Former Hillside Student Set to Make Her Olympic Debut

The road to the Olympics is rarely a straight line, but for Kirsten Simms—daughter of Hillside Middle School teacher Karen Simms—it has been a journey defined by tenacity. This winter, Kirsten will officially trade her Wisconsin "Badger" Red for Team USA’s Red, White, and Blue as she makes her debut at the Winter Olympic Games.

While Kirsten is now a senior forward at the University of Wisconsin, and one of the top players in the country, her mother says the drive to reach this level always came from within.

 “My husband and I always say we let her drive the bus,” says Karen. “She was the one training, stick handling, and asking for extra ice time. It’s just a passion of hers. She’s been tenacious from day one—she doesn’t give up easily.” 

That determination led Kirsten to USA Hockey’s U18 team at just 15 years old. Since then, she has become a world-class competitor, earning a silver medal in 2024 and a gold medal in 2025 at the World Championships.

This Olympic year looks different than most. In the past, players would "redshirt" (take a year off school) to train. But with the growth of women's hockey, Kirsten is currently balancing her senior year as a Communications major while flying out once a month to train with the national team.

“As a mom, I feel like it must be a challenge for her to balance school and this,” Karen admits. “But she’s just wired for it. You can see her growth, even in her interviews on TV—she’s just so much more comfortable now.”

For Karen and the rest of the Simms family, the reality of having an Olympian in the house is still sinking in. After an anxious wait over the Christmas break, the call finally came.

“She called us and she was so, so excited,” Karen says. “It’s really cool to say—you’re an Olympian.”