American defender Sally Hoerr’s career has taken her thousands of miles across the globe. The Colchester, Vermont, native has played internationally in Sweden, Canada, Austria and Norway — as well as in the ACHA at home in the States. Now in her first season with Hammarby IF in Sweden’s second-tier NDHL, she spoke to The IX Sports about her unique story.
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What made you opt to play defense, as opposed to forward or goalie? I played center for the first few years and if we were winning by a lot our coaches would let us switch positions, so my friend and I would always go back to defense together. I think I stayed there permanently around U14 maybe. I don’t remember why exactly, probably because no one else wanted to play defense but I also loved the feeling of shutting down forwards (still do!).
Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions? I found I got way too stressed or anxious when my routines got interrupted or messed up — which is the opposite of what a routine is supposed to do. Schedules abroad can be incredibly inconsistent or even unknown until the last second. I know when I feel game-ready, so I’ve adapted my warm-up and accessories (music selection, how many games of sewer, breathing etc..) for what I need that day. The only thing I do consistently every game, mostly for fun, is when we huddle around the net at the start I’m always next to the right-hand post.
What’s been the biggest challenge of your career so far? Trying to come back from a high ankle sprain in 2024. I worked so hard for an opportunity to play in the SDHL and joined a team mid-season in January 2025. Re-signing was looking positive until I sprained it with five seconds left in the last game of the regular season. According to Google, the average recovery time was 12 weeks. So, I put 12 weeks after the injury into my calendar and wrote myself a note on my phone lockscreen that said, “remember the big picture, you will recover.” It was the hardest time to stay mentally and physically motivated, especially since I had no team lined up until late July, but I cleared the physical therapy tests 12 weeks to the day.
On the flip side, what’s been the highlight of your career so far? Oh gosh, I have so many! I love that I know so many people from different countries and have been able to experience the world in my 20’s before I turn into an absolute workaholic. This summer I got to join a practice with Laura Stacey, Marie-Philip Poulin, Ann-Renée Desbiens and several other Olympians/PWHL players at Centre 21.02 in Montréal (yes, of course I have to name drop those three legends). It was just a fun summer skate for them, but for me it represented all the work I’d gone through to go from collegiate club to sharing the ice with the best players in the world. One more was when I kept my contract with the Montréal Force a secret from my parents for two weeks so I could tell them in person. I’ll never forget that moment!
You’ve played in five different countries. How have you grown from that international experience? I’m much more confident and self-assured than I used to be. Navigating countries as an athlete with varying levels of team support can be challenging since coaching and managing aren’t anyone’s full time job outside of the SDHL. I’ve learned to be more accepting of ambiguity and how to fit in what I need to succeed rather than throwing it all out the window when something doesn’t go to plan. I’ve become much more open to life’s experiences and everything it has to offer, which has helped (slowly) prepare me for the eventual end of my career.
