Female Hockey Player

Women Inspiring Young Women to Play Hockey & Embrace a New Sport

When winter rolls around you can find the young and old looking for some ice, lacing up their skates and grabbing their sticks, hoping to get into a hockey game.

Madison Gardner was in Traverse City at Centre Ice Arena to learn how this sport is empowering local women.

One of those women is Traverse City Women’s Hockey Organizer, Joelle Beaudoin. She said, “There’s something about playing as a team and playing as a family and once you play with a team you’re friends with them for life.”

She has inspired many young girls to start their hockey careers right at Centre Ice in Traverse City. Young girls just like Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn is in the fifth grade at Cherry Hill and is confident and proud of her sport. She said, “I would say it’s a really fun sport and I’m not surprised that a lot of people want to play it.”

These young athletes are not alone either, they are just the beginning level of a lifetime of women’s athletes in the area.

The sport is leaving a lasting impression on young women that can follow them off the ice and into life. The Traverse City Women’s Club Hockey Team is showing women of all ages, shapes and athletic abilities that a true victory doesn’t always show up on a scoreboard.

Many of the women who play have gotten a late start in the game and they wish they would have started earlier. Joelle got a later start, but today it’s become a part of her life. She said, “I started playing when I was probably early 20’s so I didn’t grow up playing hockey and just the passion of being out there and playing an intense sport. It’s kind of one of my things.”

The goal here isn’t always to score. These ladies are taking a chance, creating a community and of course, enjoying a little friendly competition.

 

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