This is the inspiring story of Sue Ring-Jarvi, a trailblazer in women's hockey from 1973 to 2024. What began as a selfish desire to find opportunities to play during a time when the sport was set up for men turned into five decades of organizing, coaching, and competing—all fueled by a deep love for the sport.

Sue founded the University of Minnesota's women's hockey club in 1974, created leagues and teams that gave countless girls their start in the game, and coached Mounds View High School to the state tournament. She won nineteen national championships and competed against Olympians Natalie Darwitz and Riikka Nieminen Sallinen. Her hockey adventures took her from Anchorage to Tampa, Toronto to San Diego, and overseas to Sweden and Finland.

More than a collection of stories, this book is filled with heart and humor. Sue's adventurous spirit led her to cross-country ski treks in Finland and canoe races in Minnesota's grueling 500-mile Border to Border Triathlon. Readers will discover the power of determination and the joy of a life spent chasing goals—on and off the ice.

Sue Ring-Jarvi is a Minnesota-born hockey nut. Sue began playing pond hockey at twenty-two with her forty-seven-year-old mother, and fifty years later, she is still playing on two teams and organizing hockey leagues and tournament teams. Sue started the University of Minnesota women's hockey club in 1974 and the Minnesota Blue J's in 1980. The Blue J's went on to win several state and national championships at the Senior A Division as well as tournaments at the University of Minnesota, Warroad, Madison, Chisholm, and Chicago. In 1978 Sue was one of four managers to start the Minnesota Women's Hockey League, which eventually became WHAM, the Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota. Sue started thirteen hockey teams for little girls in the Twin Cities and organized women's hockey clinics for twenty years beginning in 1979.

Sue has been married to Roland Ring-Jarvi for forty-three years. They have a son, Ross, who played hockey at Gustavus College and in Norway, Sweden, and Alaska, where he met the love of his life, Jen Baker. Now Sue's grandson, who is eleven months old, is getting close to putting on his first pair of skates.

"No one can speak with historical accuracy about the growth of women's hockey better than Sue. A half century ago she organized players and teams long before it became an official sport through USA Hockey. As a player, Sue was the smartest and most creative goal scorer and playmaker for decades. I have no doubt she would have scored goals as the oldest player on recent Olympic teams with players half her age. That's how well she understands the game." — Jack Blatherwick, assistant coach/physiologist for the NHL and men's and women's Olympic teams

"Through her amazing work over the past fifty years, Sue Ring-Jarvi is, in my opinion, the 'Godmother' of girls' and women's hockey in Minnesota." — Laura Halldorson, head women's hockey coach, University of Minnesota, 1996-2007

"When I think of the pioneers of women's hockey in Minnesota, I think of Sue Ring-Jarvi and her mom, Jane. Sue gave me the opportunity to join her and her teammates, who at the time were the top women's hockey players. Sue encouraged me in my aspirations for making the 1998 Olympic team." — Jenny Schmidgall Potter, four-time Olympian and US Hockey Hall of Fame member

"Sue Ring-Jarvi delivers powerful stories about her fifty years of organizing, coaching, and playing hockey in Minnesota in this book. You can feel the passion she has for hockey. Can You Keep Up? is a must read that will leave you feeling inspired." — Natalie Darwitz, three-time Olympian, US Hockey Hall of Fame member, Hockey Hall of Fame member, and 2023-24 general manager of the Professional Women's Hockey League Minnesota, the Walter Cup-winning Minnesota Frost

"In the state of Minnesota Sue Ring-Jarvi is one of the biggest advocates of women's hockey. She helped grow the women's game from the grassroots level all the way to the college level by spearheading policy and creating programs along the way. She was an incredible player, and I was lucky enough to play with and against her when I was a young kid. Her love for hockey gave me and so many others an opportunity to play and enjoy this wonderful game." — Winny Brodt Brown, first Ms. Hockey Minnesota

"Sue has an incredible passion for the game of hockey and has brought joy to so many people through this sport." — Gigi Marvin, three-time Olympian and Professional Women's Hockey League Boston Fleet team member

"Sue Ring-Jarvi has been involved in hockey for as long as I can remember. Her passion for the sport has opened doors for the many generations that followed!" — Krissy Wendell-Pohl, two-time Olympian, scout for the National Hockey League Pittsburgh Penguins, and Hockey Hall of Fame member