Who is Laila Edwards? Team USA hockey star making history as the first Black woman at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Laila Edwards once sat in front of her TV as a 10-year-old and watched Team USA fight Canada for Olympic gold. Now, Laila Edwards is heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan herself, ready to skate for the United States and make history.At just 21, Laila Edwards is already breaking barriers. She is the first Black woman ever selected for the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Edwards shared her journey, her dreams, and what this moment truly means to her. “I think I just get an adrenaline rush every single game,” she said. “I hate losing more than I love winning.”This Olympic moment did not come by chance. It came after years of hard work, family support, and belief. Edwards will make her Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy, wearing the Team USA jersey she once only dreamed about.

Laila Edwards’ Olympic dream, family roots, and rise with Team USA women’s hockey

Laila Edwards’ Olympic dream started early. In 2014, she watched the U.S. women’s hockey team play Canada at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. That was the moment she knew what she wanted. “Since age 10, I had dreams of playing for Team USA in the Olympics,” she told PEOPLE.At the time, Edwards had no idea she would later make history. In 2024, she became the first Black woman to play for the U.S. women’s senior national hockey team. One year later, she earned her spot on the 2026 Olympic roster. After a strong season with the national team, she felt the moment was close. “I knew it was a matter of time,” she said.With that title came responsibility. “I was like, ‘Wow, I could take this one of two ways: shy away from it, or try to make a difference,’” Edwards told PEOPLE. Representation matters deeply to her. “It means everything. I think representation is so important, and role models are important too. So to be that potential role model for someone, it means the world to me.”Growing up, Edwards looked up to hockey stars like Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker, and Kendall Coyne Schofield. Today, she shares the locker room with players she once asked for autographs. “My mom had to do it for me,” she said with a laugh. “Now I’m going to the Olympics with them. It’s crazy.”Her biggest support has always been her family, especially her father. Edwards grew up in Ohio, skating at the Cleveland Heights rink. Her dad, Robert Edwards, played hockey and put her on skates as soon as she could walk. At age three, she started with figure skating, but there was a plan behind it. “He was like, ‘You’re not going into figure skating. It’s just to help with hockey,’” she said.By age five, she switched fully to hockey and never looked back. She worked hard on her skating and puck control every day. “I’ve always been told I was a natural with stick handling,” Edwards said. “I put a lot of work into skating. It all came together.”Now, Laila Edwards is ready for Milan. The little girl who dreamed big is stepping onto the Olympic ice, not just to play, but to inspire.