GENE'S BLOG: Nurse and Nurse

Sunday could turn into a hockey doubleheader for Darnell Nurse. Practice in the morning and game in the afternoon. Now, you may be wondering what game since the Oilers aren't scheduled to play. Well, Edmonton doesn't play but Canada does. They are taking on the U.S.A. in a final tuneup for both before the 2018 Winter Olympics. Of course, the Canadian Women have a team doctor but they also have a nurse as in Sarah Nurse.
"I'm really looking forward to watching her," explained Darnell. "Her father Roger and my dad Richard are brothers so we're first cousins."
Just when you thought there wasn't another athletic Nurse in the family, we introduce you to Sarah. She played four years at the University of Wisconsin and is now part of the national program.
"We're cousins but we're also friends," said Sarah "It's nice to know we do a similar sport and have a built-in support system."

The two have very busy schedules but stay in touch via text but it will be in person over the weekend.
"I'm very proud of her," said Darnell. "And everything she has accomplished."
The feeling is mutual from Sarah who is exactly a month older than her 'little' cousin Darnell.
"Some of the best memories I have from when we were kids," said Sarah. "Was when we would go over to our grandma's house just hang out and eat food."
Don't forget the playing sports part because it runs in the family. Darnell's sisters Tamika and Kia took up basketball. Tamika played at the University of Bowling Green while Kia plays at the University of Conneticut and of course for Canada. Sarah isn't the only athletic child in her family as her younger brother Isaac plays for Hamilton of the Ontario Hockey League.
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"Our families grew up five minutes apart in Hamilton," explained Sarah. "And we got along great. Of course, we had that common bond of sports."
While the Nurse cousins will see each other this weekend, they've also also had a run of seeing each other in the summer. Both have been able to attend recent family gatherings and parties. They also used to see each other on the ice as opponents.
"It was neat," was the best way Darnell could describe suiting up against cousin Sarah. "It was between around the ages of 6-9 that we played against each other."
After that, it was onto their own different directions with the game. In an ironic twist of fate and scheduling they will get to watch each other play. First, Darnell sees Sarah and Canada take on the U.S.A. on Sunday and then Monday, it's Sarah's turn to return the favour when Darnell and the Oilers meet San Jose.
"I'm really looking forward to it," said the female Nurse. "I have never watched him live in the NHL."
With Sarah now committed full-time to the national program and living in Calgary and Darnell based in Edmonton, the two Nurses have a better shot of getting together in person. When they do, they'll talk more about friends and family than hockey.
"We definitely discuss it because it is such an important part of our lives," said Sarah. "But we don't disect each other's game. We stay away from that. I might say nice goal or nice fight but it's not much more than that."
It doesn't need to be more than that when you spend any time talking to one Nurse about the other. In person with Darnell and over the phone with Sarah, it's easy to see and hear the love and respect these two cousins have for each other thanks to their name and their game.