imagine from like when he started to now it’s like drastic change. So yeah.
Declan Farmer: Yeah, that’s that’s a huge one for sure. I mean, like back when I was, like, before Pyeongchang, like early college, like that would be like half of my individual practice was just practicing like skating with the puck with like my weaker hand.
Um, so. Those skills take, it’s weird, they take such a long time to build up ’cause it’s a new sport you don’t like as kids. You don’t have coaches that really know what they’re doing and like the skill side of things. So you have to like kind of learn a lot of this stuff on your own. And, and now I think we’re just kind of growing it to where [00:39:00] like people are are starting to figure it out.
Now at a younger age,
Alison Brown: is that still true or are you seeing a difference in the younger sled hockey players that there’s just more of it around the country?
Declan Farmer: there’s some that flash some skill, but I think it’s definitely like. Once you make the national team as kind of as a young player, that’s when you start making your biggest improvements for, for a couple years and, and kind of being around top players and kind of seeing how they, how they do things.
Jill Jaracz: is that what happened with you?
Malik Jones: Yeah. Um, before Beijing, like, yeah, I was, I was training at home with, uh, like local guys that, weren’t trying to compete for the team, but even then just skating. And then once I made the team, and being on the national team and going through seasons, You know, my play made a drastic jump. You know, my puck handling skills, my um, awareness on the ice, my, you know, even line changing, line changing is a big thing in hockey. You gotta know when the, you know, how quick your shift should be. And yeah, I just think all across the board, [00:40:00] it’s gotten better since being on the national team.
Alison Brown: Now line changes must be very difficult to practice because not every rink has the facility to do that. Yeah, for sled hockey. Oh, I’m supposed to say para ice hockey now. I know. Uh, we say slu, we say sled hockey still. I’ve been saying sled hockey, say s hockey still it’s a hard change.
Declan Farmer: It is. yeah, so. we, we really only get the reps in it when we’re at tournaments and stuff.
So I think those are kind of the things that you iron out. just in the exhibition, games and different cups. Tournaments we play like in the seasons, between Paralympics and leading up to world championships and whatnot.
Alison Brown: Okay. I just in my head did the math that Declan, you have been on the national team.
About the same time that you weren’t on the national team as a child. So I mean, you’re still very young, but how beat up do you feel having done this for such a long time?
Declan Farmer: I honestly feel like better than I felt when it, like 10 years ago. just kind of focusing more on like longevity practices, [00:41:00] stretching, like taking care, like strengthening my legs too. You know, I walk with two prosthetics and never really like, trained my legs and just like, kind of generally just becoming more healthier and focusing on that side of things. Eating better. I mean, and Sochi, my diet was, you know, toast and cereal in the morning.
Pizza and pasta for lunch and pizza and pasta for dinner. So like, we’ve known some 16-year-old boys. Yeah. So, yeah, I think I’ve, I’ve improved there. And, you know, had some finger injuries and stuff, but fortunate not to have anything too crazy. And, yeah. So just trying to stay healthy.
Jill Jaracz: But Malik, do you have, uh, pizza, pasta, lunches or, um, or do, do you come into this with a little bit better knowledge?
Malik Jones: Yeah. being, you know, watching, I think going into sports like. I’ve always been a sports nut, so like I knew what went into being an elite athlete, so that’s eating right, stretching, training your body to perform the best that you can. [00:42:00] So, I think my. Diet is pretty good. Like, I think I take care of myself pretty well.
Um, there are some areas that I could probably clean up, but I think that’s just, you know, being me, being young, you know. But as I get older, I think, I will eventually clean those things up to, preserve my longevity in the sport.
Alison Brown: So we wanna get a, give a little love to the women’s tournament.
Declan Farmer: Mm-hmm.
Alison Brown: Did you get to watch the World Championships? Yeah. For the appointment?
Declan Farmer: Yeah. It was awesome. I mean, it was like, and they’ve been working really hard for this for a long time. so it’s good to get like an official world championships under the bell and hopefully that. You know, continues to get other countries more involved.
Now that they actually see it happen, maybe they’ll be like, okay, now, now we’ll actually like invest in women’s team. So hopefully this is, you know, just the beginning.
Alison Brown: Yeah. And speaking of other countries, obviously US and Canada is what we expect to be at the top. Who else is exciting slash scary for you?
Malik Jones: I think check, check and, uh, China are getting like really good. we, we kind of struggled a little bit in like the first period when we played [00:43:00] China, but then, you know, our relentlessness and, you know, our pressure just, worded ’em down. But, you know, they were showing signs of, oh, like this could be a really good team, you.
You know, after the next quad. So, um, those teams are coming up.
Jill Jaracz: because when we first saw Chyna play and everyone was like, Ooh, we’ve not seen Chyna. And they were fast.
Declan Farmer: Yeah, they’re so fast. And so
Jill Jaracz: when you’re in the back or coaches are watching and trying to figure out strategies to play these, this team you haven’t seen, or even, I mean generally because there’s not a ton of streaming for para ice hockey.
What’s going on? What, what are team discussions like?
Declan Farmer: I mean, it kind of like we, we always like are a focus on ourselves kind of team. But with China, I think you kind of realize quick, like they have absolutely zero discipline and they’re, they’re super fast and skill, but they just like, they’re still trying to figure out the defensive side of things.
I mean, if they had like Canada structure, they would be like tit for tat with us. Yeah. But they just don’t quite have it all together and I think they’ll get there. They skate a lot. They [00:44:00] have some really, really skilled players, but they just. Haven’t, like, quite put it all together yet. Like they’ll beat check with their skill, like they’re kind of the third and fourth team, but then like when a big game comes, check can like put it together and pull it out against China.
And China like can’t get it done. So I’m curious to see like how that evolves, uh, the rest of the season.
Alison Brown: So thank you so much. Thank you guys. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Jill Jaracz: Thank you so much, Declan and Malik. We’ll have information on how you can follow everybody on social in the show notes. Are you ready? Are you ready for pair of ice hockey? Are you ready for all this?
Alison Brown: I was ready two years ago.
Milano Cortina 2026 News: Tickets, team kit, Closing Ceremony details, stadium opening, torch relay info and more
Jill Jaracz: ooh. Yes. We will get to that in a minute. Uh, first up, Milano. Corina. The ticketing site reopened on November 13th. They said they will release new tickets every Wednesday. look for new tickets and different price [00:45:00] ranges. Sometimes some affordable ones will come up.
Sometimes they, they’ll be in the higher price ranges.
Uh, more importantly, kit.
Alison Brown: Kit, so Canada and Australia came out with their Kit Canada, once again working with Lululemon, came out with that same dark red that they had with Paris. They have gotten rid of the blood spatter pattern.
Which was very helpful. But the one item I wanna point out is they too have a wrap skirt slash vest slash blanket, just like that eagle blanket that we saw from Nike on the American kit. Wow. I have a feeling this wraparound or sit on item is gonna be possibly in many people’s, collections.
Jill Jaracz: Interesting. I do like the dark red for winter. I really like it a lot. I think it’s, it’s very sharper here. I will say, as I am glancing through the press release and they’ve [00:46:00] got a picture of that is, captioned, Emma Maltis. Models, the nylon taff, insulated shat. That is part of the opening ceremony. Look, I honestly read that as snack it and went, oh
well that is convenient.
Well, if it has enough pockets, we know that the, you bring snacks, the opening ceremony ’cause it’s a long day and they gotta keep their calories up.
Right, So, Thumbs up, thumbs down.
Alison Brown: I love the green and blue. they’ve mixed in some things to contrast with the red. I am concerned about the shack it, and I’m concerned about the wraparound pieces.
But like you, I do love the dark red as well.
Jill Jaracz: Yes. And they’ve done a lot of, of. Adaptive clothing Yes. As well to, uh, again, making sure that the Paralympians have clothes that work for them as well. I am also a little concerned, about these very highly quilted green teal pants. [00:47:00] The winter pants.
Alison Brown: Yes.
Why?
Jill Jaracz: They have a lot of quilting.
Alison Brown: Oh, you think they look a little puffy?
Jill Jaracz: Yeah. Not puffy. I don’t know. It’s, it’s my aversion to quilting. I think. We’ll see what, fair enough. We’ll see what they look like that we’ll see what they look like in person.
Alison Brown: Well, there goes our, you know, a sponsorship from Quilted Northern toilet paper.
Jill Jaracz: Oh, no, I would totally take it. I, I mean, that’s, that’s totally different. Toilet paper. You want some quilting in there On my body. You don’t wanna see quilting. But we have more kit for somebody else.
Alison Brown: So Australia came out with their kit, looks very familiar with that yellow and green, and they once again have the blazer with all the winter oly, the Australian winter Olympians, sewn on the inside.
So they’re pairing it this time. It’s a white version paired this time with a cable knit sweater and I think blue trousers. that jacket has become such a special part. Of the Australian [00:48:00] kit, they kind of can never take it away now.
Jill Jaracz: Right, right, right. It is very cool and very classic, very professional looking.
they also have, indigenous art elements, which is another factor that they continue to put on uniforms, which makes it really beautiful and very uniquely Australian.
Alison Brown: My only concern is it doesn’t quite look warm enough.
Jill Jaracz: Yeah, very true. But, maybe we’ll be proven wrong. Maybe this, this stuff is ultra heated on the inside
Alison Brown: it’ll be Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Berber.
But wait, there are more uniforms. Volunteer uniforms have come out, and this was the coolest thing because we got to, on our Facebook group, I got to tell somebody who was a volunteer that they are getting 17 pieces of clothing in their kit. This is a lot. And what they’ve done is everything is kind of interchangeable and mix and match so that it depends on what [00:49:00] your job is.
So obviously if you’re up in the mountains, you’re gonna put on all 17 layers. And if you’re. Standing at the, you know, in a warm press room, you can just have the long sleeve shirt and the trousers and lots of pockets, lots of turquoise, lots of really fantastic colors, the blues and the turquoises, and lots of different pieces.
Beanies. So many beanies.
Jill Jaracz: I like this a lot. I think they will be distinctive. And, uh, really stand out when you’re, especially if you’re looking for a volunteer for help, they will stand out in the crowd that looks comfortable and it’s stylish. The two different blues. Yeah, that, Italian Royal Blue, the ier blue that comes with the Milano Cortina.
It just looks really nice, so, really sharp. I’m
Alison Brown: nice
Jill Jaracz: job.
Alison Brown: I’m
Jill Jaracz: excited.
Alison Brown: So do not wear anything Royal Blue, ’cause other people will start asking you questions.
Jill Jaracz: Oh, they will quickly learn that I’m not [00:50:00]
Alison Brown: a volunteer. And turquoise definitely probably another color to avoid so that nobody asks you questions in Italian.
Jill Jaracz: More news from Milano Cortina. We got information about the closing ceremony.
Alison Brown: We got the picture of the stage, which also is turquoise. I don’t know if the picture was just turquoise as if it was supposed to be the lighting, but it’s this beautiful sort of oval, almost eye shaped ihap stage. With, a lot of lighting behind, so really dramatic as you would expect from the Italians.
Very excited about these ceremonies.
Jill Jaracz: Yeah, so the, the set design takes its inspiration from a drop of water, which is the whole curvature and the, the roundness of it. As, and as the organizer said, it all de, all winter sports depend on water. So that, that is our main inspiration for everything. it’s supposed [00:51:00] to have a public square, like feel, so a lot of movement, a lot of ever changing elements.
There’s seating on the main floor. Maybe that’s where the athletes will go. Like in Paris, they had the athletes all around the stage area, so that could be cool. the show itself is going to be quote, a fusion of opera, music, dance, cinema design, and technology. The show will be the inspired by Italy’s cultural and artistic wealth, an expression of its powerful balance between classicism and contemporarily, and by the creative ability of Italians to transform aesthetics into emotion end quote from
Alison Brown: the press release.
So the title is Beauty and Action, and it is the first time a ceremony will be happening at a World Heritage site. Oh,
Jill Jaracz: very nice. Very nice. Dave Verona. The first artist was also announced.
International Ballet Star, Roberto Bole.
Alison Brown: And, uh, he’ll get to wear shoes unlike those poor people in Beijing [00:52:00] for the handover ceremony. I’m still traumatized because I was, you know, when I did dance in college, whatever, I was a barefoot girl, so I’m with them. But not when it was 20 degrees out. Yeah, it was cold.
That was a cold day,
Jill Jaracz: The creative team working on the Olympics. Closing ceremony is, from the company Film Master, so it’s led by President Alfredo Aino. Adriano Marella, who’s the creative director?
Stia Opi, the show director, Stefano Ti. Costume designer, Mikayla Bragga, music director, Claudio Santucci. Set Designer. Mikayla, you have big shoes to fill after the music from Paris. I will say that I am looking forward to hearing what music we get. Which we haven’t heard yet. We have not heard the music yet.
I
Alison Brown: have not gotten the song. We have not gotten the theme. They’ll play for the medal ceremony. So excited. The Italians have to do the music Well, they have to.
Jill Jaracz: I have my fingers crossed that it will be a very good [00:53:00] Olympic thing. ’cause I do remember listening to Paris and laughing very hard. But once you saw it.
Once you had a, a medal ceremony, going along with it, man, was that perfectly timed. That was so good. That was so, so good. Perfectly Olympic. And if I work really hard, I can get, together for a shared future. In my head from Beijing
anyway, we have the debut of the row speed Skating stadium as well. This is a temporary venue build at the Fi Milano Row Convention Center. Or exhibition hall, uh, which will be called the Milano Ice Park. During the games, the park will also have a temporary ice hockey arena that will serve as the secondary venue for ice hockey.
the first test event is going to be the ISU Speed Skating Junior World Cup on November 29th and 30th. people, are we done with Milano News? No. No. People. The flame lighting is next week. [00:54:00] The flame lighting is next week. I cannot wrap my head around that.
Alison Brown: We had a snow flurry the other day and that got me ready. Oh, now I’m ready. Now I’m ready.
Jill Jaracz: I, you know, I’m ready. There are very many things where I’m like, oh, I’m very excited about that.
Yes, it’s turning cold. So you’re feeling more winter. Am I prepared? No. Am I working on it? Yes. The flame lighting always gets me though, because that is the big. Indicator that the games are coming and they’re coming soon.
Alison Brown: What’s so funny to me is I have no mental image of winter games, flame lighting. I know we’ve seen them, we, we, we’ve covered now two winter games for the show.
So I’ve watched them, but in my head is always the summer ones. So I have to watch this now a little closer and get it planted into my brain.
Jill Jaracz: Okay, so there was a lot of things, for why we don’t remember Beijing, I don’t remember really, 2018, but I chalk that up to it being brand new for the podcast, [00:55:00] right? 2022. The flame lighting happened in October, like two months after the games ended.
Alison Brown: So our brains were exploding still.
Jill Jaracz: Yes, our brain brains were totally exploding because we were coming off of the Paralympics in Tokyo doing daily episodes from the couch, which, you know, multi screening that’s does take its toll.
And then they had, Thomas Bach was there and. Just representatives from the IOC, the Greek and Chinese Olympic committees, and the President of Greece and a few media people. And that was it for the ceremony. And yes, they still look like they did the big on ceremony that they typically do because the, priestesses look the same.
but it’s. Was so small that it probably did not register very much. And I’m sure we said, oh, the flame came, but it was just such a,
quiet event because of COVID.
Alison Brown: This not a quiet event. [00:56:00]
Jill Jaracz: No, it’s gonna be exciting. So. On Wednesday, November 26th, the flame lighting ceremony will take place in Olympia and start it stur through Greece. And then on December 4th, and I will say we will not have anything about this on next week’s show because next week’s show for us is Thanksgiving.
We’re gonna tape it a little bit early, so be prepared that first week in December. When they’re handing it over, from Athens to Italy on December 4th. We’re gonna be on that and we’re gonna be talking. So I’m excited that then the Italian leg of the relay kicks off in Rome on December 6th.
It’s gonna cross every Italian region. It will go 12,000 kilometers in total through 30 over 300 municipalities and have 60 celebration cities along the route. The torch relay convoy will be almost 200 meters long. It will move at four kilometers an hour. Which I love those details. It’s gonna go from seven 30 in the morning to seven 30 [00:57:00] at night and at night there will be a cauldron lighting at the final stop of the day and a city celebration.
Fantastic. Coca-Cola and ENI are the two presenting sponsors of the program. So you know that they’re gonna have stuff there too.
Alison Brown: Oh, do they have like the equivalent of the warm ginger coke like China had? I don’t know. We
Jill Jaracz: gotta find out. That would be nice, but I would imagine there’s gonna be special torch relay pins for sure.
Oh yeah. So be on the lookout for those. If you can go, there is a dedicated website for the torch relay information so that you can follow along. We’ll have a link to that in the show notes also. We are not done yet with Milan Cortina. Well, that’s what it’s gonna be like probably between now and then.
It’s like they figured it out. Oh, we gotta put news out. If you haven’t seen it. They’ve got, the Olympics app for Milan. Cortina is up and running. We’ll have a link to that. in the show notes. It’s got scheduling ticket in ticketing information and if you are going buried in the more section [00:58:00] is spectator information.
Study that there is very good advice about things like cell phone batteries. And connectivity. And please do not expect wi uh, I’m saying please do not. But they’re like, yeah, the stadiums aren’t gonna have wifi most likely that you can get on. they’ll talk about like how to deal with ticket to credentials and troubleshooting things like access to your mobile tickets if you have connectivity issues.
and how to dress because it’ll be a little chilly. Yes. So, pay attention to that. Food and drink allowances are gonna be different for ceremonies and they’re different for competition venues. Uh, the gist is that you will not be allowed to bring in much. Anything. So just be aware that it’s there and plan ahead with how to get there.
But I, I’ve spent a good amount of time looking at stuff on different venues. ’cause even for us, even though, yeah, we have accreditations, we need to know some stuff and, and how to [00:59:00] get there. Even that helps too. if you’re going do know that there are different trained companies in Italy, so they do different routes and so sometimes they, they do link in this more section.
They do link in the spectator information section to the train provider that gets you to different towns. So be on the lookup for that. It’s all coming. It’s all coming.
Alison Brown: Oh, ura.
LA 2028 News: Competition schedules
Jill Jaracz: We have some LA 2028 news, a thousand days
Alison Brown: until the Paralympics.
Jill Jaracz: Yes, it’s a thousand days to the Paralympics. So LA 2028 released its competition schedule. Very excited about this and, uh. They released the Olympic competition schedule as well, but not today, the 19th of November.
they’ve released that while we were going back in time to Sydney 2000. So we have two different competition schedules for you. Uh, let’s talk Paralympics first. ’cause this is the big one. They 1000 days out today, big changes from Paris. So this will be the [01:00:00] first summer Paralympics to have sports starting before the opening ceremonies.
So we will now have a day minus two. That Sunday, August 13th when wheelchair rugby starts and a day minus one when Bcha starts.
Alison Brown: Well, we all know where I’m gonna be and actually we know now where you’re gonna be because you did love some bcha.
Jill Jaracz: I did love bcha. It’s botch is a fun, fun watch. nobody’s gonna get eliminated before the opening ceremony, so that’s good to know because there was in, at Paris, like Yes. Stuff was done, basically. Yeah. Well, some of the rugby guys were just sent home. Yeah. so the opening ceremony will be in the 2028 stadium, which is what they’re calling SoFi.
Unless they make a deal with SoFi, because now venues can be, have corporate names on them. the opening ceremony is on Tuesday, August 15th. That’s the only thing on the schedule for that day. Then day one medals will be awarded in para athletics, para cycling track, para equestrians, shooting parasport and [01:01:00] wheelchair fencing.
And then the closing ceremony is gonna be at the La Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, August 27th, after it’s a big day. On the closing day, you’ve got finals for blind football, sitting, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, and final competitions in para athletics, para of badminton, para climbing and para power lifting.
So we will see you, Bobby body on closing day,
Alison Brown: and then the Olympic competition schedule is totally upended all your Olympic, everything you thought you knew. Has been swapped around because the big move is that swimming happening week two, athletics happening week one, and on day one you’re gonna have the finals of the women’s a hundred meter.
And then day two, the men’s a hundred meter. So kind of the biggest track competitions are happening right off the bat. First gold medal will be awarded in women’s triathlon.
Yeah,
Jill Jaracz: it usually that gets put [01:02:00] in the middle of the, the show.
Alison Brown: So the final medals will be swimming the marathon events, which will be unfolding on, days 15 and 16. They’re calling day 15 Super Saturday because that will be the most medals on a single day, including 15 matches in team sports and 15 medal finals.
Individual sports.
Jill Jaracz: So 30 medals given out that day on super Saturday, the day before the last day of the games. Yes. Whoa.
Alison Brown: You better have some stamina.
Jill Jaracz: Right? Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. it’ll be interesting to see how the, the flip of athletics and swimming goes. I’m really curious as to, I mean, I’m sure once we’re there, it’s not gonna feel like anything.
Right. You know, it’s just gonna be, well, this is what it is and that’s gonna be fun. But it is something to get your mind around. And I would imagine if you [01:03:00] were a track and field person, you are no longer going to the opening ceremonies. Right. Wouldn’t be because you, you
Alison Brown: don’t have that week to recover.
But now swimmers can actually go, right. Gotta be fascinating.
Team Keep the Flame Alive News: Welcome to TKFLASTAN
Jill Jaracz: Welcome to sh Dawn. It is the time of the show where we check in with our team, keep the flame alive. These are past guests and listeners of the show who make up the citizenship of our very own country. Stan, we got results. It’s it’s competition time again.
Alison Brown: Speed skater. Erin Jackson took two silver medals in the 500 meters at the first ISU World Cup of the season, and those results included beating her own American record.
And Erin also finished eighth in the thousand meters
Jill Jaracz: at the US Curling Olympic Trials wheelchair curler. Steve Em and his partner Laura Dwyer, won the wheelchair mix doubles and they will be heading to Milano Corino. So excited. He is excited too. unfortunately. Team Schuster lost [01:04:00] team Casper in the final game of their city series.
They will not go to Italy at all. This is the first time in 20 years that John Schuster has not competed at an Olympics. And I, I will say it’s not guaranteed for team Casper either because they still need to qualify the USA for a spot
Alison Brown: and sprinter, Kenny Nars vlog, kicking it with Kenny.
Kicked off season three with Kenny’s 27th birthday celebration on a yacht. We will have a link to that. The show notes.
Jill Jaracz: Archer Casey Caulfield finished the GT Open Indoor World Series in fourth place.
Alison Brown: Results from the USA Fencing National Championships. Lauren Scruggs won Division one Whims Women’s Foil and Hadley Huan won Division one Women’s
Jill Jaracz: and we have a new baby in Stan.
This is so exciting.
Alison Brown: The best baby news I think we may have ever gotten. Modern Pentathlete. Samantha Schultz welcomed baby Evelyn K. Schultz on November 9th. Evie, as they have been calling her, came a little early, but [01:05:00] mom and baby are home and well, that is so exciting.
Congratulations to Samantha and her husband
Review of the Week
Alison Brown: and we have a review of the week. So Baba 49 49 on Apple Podcast wrote, how do Jill and Allison make great shows week after week, month after month, year after year? I don’t know, but they do. I learn so much every week.
Jill Jaracz: Oh, thank you. Baba 49 49. If you have thoughts on the show, please leave a review on your favorite podcast app or comment on our social media pages.
We’re at Flame Alive Pod everywhere, or you could drop us a line at Flame Alive pod@gmail.com, and we would love to feature your review here as well. And that is gonna do it for this episode. Please do not forget to support our fundraiser and help the show give, provide you better coverage from Milano Cortina 2026.
Alison Brown: Thank you so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive.