Olympian Anne Schleper enjoys morning skate with Lightning
TAMPA, Fla. -- Olympian Anne Schleper couldn't wipe the smile from her face. And when asked how long it would stay, she knew the answer.
''Oh, long time,'' she said. ''If you know me, I'm always smiling.''
Monday, she had good reason to grin. Schleper, 24, received an invitation to participate in morning skate with the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena before their game against the Montreal Canadiens later Monday night.
The native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, won a silver medal with the United States women's hockey team at the most recent Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Her appearance on the ice with Tampa Bay capped her participation in the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend that began Saturday.
''It was good just to get out there, and I was really trying to learn from them,'' she said. ''They're obviously amazing skaters and great with the puck, so I was trying to learn from them being out there. It was awesome.''
Schleper, a defenseman, participated in drills while wearing a blue No. 15 helmet and a white practice jersey. She also stretched at center ice with Lightning star Steven Stamkos in the middle of the team circle. She received positive reviews from Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who said she gained comfort as time progressed.
''She was really active,'' Cooper said. ''She was saying all the right things. She was calling for the puck, and I think she got better as the practices went on.
''It is about the sport of hockey. It's not about men's hockey or women's hockey. It is hockey. ... We're all in this together.''
As part of World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend, Schleper also participated in panel discussions and hockey clinics for local Girl Scouts and other young females of the region. The experience was enough to keep her smile alive for a long while.
''It was so fun,'' she said. ''The guys were great. Yeah, it was awesome.''
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
