When the Game Changes by Evanka Osmak
Losing My Mum and Finding Myself
Sometimes the memoirs of famous people keep us at arm’s length. Reading Patrick Stewart’s Making It So fulfilled my curiosity in Stewart’s life and, in particular, his experiences in the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. At the same time, the arc of his life story included experiences far different from mine.
Then, there’s When the Game Changes: Losing My Mum and Finding Myself, by Evanka Osmak (with Katherine Rutherford). It’s true that I’ve never been a television anchor, as Osmak has been for more well over a decade with Sportsnet. On the other hand, I share Osmak’s passion for sports. Like her, I took up ice hockey later in life. And, like her, I’ve gone through the experience of watching my mother battle with a terminal illness, although a different one in my case.
“When the Game Changes reminds readers that while television personalities may have lives that seem more glamorous than ours, they share some of the same joys and struggles.”
When the Game Changes features three main themes woven together: Osmak’s long-time love of sports and her subsequent discovery of the joys of playing ice hockey in her forties, her struggles to process her mother’s ALS diagnosis and subsequent physical decline, and her family life and career. Chapters take the reader back and forth in time, rotating from one topic to the other in a way that maintains interest and builds suspense while still enabling readers to follow the story. The book’s braided structure works, and feels more natural in this case than a strict chronology.
Osmak took an indirect route to becoming a television sports anchor. When she was deciding on a career after leaving high school, Osmak studied civil engineering at Queen’s University. After graduating, she worked for a time in the engineering field.
After realizing engineering wasn’t her passion, she had the courage to make a change. Osmak took some formal training in broadcasting, and also did volunteer work on a community television program. The exploration of Osmak’s career journey and the winding path she took to get to the ultimate destination was a deeply interesting part of the book.
When the Game Changes gives a strong sense of the importance of Osmak’s relationship with her mother Jeannie, who was one of her biggest supporters. This made Jeannie’s diagnosis with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) more difficult for Osmak to process.
The book’s other key element is hockey. In her early forties, Osmak joined a women’s hockey program offered by Sister Sports. Sister Sports provides skills sessions for women who are keen to learn the game. Once skills have been acquired, players can graduate to different levels of scrimmage play.
Osmak shares the joy she derives from the on-ice sessions, and shows us how hockey served both as a special pastime, something she did just for herself, and a way of taking her mind off her mother’s health situation. While reporting on hockey was part of her job, playing hockey became a place of solace.
When the Game Changes depicts the interplay between life, work, family, and friendships. Osmak’s memoir discusses her long-time working relationship and friendship with co-anchor Ken Reid, as well as introducing readers to her husband Adam and her two sons. Osmak’s willingness to share her emotions adds depth to her story.
When the Game Changes reminds readers that while television personalities may have lives that seem more glamorous than ours, they share some of the same joys and struggles. Readers who enjoy memoirs, and in particular the life stories of women who have excelled in difficult or challenging roles, might find When the Game Changes a rewarding read.
About the Author
Evanka Osmak is a veteran anchor at Rogers Sportsnet. Before television, she studied civil engineering at Queens University. Her passion for sports and broadcasting landed her a job in Arizona and then eventually Sportsnet in Toronto in 2007. Evanka lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.
Kristina Rutherford is a senior writer at Sportsnet, and in fifteen years there she has covered major events including the Stanley Cup Finals, the Olympic Games, the World Series, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the US Open Tennis championships. Kristina lives in Toronto with her partner, Adam, their two kids and their dog, Riggins.
About the Reviewer
Ontario resident Lisa Timpf writes poetry, book reviews, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Her speculative poetry collections Cats and Dogs in Space (2025) and In Days to Come (2022) are available from Hiraeth Publishing in print and electronic formats. You can find out more about Lisa’s writing projects at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/. Lisa is also on Bluesky, @lisatimpf.bsky.social, and her author Facebook page is @lisa.timpf.author.
Book Details
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: April 7 2026
Language: English
Print length: 256 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1668058039