When someone comes from a family of successful professional athletes, trying to find time in the spotlight can be difficult. Just ask University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team senior forward and current point-leader, Sarah Nurse.
Many people might not know that Sarah Nurse is only one product of a family full of athletes, with Elijah Nurse playing for the Dundas Blues in the Provincial Junior Hockey League and Isaac Nurse playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs.
The Nurse family roster also includes cousins Darnell Nurse, a defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers, Kia Nurse, who plays basketball for the University of Connecticut and Tamika Nurse, a former basketball player for the University of Oregon and Bowling Green State University.
The Nurse kids didn’t just get their talent out of thin air. Richard Nurse, Sarah Nurse’s uncle, played in the Canadian Football League, and Cathy Nurse, Sarah Nurse’s aunt, played basketball in college. Sarah Nurse’s other aunt, Raquel Nurse, played basketball in college and would go on to marry former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Sarah Nurse, who was recently selected eighth overall by the Boston Pride in the 2016 National Women’s Hockey League draft, will be the next of her family to join the professional sports world. Following the completion of her senior season with the Badgers, Sarah Nurse will be eligible to join the Pride for the 2017-18 season, or she may choose to enter free agency.
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The formation of the NWHL in 2015 allowed players like Sarah Nurse to continue playing the sport that they loved, while getting paid to do so. This new opportunity opened a new door for Sarah Nurse — one she had not considered in the past.
“[The NWHL] is a very cool opportunity,” Sarah Nurse said. “I’ve seen so many players from here, so many of my friends that are playing in that league, and I think that it is just an amazing opportunity. It’s changed the way that I’ve looked at things. It’s still so new, and I am still learning about it, so we’ll see.”
The senior Badger is also able to draw upon the experiences that her cousin Darnell Nurse has had since joining the NHL in 2014. While there might be some fundamental differences between the NHL and the NWHL, Sarah Nurse still gets to see a glimpse of what being a professional athlete will be like.
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“[Darnell]’s having a great time in the NHL,” Sarah Nurse said. “He gets to see amazing places and gets to play in front of thousands of fans, and he’s really having a great time with that.”
Darnell Nurse also knows how lucky he is to have such a talented family of athletes behind him, both to inspire him and to support him as he continues his successful career. Sarah Nurse talked to the Chicago Tribune last November about the benefits that come from being a part of such a driven family.
“It’s great to kind of look around and know I have their support but to also be a fan of them,” Sarah Nurse said. “I’ve really been blessed to have not only the support but also have the ability to go out and see the people in my family do what they love too.”
The many hockey players in her family inspire the Badger standout. With two younger brothers who also play hockey and a cousin in the sport as well, there was always someone to look at for inspiration.
Sarah Nurse said it is this kind of competition that not only allows for her to improve her game, but also keeps motivating her to do better. It is this family dynamic that helps to bring out the best in all the Nurse children.
“We all want to be successful,” Sarah Nurse said. “We all want to be the best possible players that we can be. So if I see my brother doing something awesome, I am so proud of him but I also want to do the same thing.”
Don’t think you’ll see all the Nurse children facing off against one another on the ice anytime soon, though. If this family full of accomplished players did finally get together to see who was the best athlete, Sarah Nurse said they would stay far away from the rink, just to make things even.
“I think I would have us do something that none of us do because then true athletes come out,” Sarah Nurse said. “I would have us do something like volleyball, something that nobody does, so that we’re all starting with a blank slate”
