Players with the Chatham-Kent Girls Hockey Association (CKGHA) had an unforgettable experience over the holidays.
On Saturday, January 3, the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) took over Little Caesars Arena in Detroit for a game between the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Boston Fleet.
CK Crush players had the opportunity of joining the professional players on the ice.
“I think all of them were almost awestruck because they couldn't believe that this was happening,” said CK Crush President Myria Mallette.
According to Mallette, many of the girls were given the tickets as Christmas gifts, and her three daughters were informed just a day before they stepped on the ice.
The CK Crush teams participated in the Boston Fist Bump Tunnel before the game and were a part of Boston Bench Buddies during warmups, chatting with the players and getting pucks.
Several of the girls also got to be Blueline Buddies and skate on the ice and stand alongside the PWHL players during the Canadian and American anthems.
“It gives these girls an opportunity to have a goal and to reach for it, to have these older women to aspire to be like, and it shows that there's something more to continue to play for,” Mallette said.
Mallette added that she played hockey all her life and there were never any women role models to look up to.
“As a mom, it's really exciting for me to see my daughters getting excited about the sport and then also setting goals for themselves moving forward and saying I want to be like this player,” Mallette continued.
CKGHA officials say the night showed the girls exactly what's possible with women's hockey, adding that the future is bright.
Mallette is also hopeful this experience will inspire other girls to join the sport, adding that parents looking for opportunities for their daughters can reach out to the association.
