Are Girls Hockey Players A Target In the Male Game?

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

As an aspiring girls’ hockey player, the holiday season was always my favorite time of year for hockey.  The break from school meant that I could spend all of my time playing “shinny” on the outdoor rink across the street from my house.  Playing pick-up hockey is supposed to be all about having fun with your friends, but as the only girl who was ever out there on the ice with the boys, I always felt like I had something to prove. 

It was as though my pony-tail was a big target on my back during those pick-up games.   Fifteen years ago, there were lots of girls leagues in and around the city, but not many of girls played “shinny” at the outdoor rinks.  It definitely took a while for the boys to warm up to the idea that there was a girl out there that could not only keep up with them, but just might be better than them.

It didn’t start out that way.  When I first started going out for “shinny”, I could barely skate and had to play in the age group younger than me in order to keep up.  But I was so determined to move up to my proper age group as fast as possible and spent so much time at the rink, that I made the jump quickly.

And that’s when the game started to get a lot more rough.  Not surprisingly, not every boy wants to play with a girl.  There were entire games when no one would pass to me, even though I was blatantly open and calling for the puck.  I quickly realized that if I ever wanted to touch the puck, the only solution was to go get it from the other team myself.  That’s how I learned the fine art of forechecking - from stealing the puck off the boys on the outdoor rink. 

But stealing the puck from the boys didn’t make me too popular.  Some of the guys started to warm up to me once they realized that I could actually play, but for the most part, they took exception to having a girl out there with them.  I was the victim of body-checks, slashes and trips that are usually absent from pick-up hockey.  Except for when you are a girls’ hockey player, of course.

I quickly realized that in order to play with the boys, I would have to play by their rules.  I had to stand up for myself.  In order to avoid losing teeth and to keep the equipment-free run-ins with the boards, players, and ice to a minimum, I had to be just as physical and just a little bit smarter than my opponents.  It wasn’t good enough to be good, I had to be great.  I didn’t just want to keep up, I wanted to show them up. 

I continued to play at that same rink all the way through my high school, college and elite-level playing days and still go over there regularly now that I have “retired”.  On any given Saturday morning, there could be ten or so guys that I have been playing with and against for the last 15 years.  

There are always a few “new guys” out at the rink every year who takes exception to the fact that I am a girl and I might just steal the puck from him.  I am still the victim of the odd snide remark and slash behind the play.   Ten years ago, I would have slashed right back, but I’ve grown a little wiser in my old age.   The Saturday morning pick-up game isn’t the Stanley Cup for me.  I am still as competitive as ever, but if the guys really want to get rough in the corner in order to get the puck from me, I let them have it.  I’ll even the score later in the open ice, when there is less chance of me losing a tooth. 

It still amazes me that in the ten years since women’s hockey made its debut in the Winter Olympics, no girls have joined me out on the ice for the weekend morning pick-up games.  It might take a few games for the boys to warm-up to the idea, but I promise they’ll pass you the puck eventually.  That is if you can keep up and handle the odd slash behind the play.

© Total Female Hockey 2008

Kim McCullough, YCS, MSc, is a Athletic Development Specialist and founder of Total Female Hockey. In addition to training and coaching girls at all levels of hockey, from novice to the National team, Kim has also played at the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for the last decade. Kim’s female player development website features a state-of-the-art Complete Off-Season Training Program and her blog gives the coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to the most up-to-date tips and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about female-specific player development, get your Free Report: The #1 Mistake Female Players Make in the Off-Season at http://www.totalfemalehockey.com