Women's hockey players continue the fight for a league of their own
'When the league dissolved, it's like our dreams were smashed,' said one young female hockey player
From fans to former players to aspiring future hockey stars, women hit the ice in south Calgary on Saturday to drum up support and advocate for a new women's professional hockey league in Canada.
In May, the Canadian Women's Hockey League folded due to financial concerns after 12 seasons.
The move left women's hockey careers on thin ice, so in the wake of the league dissolving, players banded together to create the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association to advocate for a new, sustainable professional league.
Abbey Nyeste and Briann Wareham helped each other lace up before hitting the ice.
"When the league dissolved, it's like our dreams [were] smashed almost," Nyeste said.
The girls both play on the Junior Inferno community team — but they have bigger dreams, and said next time they're interviewed they hope it's because they're wearing gold medals around their necks.
"Right now if we get older and there's no league for us, what are we going to do?" Wareham said.
"I want to be an Olympic champion … so I'm really hoping we get a new [league] to support that."
Stepping stones
Erica Kromm, a former Calgary Inferno player and a member of the players association, said it was incredible to see so many familiar faces at Saturday's free skate event at the Seton YMCA.
"Just seeing those little stepping stones is great for us and the future of our sport," she said. "We can't be viable and support our league without fans in the stands."
Kromm, along with other former Inferno players, will head to Toronto next week for a showcase that will see six teams of 120 athletes face off, to draw attention to the lack of opportunity and support for female players.
While the league folding was a blow, Kromm said hopefully it will create momentum for a better future for the sport.
"I don't see it as a bad thing that our league folded, it's something we can learn from," she said.
"We're making great steps by taking it into our own hands and creating this players association."
With files from Helen Pike