Author: Chris Pauly

When my female hockey player takes the ice, I see the joy on her face. She’s happy to be there.

Happy to be with her friends, to enjoy her favorite sport.

But at 14, up until recently, there weren’t many opportunities to go on playing once she ages out of minor hockey. Now with the initiation of the PWHL, there is a glimpse of light.

The inaugural PWHL draft took place in September 2023. The soft glow of hope started to grow. The first game on January 1, 2024, between teams Toronto and New York set a record and not just as the first game played in the PWHL. The game played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, sold out with a record-breaking attendance of 19,285 people.

This game marked a turning point for women’s hockey. To my daughter and her peers, league represents so many things.

The league holds a groundbreaking position to grow talent and elevate the overall appeal of women’s hockey. Young girls growing up with dreams of playing professional hockey can now chase them. They get to watch people who look like them be recognized on a national level. The glass ceiling that held that dream down has been broken.

In a survey conducted with 1,500 Canadian adults from January 4 to 9, 2024 by Abacus data, 35% of Canadians see the PWHL inspiring a new generation of female athletes, while 30% recognize its role in creating opportunities for young players, and 24% believe it can enhance the visibility and popularity of women’s hockey. 

For many Canadians the league allows them to see women playing the sport on a regular basis. Before now, chances to see the women’s game were limited to Olympics or the World Junior competitions.

To now be able to watch them on television or, even better, in person, gives so much more merit to the quality of the women’s game.  

But it’s not just about having more access to see the sport. The PWHL is a solid product. Its inaugural season has seen sellout crowds. The game is fast, exciting and gritty. If anyone ever tells you the girl’s game isn’t rough because it doesn’t have checking, then they need to see these ladies play.

They take to the ice in full make-up and then get in the corners and put pressure against the boards. They score with finesse. They play hard, they play to win, using stick handling skills built on years of practice honing their sport.

The PWHL also provides a chance for our girls to see additional sides of leadership from women that reflect the way women often lead in organizations. Every household leader (aka mom) knows that getting their team to the rink on time requires them picking up the small pieces such as checking bags for equipment and fueling their athlete with snacks.

In organizations, women don’t just lead from in front but rather by lifting others up. They succeed by getting the little things done, even when people aren’t watching. Have you noticed…the players of the PWHL pick up their own pucks after warm-up, something you would never see at an NHL game.

In all aspects of the league, women lead the charge. Most of the support staff ensuring player success are female. Media staff and on ice staff and officials are also predominately female. While there is no mandate or requirement for women to fill these roles, the opportunity for increased visibility is evident, and being fulfilled.  

While it is so positive to see the many smiling girls at these PWHL games watching women excel and broadening their view of the possible, I also have one big fear. As an overall demographic, women tend to watch hockey less than their male counterparts. Young boys grow up watching their hockey heroes.

Young girls who haven’t had the opportunity to watch much of their female hockey heroes until now, need to start watching.

Let’s face it, television viewership, fans and commercial sponsorship are what make the NHL so successful. Without a solid fan base and viewership, one must question if the league will be feasible in the long term. 

For now, though, the PWHL is on solid ice. Hockey fans love it. Next year with the excitement of the draft, team names and logos and the merchandise that follows we can see how the league’s popularity grows…and with it our daughters.

Seaside Hockey is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for youth in the Greater Toronto Area to receive quality instruction, professional coaching, and gain skills in a hockey-based mentorship program.

The vision is to aid visible minority youths in Toronto area communities to play hockey by removing financial barriers. It is also a safe inclusive environment for youths with their families to enjoy hockey while delivering quality instruction.

Seaside got their name from the Africville Sea-sides, who played in The Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes (CHL). This league was an all-Black men’s league founded in 1895 by Black Baptists and Black intellectuals in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The current founders wanted to use Seaside as a tribute to the Colored Hockey League in Nova Scotia.

The league was intended to attract young Black men to Sunday worship with the intention of a hockey game between rival churches after the services.

It was also former to teach teamwork and sportsmanship in an atmosphere of fun and positive reinforcement.

Kirk Brooks, one of the founders of Seaside Hockey, explains more about the organization

“Seaside Hockey was started three years ago, and the main mission was to make hockey more affordable,” Brooks said. “Also, we wanted to introduce hockey to new Canadians, new individuals, our motto is new to the game and new to the sport.”

Brooks says Seaside Hockey, which has sponsors like the Black Hockey Federation, Scotiabank,  407ETR and the GTHL, stresses the fundamentals to new players, especially skating.

“When a child enters the program, we ask them ‘Do you want to skate,’ ” Brooks said. “Once they learn to skate, we add hockey equipment like a stick, then quickly as possible we have them doing power skating drills, stick handling drills, puck handling drills, but were big believers on development.”

Playing minor hockey can have a fun experience and players often make new friendships along the way. It is also very much a family sport.

“I’m from Canada, I played hockey since I was about 13 years old,” Brooks said. “I played in a league for a bit, my son Nathaniel is a developmental coach for the Arizona Coyotes, my daughter Nyla is a skating instructor, my son Xavier still plays hockey, those are some of the reasons why I played the game because I am a hockey dude through and through.”

A few NHLers have worked with Brooks before such as Wayne Simmonds, Devante Smith-Pelly, Trevor Daley, and the Subban family.

To join Seaside Hockey, you can visit www.seasidehockey.ca and fill out the preregister form.

Have you ever thought about attending a college or university in a different country? About what opportunities those schools might bring to the table? About what path you might go down? 

At the recent PrepSkills event April 20  at Roy Thomson Hall in downtown Toronto, high school student athletes were able to visit with staff from the different American schools that were attending the event. 

PrepSkills is an organization built to help Canadian students with their SSAT and SAT preparation as they seek admission to private and/or independent schools as well as U.S. colleges and universities. 

Former athletes such as Julian Jenkins and Gillian Mary Apps were speakers at the event. 

“Sports can be a great feature to drive your education,” said Jenkins, a former football player at Stanford, and currently the senior director of regional recruiting at NCSA. “Even if it’s not necessarily at your dream school, how bad do you want to be in sports?” 

Apps, the granddaughter of Toronto Maple Leafs legend Syl Apps and daughter of former NHLer Syl Apps Jr., is a three-time Olympic hockey gold medalist for Canada. She grew up in Unionville, Ont., while she had several family members that have played sports at a high level, Apps made her own decision on where she wanted to go to university. 

“When it was time for me to go to university, I wanted to create my own path,” Apps said. “I went to Darthmouth College. For me, I wanted to go to the Ivy League.” 

Apps was inspired by watching her siblings play sports in the United States. 

“I went to Princeton to watch my brother play hockey, and I thought ‘Wow this is amazing,’ ” Apps said. “When it was time for me to go to apply for schools, I thought I could I see myself living here.” 

Apps, also a three-time IIHF world champion gold medalist, retired from international play in September 2015 with fifty goals and fifty assists in 168 international appearances. 

“People ask me what was the best Olympic, but its so hard to say,” Apps said. “I played in Torino in Italy which was my first Olympics. It was my dream came true. The second one was in Vancouver and not a lot of athletes get to represent your country as the host. The last one was in Russia, and I knew it would be my last Olympics.” 

Apps has a message to the young Canadian students going across the border. 

“Regardless of where you go, and where your education takes you, you know that Canada is always home,” said Apps, who stressed the importance of getting a post-secondary education. “For me, after I retired, right away I was so thankful that I had a degree to lean back on.” 

Picking a post-secondary school can be exciting and challenging. There are schools across Canada that have a lot to offer. However, what if Canadian a student athlete wants to go to the United States to further their studies? What is the process? What are the requirements?

Prepskills can help fill in those blanks and it is holding a one-day U.S. College Expo event in Toronto on April 20th that allows parents and students to connect in person with U.S. college representatives.

“We have a number of American universities and colleges coming to Toronto to visit with families to help them understanding the U.S college admissions process,” said Joanna Severino, the Founder and President of Prepskills. “We want to let them know a little bit more about the programs, and the opportunities for Canadian students to study in the United States.”

Through their years of experience, Prepskills has built relationships with numerous educational and affiliate partners in both Canada and the United States. There are many American universities like University of Michigan, University of South Florida, and Western Kentucky that will attend the upcoming event at Roy Thompson Hall. 

Canadian students can explore the different colleges and universities that are offered at the event. 

“We actually try to keep it intimate” Severino said, “Having been a high school teacher myself, some students are going to be overwhelmed with trying to put them in a room with 200 universities.” 

Severino says Prepskills helps build relationships between students and parents, high school councillors, and athletic associations for athletes looking to go to the U.S. on a  scholarship. 

The main goal of the U.S. College Expo to help educate families that may not understand the college application process. 

“The American universities do take a wholistic approach,” Severino said. “What that means is they’ll look at the academic records from grades 9-12, which is unusual for a Canadian student who will apply locally and tend to focus on their grade 11 marks.”

Student athletes however have an extra layer of complexity. Prepskills is dedicated to providing student athletes with tools required to satisfy the requirements of the NCAA Eligibility Center which is an organization that helps determine the eligibility of students to participate in college level sports in the United States. 

“As a student athlete, you may be a talented division one hockey player, but that won’t get you in,’’ Severino said. “You have to go through admissions and check off all the boxes when it comes to academics.” 

Severino mentions when it comes to the admission process for student athletes they would have to take account in eligibility for recruitment. 

“For example, the NCAA requiring the 16 core courses for admission, Severino said.” “That’s what the student athletes have to keep in mind.” 

The NCAA regulates all required student athletes to meet a prescribed level of performance while maintain their amateur status before entering a college or university. 

There have also been examples of NHL players using this preparation program like former Toronto Maple Leaf’s and current Edmonton Oilers left winger Zack Hyman. Severino says Hyman prepared very well and she had the pleasure working with his family and he went to the University of Michigan. 

Severino also mentions things to look out for in the upcoming event. 

“I think it’s important to take the time to examine each of the university options,” Severino said. “Were all custom to knowing the name brands and the university that stand out in our minds, but you’re going to find some hidden gems and that’s what we like to do with families because there some great college options like an Ivy League School.” 

Severino also mentions taking the time to listen to the guest speakers. 

Prepskills is a SAT and SSAT provider in Canada for students seeking to go to private or independent schools, colleges or universities south of the border.

There are several types of courses offered by Prepskills that are tailored to meet individual needs of students, maximizing their strengths, and improving areas of learning where they may be less proficient.

To learn more about then upcoming US College Expo or about Prepskills, visit their website at www.prepskills.com

Northern Alberta Xtreme

Location: Edmonton
Head Coach: Jason Stewart

About The Program: The Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX) was launched in 2013 by Jason Stewart. Initially, the program consisted of just one team, the Female Midget Preps. But as the program began to expand, more teams were added to meet the demands at each level. In 2015, the Elite 15s team was added, winning the league title in their first season. The following season would see the launch of the Male Midget Prep team, while the Female Midget Preps would join them in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL). In 2017-18, the Male Bantam Prep team was added, bringing the program to its current status of four teams competing in the CSSHL.

Notable Alumni: Luke Prokop, Michael Benning, Carter Savoie, Ethan Edwards, Connor McClennon.

For More Information: https://www.naxhockey.com/

Calgary Edge

Location: Calgary
Head Coach: James Poole

About The Program: Founded in 1999, the Edge School offers training in dance, golf, hockey, soccer, figure skating, basketball, and a flex program for students who would like to pursue a sport other than those currently offered. Edge follows a three-sphere philosophy – academics, athletics and character development of students – which aims to prepare students for either post secondary education or a career in their chosen sport.

Notable Alumni: Tyler Myers, Matt Dumba, Taro Hirose, Thomas Hickey, Jake Bean.

For More Information: https://edgeschool.com/

Okanagan Hockey Academy

Main Location: Penticton, B.C.
Head Coach: Craig Bedard

About The Program: The Okanagan Hockey Group was founded by Larry Lund in 1963. The primary focus of the Okanagan Hockey Academy is to promote the long-term development of each of their athletes in the classroom, on the ice, and in the community. Putting young, motivated people in a structured environment, surrounded by a world class staff and support system, they believe allows them to deliver a consistent message and value system. They hold their student athletes accountable on their efforts, attention to detail, and above all their attitude. The Okanagan Hockey Group has expanded its reach in recent years, opening Academies in Edmonton and Whitby, Ont.

Notable Alumni: Curtis Lazar, Joe Hicketts, Michael Rasmussen.

For More Information: https://www.okanaganhockey.com/

Rink Hockey Academy

Location: Winnipeg/Kelowna, B.C.
Head Coach: Rob Smith (Winnipeg)/Shae Naka (Kelowna)

About The Program: Offering programs in both Winnipeg and Kelowna, the Rink Hockey Academy provides competition for four teams – U15 Prep, U16 Prep, U18 Prep and U18 Female Prep, all of which compete in the CSSHL. The RHA student-athletes’ school day will be modified to allow maximum time for school and training needs. The teams will travel and compete mostly outside the province at the highest levels on both sides of the border during the full school year. School-board appointed team liaisons ensure players meet minimum standards and academic readiness for post secondary applications and career choices.

Notable Alumni: Justin Schultz, Seth Jarvis, Matthew Thiessen.

For More Information: https://www.rinkhockeyacademy.ca/

Burnaby Winter Club

Location: Burnaby, B.C.
Head Coach: Mike Santorelli

About The Program: The Burnaby Winter Club (BWC) was founded on May 29, 1956 as the Burnaby Curling Club and incorporated under the Societies Act of the Province of British Columbia. On April 18, 1958 the Club changed its name to reflect the multi-sport dynamics of the activities at the time. It became the Burnaby Winter Club and its constitution was amended to include hockey and figure skating. Over more recent years, with the success of the Vancouver Canucks, hockey has become the predominant sport at the club.

Notable Alumni: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mat Barzal, Karl Alzner, Jack McIlhargey, Cliff Ronning, Paul Kariya, Chris Joseph, Glenn Anderson.

For More Information: https://www.burnabywinterclub.com/

Road trips and hotel stays are increasingly common today for all levels of hockey — especially during tournament season. While sports travel is exciting, it definitely brings new challenges to fuelling athletes. Finding good restaurants in unfamiliar cities can be difficult and dining out for every meal gets expensive quickly.

Even if you don’t want to travel with a crockpot or portable grill, here are seven simple ways to make fuelling on the road convenient and easier on the wallet.  

Pack Snacks

Whether it’s pre-packaged granola bars or homemade trail mix, bringing an assortment of nutrient-dense snacks helps avoid overpriced concession stands and convenience stores for the post-workout refuelling window or travel delays.

Large Water Jugs

Traveling by car? Skip the cases of plastic bottles and save cargo room (and the environment!) with gallons of water to refill reusable bottles.

Peanut Butter and Jam

Pre-game meal timing often happens while on the road. Instead of settling on less-than-ideal fast food, pack bread, nut butter, and jelly to make sandwiches in the car (turkey is a great option also, but then you have to take coolers into account too). Sandwiches are also perfect for the hotel room or post late-night games for athletes that are hungry again before bed. 

Hit the Market

Refrigerator in the room? Stop by a local grocery store for yogurt, fresh fruit, salad, and/or rotisserie chicken. Grab some milk if your player enjoys cereal before early morning games.

Add Hot Water

Hotel room coffee makers or microwaves make oatmeal and quinoa cups a convenient nutrient-dense pre-game fuel.

Portable Blender

If smoothies are a favorite, rechargeable portable blenders are a great option for early mornings or the post-game refuelling window. They can also be repurposed for fun, adult drinks later in the night!

Pre-made Meals

Packing a cooler? Make and freeze breakfast sandwiches, egg cups, or quesadillas to reheat in the room microwave.

Most parents are tired of paying for restaurant food between games at tournaments and want to avoid feeding their player fast food that does nothing to improve their performance.

A little pre-travel food preparation minimizes the stress of last-minute fuelling between games. Planning ahead also ensures your skater has nutrient-dense options to maintain endurance and support recovery throughout the long weekend.

Need a travel fuel checklist? Looking for freeze-ahead meal recipes? Visit  RockPerformance.net to learn more.