The Current The Current

Cassie Campbell-Pascall on her fight for a place on the ice

Oct 6, 2026 · 24m

Summary

Cassie Campbell-Pascal discusses her new memoir, *Just a Girl*, co-written with Sean Fitzgerald, exploring her journey from convincing her parents to let her play hockey to becoming Canada's poster girl. She reflects on the emotional weight of the 1998 Nagano silver medal, the intense rivalry with the U.S., and the "flag incident" that sparked an international controversy. The conversation also covers her advocacy for women's hockey, her struggles with infertility, and her decision to donate her brain to research, highlighting the progress made since her playing days.

Topics discussed

Sponsor: Perk Intro: Cassie Campbell-Pascal and her memoir Revisiting the 2002 gold medal moment Keeping medals hidden and family life Defining the book's 'raw' authenticity Convincing parents to let her play hockey Facing snark and 'you're just a girl' comments Growing up in Brampton and stealing cars Becoming the poster girl for women's hockey Navigating fame, media, and sexualization The 1998 Nagano silver medal heartbreak Dressing room dynamics and LGBTQ+ players Sponsor: Perk and CBC Promo Rivalry and respect with the US team The Canadian flag incident and fallout Criticism of lopsided scores and coverage The growth of the game with the PWHL Struggles with infertility and broadcasting Concussions and brain donation for research Legacy and her daughter's hockey journey
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