"I think there are so many kinds of leadership," Botterill said. "Our captains play a huge role, but I think Rugger and I have our own ways of leading, whether by sharing our experiences or just leading by example."

Ruggiero sees a large change in the type of leadership the two can offer the team this year.

"Last year was a little bit difficult because we could lead by example, but we were still freshmen," Ruggiero said. "This year I think it will be a little bit different, and I'd like to think that we could lead the team in some way, though it's still early."

After growing up playing hockey with her brother in California, Ruggiero, or "Rugger" as she is known throughout Harvard and the hockey world, attended Choate.

When she was only fifteen, Ruggiero attended a regional developmental camp run by the National team to weed out talented 15 to 18 year-old players for possible spots at the national level. Although Ruggiero was a year younger than the rest of the competition, she was selected to attend the national team training camp with 80 other teenagers.

Only a youngster at the time, Ruggiero impressed national coaches and earned a spot on the senior national team alongside players twice her age. The experience was surreal.

"We went to Finland right away and I was only 15," Ruggiero said. "It was my first out of North America and I was playing with thirty-year olds. I was in awe just to be there, to play with people I had heard about."

Botterill's path to the Canadian National Team started later in her high school career.