Day 5 ~ Inspiring Women in Hockey!
It’s day 5 of the 10-day Countdown!! LOVE & THE HIDDEN HOCKEY CLUES, Book 1 of the Laugh-out-Loud Hockey Caper Romance series will be live on May 14. Woohoo! Today, I’m shining a spotlight on 5 women who are inspiring for their contribution to hockey!
I’m often asked where I get my ideas. In Love and the Hidden Hockey Clues, Abigail wants to skate as far away from hockey as possible because of her history with the game. She wanted to play high level hockey but just couldn’t make it work as a female in a male-dominated world. This never happened to me. Haha. However, I was always struck by how few females were a part of the NHL. Not necessarily as players, but as part of the whole organization. I know there is a big push for a female professional league, and I am in awe of Marie Philip Poulin, the outstanding Olympian who turned down an offer from the Montreal Canadiens affiliate team, the Trois Rivieres Lions, because she preferred to develop women’s pro hockey. What a leader and role model for girls and women in the sport!
During the time I was writing and editing this story in 2021-2022, 4 other females were in the news because of their “firsts” in hockey. They are:
- Aisha Visram was hired as an athletic therapist for the LA Kings becoming the first female behind an NHL bench.
- Emilie Castonguay was named assistant general manager for the Vancouver Canucks, the first female assistant GM.
- Goalie Taya Currie of Parkhill, Ontario was the first woman drafted into the Ontario Hockey League, our premiere stepping stone into the NHL. She was selected in the 14th round by the Sarnia Sting.
- Leah Hextall became the first female to be hired as a full-time NHL play-by-play announcer.
It’s a bit hard to believe that in 2022 these are firsts for pro hockey, but these women will be inspiring to all the youngsters coming up the ranks in the hope of being a part of the hockey world. Change is slow, but hopefully, histories like Abigail’s will be a thing of the past!
A bit about Love and the Hidden Hockey Clues ~
Following the clues and falling in love…
When she was younger, Dr. Abigail Clark dreamed of playing professional hockey, but the world wasn’t ready for a female player. That stung. She skated as far away from hockey as possible – until she lands a job in the emergency department of a hockey-crazy town and buys the house of the late beloved Zamboni driver. A tin box is discovered during the renovation of her new home, and Abigail brushes it off as a time capsule left by the previous owner – that is until someone tries to steal it. Turns out, the odd collection is more than just sentimental hockey memorabilia.
Abigail inadvertently embroils Del Braebury, captain of the local pro hockey team, into helping her sort it out. Her history with hockey players is rocky at best, but he comes in handy when she needs to access parts of the rink that are off limits. Del is happy to be tangled up in the clues of the hidden hockey loot. In the process of solving the mystery, he hopes to win Abigail’s heart!
Love and the Hidden Hockey Clues is up for pre-order. The big day is May 14! Can’t wait to share this story with you. Stayed tuned – tomorrow I’m sharing tips for preparing for a renovation!
Buy links ~
Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YJXZS7H/
Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09YJXZS7H/
Paperback Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Hidden-Hockey-Clues-Linda-OConnor/dp/198895522X/