'Still a lot of work to be done': Hockey Canada wants to get more girls playing the game

More women and girls are playing hockey than ever, but the numbers still pale in comparison to men and boys.

There were 108,313 women and girls registered as players in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs in the 2023-24 hockey season. That's about one-fifth of all participants.

Gillian Apps, a former national hockey player who is now leading a steering committee on girls for Hockey Canada, said the culture of hockey is changing, but it is still a concern for parents.

"Are we going to put our daughter in hockey? Are we going to put them in soccer or gymnastics?" she asked.

"Hockey doesn't have a great rep right now in terms of the culture piece. So I think that that's an area that we need to continue to do a lot of work to sort of make the experience for the next generation even better than for the people who came before us."

Hockey Canada wants to see 170,000 girls playing hockey by 2030, but it's currently not on track to reach that goal.

"There has been a lot of work trying to address culture issues in hockey and there is still a lot of work to be done," Apps said.

On the bright side, she said women in hockey are having a moment in the spotlight.

"There is a ton of excitement around women's hockey in Canada right now," she said.

The Professional Women's Hockey League launched in 2023 and last year saw the arrival of the first full-time female coach in the NHL.

"You see people in the streets wearing some of the [women's] team's gear and it's really exciting … but there is still work to be done," Apps said.

Colleen Sostorics, a former national hockey player who now coaches a co-ed team in Regina, said she has seen a big change in her 40 years involved in the sport.

"There weren't a lot of girls playing, and now we've overcome that barrier," Sostorics said. "Now, a little girl with a ponytail walking into the rink with a hockey bag on her back is not abnormal in the slightest."

A Hockey Canada discussion paper released last fall says barriers for girls and women include education and training, policy and governance, structure, visibility and equity in ice allocation.

Girls and women stick with hockey for 7.24 years on average, about 2.4 years less than boys and men. In the 2023-24 season, the retention rate for girls and women was 84.9 per cent, 2.9 per cent lower than boys and men.

The success of the PWHL has been a major boost.

"There is TV coverage, broadcast rights and it's amazing to see," Apps said.

"I hope that young girls, and boys, that are watching these games are saying, 'Hey I want to do that.'"

Amanda Hungle, who is head of Hockey Regina, said there are beginning to be more options for girls and women to play.

Hungle said programming starts at the age of five for co-ed and female teams runs all the way to under-18.

"We see senior recreational leagues that have women's divisions, like adult-safe and those types of things. So those are options for folks that want to join the sport later in life," Hungle said.

Ice time is still a struggle.

Hungle said Hockey Regina has formed a female hockey growth and development committee, with ice time parity between the different hockey streams as one of those goals.

"We're just in that data gathering stage to understand what are the barriers to enter the sport, but also what are the things that are driving females out of the sport and how do we reduce that," Hungle said.

"So how do we offer experiences that are inclusive, that are engaging, you know, that really empower female athletes to succeed not just on the ice, but also off of the ice?"

Sostorics said inclusivity and wanting to be with friends are important.

"Keeping the fun in the sport is definitely an important part, and I would wager to bet that's for both genders."

Hockey Canada is expected to release recommendations later in the spring.

This story is from the This is Saskatchewan podcast — your connection to the stories Saskatchewan is talking about. Every week, Leisha Grebinski and Nichole Huck will cover local issues that matter. Hear the voices that are creating change, shaping policy and fuelling creativity in Saskatchewan.

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