This is a first for me since writing for this site, but I recently conducted an email interview with one of our writers.
Her name is Ana Kieu. She covers the Dallas Stars and writes on other hockey-related topics as well.
Ana was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to tell us about how she got into hockey, what other outlets she covered the sport for, how she found her way over to Inside the Rink and much more. I hope you folks enjoy it!
PH: Growing up, how did you get into hockey?
AK: I got into hockey because of my surroundings. I did not play hockey. I only played basketball because I am more of an urban girl.
I was born in San Jose, California, but I spent parts of my childhood living in the Midwest and Western Canada. I lived in different cities growing up, so I am very open-minded towards other cultures, including hockey teams and sports teams in general.
PH: Growing up, who was your favorite team(s)/player (s)? How about now?
AK: That is a good question. I first followed the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs as I have friends and family who are fans of one or both teams. Yet, I did not think I was a fan of either team because I did not remember much as a kid. I paid a lot more attention to the Green Bay Packers than the Chicago Blackhawks at the time.
I revisited Blackhawks hockey in 2010. I was a really big Blackhawks fan who liked Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, but I was dragged to a St. Louis Blues game before the pandemic and converted to the Blues because I ended up staying in St. Louis due to COVID-19.
Some of my friends, including some St. Louisans, innocently tried to set me up with guys in Dallas and kept asking me if I wanted to be a Dallas Stars fan and reporter. I eventually caved in, but I am happy with the Stars as my favorite team and Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski as my favorite players. I know it is strange.
PH: At what point in your life did you realize that you wanted to be involved in hockey from the media side?
AK: After I graduated from Milpitas High, I enrolled at San Jose State as an undeclared major, but I applied to become a Communication Studies major after my freshman year of college. I realized that I could not play basketball or dance at full strength anymore, so I wanted to help and educate others with words, spoken words, etc.
Believe it or not, some of my peers thought I was joking about becoming a sports reporter because my TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) was obvious, but I did well for myself. I covered the 2016 Stanley Cup Final just days after graduating from college. I don’t think many 22-year-olds could say they covered a championship.
PH: Before joining Inside the Rink, what outlets did you cover hockey for? What did you learn at each outlet?
AK: I started covering hockey for Inside Hockey as a San Jose Sharks beat reporter. I covered the Sharks’ 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
People were not crazy about me covering the Sharks. There was a person who said that I needed to drink milk because I was so short. They were not wrong, as I’m 5’3″, but I thought the comment was unnecessary. People eventually liked and respected me, so I forgot about what happened.
I went on to cover San Jose State football and men’s basketball for four seasons, but I also continued to cover Sharks and San Jose Barracuda games here and there for Sports Radio Service. I took a break when I was in St. Louis, but I got a job covering the St. Louis Blues for St. Louis Game Time of SB Nation.
PH: Tell us about how you got the gig with Inside the Rink. Did you reach out to them? Did they reach out to you? Take us through that process.
AK: I reached out to Inside The Rink in March 2023 after the SB Nation layoffs. I heard from ITR about a month later, and they took me under their wing.
I applied to like 50 other jobs, including the Dallas Morning News, at the behest of my friends. I was a questionable hire, but I ended up fitting in with everyone at Inside The Rink. We’re like a close-knit family.
PH: What team (s) do you cover at Inside the Rink?
AK: I cover the Dallas Stars for Inside The Rink. I also go in-depth about Stars and non-Stars topics, such as hockey in Hawaii, women’s hockey success, etc.
PH: What are you looking to provide readers with every single article that you write?
AK: I am looking to educate my readers not only through my game recaps but also my features, columns, player profiles, and editorials. Growing up, I learned from my father that I always needed to look at both sides, even if I did not want to, as I grew up in a conservative, old-school household.
I know it is hard for some if not most, readers nowadays to look at both sides. I hope they can at least see why I have my opinion, even if they disagree with me.
For example, I got a lot of criticism for the Jamie Benn Isn’t Captain Material op-ed I wrote for Inside The Rink last June. As a person with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), I kept dragging around what was bringing me down, like in the song “Heavy” by Linkin Park. I got myself out of a dark place, but I am still working on my mental health, whether readers want to believe it or not.
I do not regret writing that article, and I do not think I necessarily needed to learn a lesson, as Jamie Benn is not putting up the same numbers as he used to in the “Bennguin” and the “Bennaissance days”. I have realized that the public just did not understand me or simply wanted to soil my reputation because they were mad at me for whatever reason.
PH: Is there anything else that you would like to share with hockey fans?
AK: Yes, I hope I can make a comeback. I was seriously considering quitting journalism for good last year.
I enjoy watching and covering hockey games. I know not all hockey fans hate, but for those who hate, you should not be wasting your time hating on me and maybe throwing me into your culture wars.
It is funny to see the latter because I am probably not who you think I am.
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