>>> THE NUMBER OF MEDALS THE UNITED STATES TOOK HOME IN THE
RECENT WINTER GAMES WERE FAR FEWER THAN EXPECTED.
BUT ONE OF THE TEAMS THAT CAME OUT ON TOP WAS WOMEN'S HOCKEY,
AND THAT MAKES KACEY BELLAMY OF WESTFIELD AN OLYMPIC GOLD
MEDALIST.
RON CHIMELIS OF THE REPUBLICAN AND MASSLIVE SPOKE WITH ME
ABOUT BELLAMY'S CONNECTION TO THIS REGION, HOW WOMEN'S HOCKEY
HAS EVOLVED IN RECENT YEARS AND WHAT WAS DIFFERENT THIS TIME
BETWEEN LONGTIME RIVALS CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
. >> THEY ARE SO EVENLY MATCHED
THAT OLYMPIC WATCHERS SAY THIS IS THE BEST RIVALRY OF ANY SPORT
IN THE WINTER GAMES FOR SURE BECAUSE THERE IS OBVIOUSLY
FAMILIARITY, FIERCE COMPETITIVENESS, BOTH FIGHTING
FOR THE SAME PRIZE.
THIS TIME THE U.S. CAME OUT ON TOP.
>> SO KACEY BELLAMY OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE WOMEN ON THIS TEAM,
SHE IS FROM WEST FIELD, SO SHE IS A FAMILIAR FACE AND NAME TO
FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING THE SHOW.
YOU WATCHED HER SKATE IN THIS AREA WHEN THERE WASN'T A WOMAN'S
TEAM, OR EVEN A YOUTH FEMALE TEAM.
SHE WAS PLAYING WITH BOYS.
>> RIGHT.
>> DID SHE STAND OUT EVEN THEN?
>> YOU COULD TELL SHE WAS A SPECIAL PLAYER, TO STAND OUT IN
THAT TYPE OF COMPETITION, AND TO LOOK FOR THE BEST COMPETITION
POSSIBLE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL ABOUT HER.
SHE GROUP UP AT A TIME THAT WAS GOOD FOR A YOUNG WOMAN AS A
PLAYER TO DEVELOP, AND SHE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT.
>> BECAUSE SHE HAD TO REALLY, REALLY TRAIN HARD TO STAND OUT
AMONG MALE PLAYERS, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?
>> I THINK ANY TIME WOMEN ARE IN A PREDOMINANTLY MALE SPORT,
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MOTIVATION FOR THEM TO SHOW THAT
THEY CAN PLAY.
THERE ARE CHALLENGES.
THERE IS MORE OPEN MINDNESS TOWARD THAT, BUT NOT EVERYBODY
BUYS IN ON THAT.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE BETTER THAN GOOD TO STAND OUT, AND SHE DID,
AND SHE WON RESPECT FROM MEN, BUT ALSO SHE FOUND HER NICHE IN
THE WOMEN'S GAME.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY THIS IS NOW
WOMEN'S HOCKEY.
SHE IS NOT TRYING TO PLAY A MAN HE IS SPORT.
>> YOU INTERVIEWED HER BEFORE WHEN SHE WAS ON THE OLYMPIC
TEAM.
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT INTERACTION?
>> WHAT I REMEMBER SHE LOVED PLAYING DEFENSE.
A LOT OF THE TOP PLAYERS WANT TO BE GOALIES.
THE EARLIEST GIRLS PLAYED GOALIES FOR SOME REASON, OR THEY
WANTED TO BE SCORERS.
THAT'S HOW YOU GET YOUR NAME IN THE PAPER.
BUT SHE LOVED PLAYING DEFENSE AND SHE TOOK TO THAT TYPE OF THE
GAME AND THAT'S WHAT SHE HAS BECOME.
>> FOR WOMEN IN THIS SPORT IT WAS ADDED TO THE OLYMPICS IN
1998, WHICH WAS INCIDENTALLY THE LAST TIME THE U.S. TEAM ACTUALLY
WON A GOLD MEDAL.
LET'S GET SOME HISTORY HERE.
WHY WAS THE SPORT ADDED IN '98?
>> THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE LOOKS AT HOW MANY PARTICIPATING
NATIONS CAN PUT GOOD TEAMS OUT THERE.
THAT'S PART OF IT.
I DO THINK THEY LIKE TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH SPORTS AND THEY
HAVE TRIED TO MODERNIZE THE OLYMPICS TO SOMETHING BEYOND
WHAT IT USED TO BE.
ALL OF THESE WORKED IN FAVOR OF WOMEN'S HOCKEY BECAUSE IT WAS
NOT ONLY A LEGITIMATE SPORT, IT WASN'T A NOVELTY SPORT IN A LOT
OF THESE COUNTRIES.
EVEN THOUGH THE U.S. AND CANADA ARE THE DOMINANT TEAMS, RIGHT
NOW THE U.S. IS ON TOP, OTHER COUNTRIES ARE GETTING BETTER AT
IT.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE TEAMS LIKE FINLAND, THE RUSSIANS, THE
JAPANESE, THEY ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE GAP.
>> FOR THIS WOMEN'S TEAM YOU EXPLAINED THEY ALMOST BOYCOTTED
IN RECENT YEARS.
WHY WAS THAT?
>> LAST YEAR WAS THE WORLD TOURNAMENT, AND THE DISPARITY
BETWEEN CONDITIONS AND PAY FOR MEN AND WOMEN.
ON THE SURFACE PEOPLE SAID THAT'S UNPATRIOTIC AND THEY WERE
GOING TO SKIP A TOURNAMENT, BUT PEOPLE IN THE SPORT SAID THEY
HAD A LEGITIMATE GRIPE.
THEY WERE NOT LOOKING FOR EQUAL EVERYTHING.
THEY JUST WANTED TO CLOSE THE GAP BECAUSE THESE WOMEN HAVE TO
PUT THEIR LIVES ON HOLD TO PLAY AND TRAIN.
THIS IS NOT A PART-TIME JOB.
TODAY YOU'VE GOT TO DO NOTHING ELSE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE
SERIOUS ABOUT BEING COMPETITIVE, AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO DO
THAT.
SO THEY DID COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENT WITH
THE U.S.A.
GOVERNING BODY.
>> THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS ABOUT
WOMEN TRYING TO MAKE INROADS.
WE HEAR ABOUT IT IN BASKETBALL.
YET THIS STILL PERSISTS.
WHY IS THERE THIS PUSH AND PULL?
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST SEXISM.
THE AMERICAN TEAMS COST A LOT OF MONEY.
THE AMERICANS REPRESENT THE COUNTRY WONDERFULLY, AND THAT
WAS THE CASE EVEN BEFORE THE GOLD MEDAL.
THEY HAD A SELLING POINT.
WE WANT TO DO IT THE BEST WE CAN.
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT, THIS JUST ISN'T FAIR, AND IN MY
OPINION THEY WERE RIGHT.
I THINK THERE IS MORE AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO SUPPORT ALL OF
OUR ATHLETES.
I GREW UP IN THE ERA YOU WERE SUPPOSEDLY AN AMATEUR OR YOU
COULDN'T PLAY.
IF YOU CAN DO NOTHING ELSE AS A MALE OR FEMALE EXCEPT TRAIN,
THESE WOMEN WANTED TO PLAY AT TOP LEVEL AND THEY HAD TO FIND A
WAY TO BE SUPPORTED THAT WAY.
>> DO YOU THINK NOW THE WOMEN HAVE WON THIS GOLD MEDAL TO SORT
OF REDEEM THE TEAM, A LOT OF THE WOMEN WHO WERE INTERVIEWED AFTER
THE LIKE, LIKE KACEY BELLAMY AND OTHERS, THEY FELT LIKE THIS WAS
A REDEMPTION FOR THEM.
IS THIS GOING TO HELP AT THE LOWER LEVELS FOR KIDS WHO WANT
TO GET INTO THE SPORT?
>> NO QUESTION.
THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM, THE OLYMPIC TEAM, THESE TYPES OF
EVENTS TELL PEOPLE THAT IT CAN BE DONE, AND AROUND THE COUNTRY
THERE WILL BE COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN WHO
WILL THINK ABOUT PLAYING HOCKEY.
YOU WILL HAVE A LARGER TALENT POOL, YOU WILL HAVE MORE
PARTICIPATION AND MORE ACCEPTANCE.
>> BUT WE HEAR A LOT OF ABOUT CONCUSSIONS.
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING AS A PARENT TO PUT YOUR KID ON THE
ICE, BOY OR GIRL, WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK AT?
>> THE EQUIPMENT IS BETTER, MORE RESPONSE WHEN THERE IS A
CONCUSSION CASE.
YOU DON'T JUST SEND PEOPLE BACK OUT THERE AM IT IS -- IT IS A
CONCERN, BUT IT DOESN'T NULLIFY PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT.