TBC: Why Not You

With hockey season upon us, there seems to be a push to release books about hockey and books written by hockey players moreso at this time than any other throughout the year. Of course, that means I get to do some reading of books that have yet to hit shelves thanks to some very generous publishers, and that includes today's entry as I was excited to read this book as soon as it was announced! Teebz's Book Club is proud to review Why Not You: My Story of Perseverance, Hockey, and Olympic Gold, written by Jennifer Botterill and published by Penguin Random House, as Olympic and World Championshiup gold medallist Jennifer Botterill takes readers inside her hockey journey from being the youngest player on Team Canada to being a broadcasting icon! She is one of Canada's most decorated hockey players, so I couldn't wait to learn more about her incredible career, her life, and her greatest hockey moments in Why Not You!

From her Penguin Random House biography, "Jennifer Botterill is one of Canada's most celebrated athletes. A member of the Canadian Women's Hockey Team for 14 years, she is a three-time Olympic champion and part of the 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame class. These days, Botterill is an in-demand NHL analyst in both Canada and the US, regularly appearing on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada and NHL on TNT. When she is not sharing her knowledge and expertise of sport on air, she is empowering others to pursue excellence as an engaging keynote speaker and peak performance coach." I will add in that Botterill won eight World Championship medals of which five were gold and three were silver, she is still the only two-time winner of the Patty Kazmeier Award in the NCAA and was the first Canadian to win the award, she is a Harvard graduate with an Honours Degree in Psychology, and still holds a number of NCA A records from her time with the Crimson!

I'll start this review by saying that if you were looking for insightful analysis and tactics for hockey in Why Not You, the only analysis you get is Jennifer Botterill reflecting on her storied career in and around hockey. Her note at the start of the book gives readers a clear indication that Jennifer's retelling of her experiences in hockey will be heartfelt and emotional as opposed to analytical, so expect to read a lot of chapters where stories of celebration, sadness, euphoria, winning, and losing are told. Through it all, though, Jennifer Botterill's career has been interesting and intriguing!

It will be come very clear in Why Not You that family means a lot to Botterill. Her parents were always an important sounding board for her whenever she needed some advice or perspective, and they were always at Jennifer's games as her biggest fans. Jason, her brother, became part of the Botterill cheering committee once he had retired, and she had a number of teammates for whom she'd do anything and who would do anything for Jennifer. It's clear that she's been blessed with an incredible support system of family, friends, and teammates who helped Jennifer achieve anything to which she set her mind.

Not everything was rainbows and butterflies in Botterill's career, though, and she illustrates that in a handful of stories in Why Not You. From being told she was a bubble player at a Team Canada camp to sparring on live TV with Kevin Bieksa, there were a number of times that Botterill had to fight for her place in hockey. Her biggest doubt might have come early on in her career, though, and it was a member of her family that put her back on track in terms of goals once again. Botterill writes about her decision to ultimately put off retirement in 2006 and train for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics,

"I'd also had a conversation with my dad that really stuck with me; he shared something he'd noticed over the years working with hockey players and elite athletes. He said he'd never met one who wished they'd stepped away from their sport earlier. In fact, it was opposite. They were all so happy to compete. "This is the one time in your life that you get to be an athlete," Dad told me. "Everything else in your life will still be an option, but this is your time in life that you get to play and compete."

Mr. Botterill's sage words are along the same idea as "seize the moment" and "carpe diem", but Jennifer buckled down and competed in Vancouver where she helped Canada to a third-straight gold medal and played a major role in getting Canada back to the top of the mountain. And, as her father told her, she was still able to pursue other dreams like broadcasting and starting a family after that Olympic period was over. Listening to your parents pays off!

Overall, Why Not You was an enjoyable read about an incredible and successful woman, but you already knew that about Jennifer Botterill. While that story arc continues throughout the whole book as she recounts her life in hockey, there are so many more layers to her story - family, friends, teammates, coaches, opportunities, and experiences. As you read through this book, you'll find yourself intrigued, in awe, and inspired by Jennifer's career, her life, and the lessons she learned along the way, and that's why Why Not You absolutely deserves the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

Why Not You hits shelves on September 22, 2026, and you'll be able to find the book at all libraries and local bookstores. Why Not You is easy to read with no crass language nor outrageous stories so it's perfect for readers of all ages. In saying that, I read Why Not You very quickly because of its easy-to-read nature and amazing author, and Why Not You is absolutely recommended for all hockey fans!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!