Hockey Helps O'sullivans Heal Tragic Wounds; It Gives Stephanie A Chance For Historic Gold

Stephanie O'Sullivan's story line parallels many of the 25 American ice hockey players who are expected to challenge world champion Canada for the first women's Olympic gold medal at the Nagano Games.

She represents the struggle and perseverance of barrier-breaking women who will debut a new Olympic sport in February.

Until you notice the shamrock stickers on the back of her helmet. O'Sullivan, 25, wears the emblems as a memorial to her parents, who died of cancer two years apart in the early 1990s.

Surrounded by 10 siblings - seven brothers and three sisters - O'Sullivan became an integral part of keeping the Dorchester, Mass., family together during the tragedy. After Ann O'Sullivan's death in 1992 from brain cancer, the oldest child, Shaun, then 26, took over the parental role for the others, ranging from 22 to 10. John O'Sullivan died from lymphoma in 1990.

The O'Sullivans lived in a four-room apartment with one bath. Shaun, who played hockey for Northeastern University, left school to take his father's old job at Boston Edison to help support the family.

"We didn't want anybody else to come in and help us," Stephanie said. "That's the best part of a big family. We didn't need any adults to help us along. David (the youngest) was 9 and 11 when our parents passed away. But my older brothers put a lot of time into him. It was something that was passed down."

Instead of dwelling on what was lost, O'Sullivan and her family remind themselves of what they had.

"Having 11 of us, the best way to do it is not to feel sorry for ourselves," said Chris O'Sullivan, who plays for the Calgary Flames.

Added Stephanie: "People can look at the situation and feel bad, but when you see the big picture we know we've been very fortunate having great parents for the time we did."

The O'Sullivans' experience is enough to attract Hollywood and book publishers, but add hockey to the equation and few can resist. Not only is O'Sullivan, a forward, playing for the United States at Nagano, Chris hopes to make the Olympics in 2002 at Salt Lake City. The others either played in college or high school or follow the sport closely.

So yes, a book on the family is being written, and a made-for-TV movie is being considered.

O'Sullivan doesn't mind the recognition, or talking about the loss, because she sees it as an inspiration. Shaun has returned to night school at Boston College. The rest of the clan have either graduated or are attending college except for David, who is a promising hockey player at a Boston-area private school.

"Hockey has been an outlet at times," O'Sullivan said. "We all enjoy watching it. Supporting each other by going to each other's games. Everything has revolved around hockey in a way, but we're well-balanced."

O'Sullivan, the first daughter after five boys, grew up playing hockey with support from her father.

"One morning I followed my brothers to the rink," she said. "I did it because I loved it."

Said Chris, who is younger: "She was always beating us at everything."

Like many of the national team members, O'Sullivan was the only girl in a sea of boys, not only at home but in the neighborhood. In between helping her mother change diapers and doing household chores, O'Sullivan played hockey.

"I never had any problems, but I had to break the barriers," she said. "I was the first girl and the only girl in the leagues."

When she first tried to play organized hockey, O'Sullivan was rejected because of insurance problems. So, her father listed her as Steven, and no one asked any more questions.

O'Sullivan was the only woman to play on the Matignon High varsity boys' team, and was voted captain in 1990. She attended Providence College, which has produced nine U.S. national team members headed for Nagano. The most recognizable is Cammi Granato, who like O'Sullivan, has a brother in the NHL.

The U.S. has one of the world's strongest teams. It finished second to Canada in the previous two world championships, but the Americans are gaining ground.

The women know a medal is important to give the sport a boost. Even with the debut of NHL players at Nagano, the women's game is expected to generate tremendous interest and attention.

The Atlanta Games helped spawn two women's pro basketball leagues; the hockey players are hoping for similar results after Japan.

"For us, a pro league is the ultimate," O'Sullivan said.

Kwan back on ice

Figure skater Michelle Kwan returned to the ice rink at Lake Arrowhead, Calif., after a three-week layoff because of a stress fracture in a toe on her left foot.

She will wear a removable cast for the next two weeks. Kwan, the 1996 U.S. and world champion, hopes to be ready for the Champions Series Final at Munich, Germany, Dec. 19-21. The Olympic trials are Jan. 6-11.

"Michelle had pain in her foot for a long time," said her coach, Frank Carroll. "If this relieves the pain she's had, it's probably better to get it over with now."

A needed comeback

The U.S. women's ski team might seem to be in trouble as Picabo Street struggles to come back from a surgically repaired left knee. But a sliver of hope emerged recently when Julie Parisien, once a world-class slalom skier, announced her return after skiing on the pro tour for three years. U.S. coaches say Parisien is looking good as a possible super-G and downhill racer.

In the meantime, Kirsten Clark was the top U.S. finisher at the Mammoth, Calif., World Cup super-G competition last week. Clark was 27th, 3.47 seconds slower than winner Katja Seizinger of Germany.

Seizinger, who defeated Street to win the Olympic downhill in 1994, has to be one of the favorites for the Nagano super-G. She has won every super-G World Cup title since 1993, a remarkable feat in skiing. The victory in Mammoth marked her 13th World Cup victory in super-G.

Seizinger also won the super-G in Lake Louise, Alberta, yesterday, after winning downhills Thursday and Friday.

About time

With the Olympics practically upon us, it was good to see Nagano organizers and the International Ski Federation finally reach a compromise on the men's downhill course on Mount Karamatsu. The change will add about 15 seconds to the competitors' runs.

In typical Olympic fashion, too much time was wasted by ski officials over the controversial course they originally approved last year. As U.S. downhiller Tommy Moe said, no matter how short the course is, it's still an Olympic race.

About time, part deux

A mini ice hockey controversy erupted when U.S. star Brett Hull called for a boycott if the New Jersey Devils' Bill Guerin was left off the Olympic squad.

When the final roster was named last week, Guerin's name was added, along with Pat LaFontaine and Bryan Berard. Guerin, a right winger with speed for the open international surface, had a contract dispute with Lou Lamoriello, the New Jersey Devils' general manager who is the U.S. Olympic team GM.

The NHL avoided a public relations disaster with Guerin's selection, as well as giving the Americans a better chance against strong competition from Canada and Russia.

"The concern was that Bill Guerin would not be playing hockey," Lamoriello told reporters. But once the dispute was settled, Guerin was an obvious choice.

Perhaps a bigger ice hockey controversy is happening to the north with the omission of Mark Messier from the Canadian team.

Downhill struggles

Christian Niccum of Woodinville and partner Matt McClain of Atlanta have been all but eliminated from the U.S. Olympic luge team after rivals Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin won the season's first two World Cup events.

Though Niccum and McClain, both 19, finished second on Friday in Austria, they have little chance of overcoming Grimmette and Martin, who were seventh. The doubles victories by America's second team illustrates the vast gains the United States has made in a sport in which it has yet to win an Olympic medal.