Hockey has been a part of Laila Edwards’s life for as long as she can remember. “My dad played when he was younger, so when I was about 3 years old, he had me figure skating and doing hockey at the same time so that I could work on my skating and learn all there is to hockey,” she exclusively tells Her Campus. “Right away — no offense to figure skating, it’s wonderful and I could never do it today — but I just found more passion for hockey. It was more interactive and physical. It was more going on, and that’s what I liked at that age, and I still do now.”
Growing up, Edwards played on boys’ teams — there wasn’t a girls’ ice hockey league in her hometown of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. By the time she’d reached her teens, Edwards knew she wanted to play professional hockey, but there was one thing standing in her way. “They [didn’t] have much for higher level women’s hockey,” she says. Luckily, she saw this as more of a hurdle than a roadblock. “I’m still going to work to make the Olympic team, the national team, and see what I can do,” Edwards remembers thinking. “I was like, ‘OK, I want to take this thing as far as I can.’”
And she did. After graduating from high school, Edwards joined the Badgers Women’s Ice Hockey team at the University of Wisconsin. She excelled in her first season, racking up 13 goals and bringing home a national championship win with her team.
While winning a collegiate national championship is more than many players dream of, Edwards’s star continued to shine. She was tapped in June 2022 to play for the U.S. in the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, where she led the team in scoring and won MVP. During her sophomore year, Edwards made history as the first Black female to play for the U.S. Women’s Senior National Ice Hockey team at just 19 years old. She went on to help her team win a silver medal in the IIHF Women’s World Championship in March 2024, earning her another MVP title — making her the youngest player to earn the honor in an international women’s hockey championship.
Some might think Edwards’s success — like being recognized in Forbes’s 2025 North America 30 Under 30 sports category — would give her total bragging rights, but she humbly attributes her success to her love of the sport, work ethic, and confidence. “I’ve been blessed with some physical abilities and I’ve worked on my physical game, but it’s having the mindset and the mentality that I’m good enough to be out here,” she says. “I’m good enough to succeed.”
Now in her third season with the Badgers, Edwards hopes to keep growing as a player and inspiring girls who are interested in ice hockey but might not feel represented in the sport. “Representation is really important — to see someone at this level is great,” Edwards says. “But to see someone succeed at this level too, that’s even greater.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How do you deal with the pressure of being a young athlete with such high expectations placed on you?
I’m still working on it, and I’ve gotten better at it. The best way to deal with the pressure is to look at it as a privilege. I’m in this position that a lot of people wish they could be in, and there’s a lot of people looking to me. It’s making sure I don’t break under that pressure, and not that I expect myself to be flawless, but there are a lot of people that I’m grateful to be inspiring. It’s a good kind of pressure that I’m grateful for, and it motivates me to work harder so I can continue to pave the way.
How have you seen yourself grow as a hockey player since becoming a professional collegiate athlete?
Recently, I’ve grown in my confidence. I’ve become more athletic, stronger, and faster, which is great. But the No. 1 thing that I’ve seen growth in is confidence because that’s when I’m playing my best hockey. I’ve really been working on the mental game.
As a professional athlete and a full-time student, how do you balance your career with your schoolwork?
I definitely make sure to have my priorities straight. School is very important to me, and I wouldn’t necessarily say at this time that one outweighs the other. Making sure that I’m present when I’m at school or hockey is helpful. When I’m in class, I focus on class and studying, and when I’m at practice or playing a game, I just focus on getting better. But in that free time, I have to make sure I’m on top of my work because we miss a lot of school. Just communicating with professors and making sure to use all my resources, that’s been the most helpful in balancing being a pro athlete and a student.
How do you navigate self-care as a student athlete?
Making sure I take a couple of minutes or even a couple of hours just to do something that doesn’t have to do with either school or hockey. Whether that’s calling friends and family, going on a walk, or going to the movies. I try to be efficient with my time so that if I do get all my work done, I can have that free time to take care of myself and better my well-being.
Any favorite ways to unwind?
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot, especially before bed. I’ve been reading The Song of Achilles. I’m almost done with it, but I plan to keep reading the series.
You’ve talked about Blake Bolden, the first woman of color to play professional hockey, being an inspiration to you. Have you had the chance to connect with her?
I remember the first time I met her in Cleveland, where we’re both from. I was really young, so I was like, “Whoa, someone that looks like me is playing hockey. This is awesome.” And then she played pro, and we kept in touch over social media. Then she was in L.A. when I was making my debut with the national team and officially becoming the first Black woman to play for the U.S. team. She came and supported me and it was just awesome. We talked after about how much we’ve inspired each other. It was a really powerful moment for me. It’s crazy to think about someone that I’m looking up to has told me she’s doing the same to me now.
Were there any words of wisdom or advice she gave you?
She said just keep being me. Don’t change for the game or for anyone else, and keep paving the way and inspiring people. That meant a lot because a big goal of mine is to inspire others.
Black women are represented in NCAA hockey more than they ever have been in the league’s history, but there are still big disparities. What advice would you give to little girls interested in hockey who are watching you and feel represented in this sport for the first time?
I would say, “I totally understand having some discomfort and doubts — that’s what I went through, but I’m really glad that I didn’t let that stop me.” I love hockey, so I’d say if you love hockey, no matter who looks like you or who doesn’t look like you in the locker room, just play it. That’s going to inspire others to do the same.
You and your University of Wisconsin teammates post some awesome — often silly —TikToks from before and after practice. Why is it important for you to squeeze in some fun moments between playing?
I think it’s important to squeeze that in, and it’s just fun. It also shows people that we’re human too — we have silly sides and we all have fun with it.
I heard that hockey players are superstitious. Are there any superstitions you’ve adopted to ensure good luck on the ice?
I have a lot of teammates and peers who are superstitious, but I’ve never found myself to be really superstitious. I do have routines where I’ll naturally put on the left side of my equipment before my right. One thing I try to do before every game — because it can be intense, and the emotions are high — is to call my 4-year-old nephew to calm me down. It’s a small, silly thing, but I try to do that for every game.