Women in Hockey

Hi there! My name is Erin and for the next few weeks I will be sharing about women in the hockey industry! 

Growing up I always watched my brother and Dad on the ice, but rarely saw girls playing. For a while, I thought hockey was exclusively a boys’ sport. It wasn’t until I was ten that my Dad asked me if I would be interested in being a pioneer for the Lady Blue Devils – a new all-girls team the local hockey club was discussing launching. I vividly remember sitting with my dad in our backyard and asking him if  I would be the only girl willing to play. Fast forward to our first practice where we had over 50 enthusiastic young girls take the ice, eager to embrace the game. This moment was nothing short of inspiring and marked the beginning of my passion for women’s involvement in ice hockey. 

In the coming weeks, I will be touching on women-in-hockey events, women’s hockey leagues, comparisons between male and female player numbers, spotlighting women in the industry and showcasing the incredible contributions women have brought to the game. 

I feel compelled to explore this topic because I was once that little girl convinced that girls couldn’t play hockey. Now, a decade later, I want to show all those who may be in the shoes I was once in that it is possible and that so many inspiring women have blazed this trail. 

My connection to hockey runs deep, extending beyond just watching games or being a San Jose Sharks fan. Hockey is in my DNA.  As my dad grew up in Vancouver, Canada, with a hockey-loving family, it was inevitable that hockey would be a big part of my life. Generations before me lived for the game, and I was surrounded by a family and cousins who kept this legacy alive. To this day we do family scrimmages every 23rd of December. I thrived in the rink, analyzing plays with my dad, and tracking the stats of my favorite players.  It was always a joke that I would be the next Erin Andrews, of course specializing in hockey. Hockey has been the most influential part of my life and in building my character, and I can’t wait to use this as a platform to show my love of the game. I have recently accepted a position working for the Nashville Predators communication department this coming Summer, and look forward to bringing my new knowledge to Smashville. 

I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm for hockey and highlighting the remarkable progress and contributions of women in the hockey industry in the weeks to come.