While Canada’s National Women’s Team got on the ice for the first time at training camp last month, more than 6,100 people involved in hockey – players, coaches and parents – participated in the Pond to Podium Development Series.

Participants at all levels of the game connected directly with national team athletes and staff through 16 webinars that included skills sessions, holistic hockey training sessions, panel discussions and We Are Coaches clinics led by Hockey Canada women master coach developers.

“The participation of girls and women at all levels of hockey elevates our game and creates a thriving sport system,” says Teal Gove, manager of hockey development with Hockey Canada. “We hope the Pond to Podium Development Series encouraged all participants, in whatever their role, to strive for their personal podium so they can continue to gain all of the benefits hockey has to offer along the way.”

What did the participants take away from Pond to Podium? Check out a few testimonials.

“I was excited to attend the Core Values of Leadership session that was run by Gina Kingsbury. There were two areas that I felt made me better understand how I can become a better leader for my teammates. First and foremost, I learned it is important to be myself and not change who I am. Although I have the honour of wearing a letter on my jersey, I do not have to be serious all the time. I learned that it is important to have a balance with having fun with my teammates, connecting with them and being serious when I need to be. Secondly, I learned it is important to learn who my teammates are personally, to understand who they are on and off the ice. As a leader, it is important to create friendship and trust with your teammates, to ensure they feel comfortable talking to me. The session has given me a different perspective of what leadership is and how I can apply what I have learned to be a better leader, a better athlete and a better student.”

-- Ava Irwin, player (Burlington Girls Hockey Club)

“In the never-ending pursuit of being their best, highly-motivated coaches (from house league to national teams) seek information, advice and feedback. Ideally, you want to get those things from people with outstanding credentials and the right values. Hockey Canada’s Pond to Podium Development Series brought the best in girls and women’s hockey to our computer/phone screen. From Tara Watchorn’s A, B, Cs of playing defence to Howie Draper’s four Fs (fun, fast, fight, family) to Kori Cheverie and Vicky Sunohara addressing the importance of making the game enjoyable for their players, Pond to Podium is informative, insightful and interactive.”

-- Steve McAllister, coach (Kincardine Minor Hockey Association)

“As a parent of a young girl, it was inspirational to hear what leaders at the highest levels, such as Gina Kingsbury and Teal Gove, believe in. Having not been on the ice with her teammates during the pandemic, these webinars reinvigorated my daughter's passion for hockey and reminded her why she loves the game. The advice she received from two tremendous role models advanced her knowledge of the game, which will in turn motivate her and her team when they return to the ice.”

-- Melina Ducharme, parent (Burlington Girls Hockey Club)

“Watching the Pond to Podium sessions became a family affair! My U18 daughter (a defenceman), my U15 son (a goaltender) and I all thoroughly enjoyed the webinars. They were well-organized with very knowledgeable presenters who covered a wide range of useful teaching points and concepts that can be easily incorporated into practices or into a player’s regimen. I especially enjoyed Tara Watchorn’s concept of communicating the purpose of drills so players understand why and can more readily internalize the lesson (Developing Defence); Jessica Campbell’s philosophy of continuous development of skating skills being essential for all players to get a leg up in the game (Specialized Skating Skills); Gord Woodhall’s identification of the foundation of stance in everything a goalie does (Goaltending); and Paula McQuaid’s assertion that confidence and mental toughness are learned skills that can be improved through understanding what one can control, reframing situations positively and managing one’s emotions (Mental Training). A wealth of great ideas and lessons for players and coaches to take their game to the next level!”

-- Jeff Partrick, coach (Gloucester-Cumberland Girls Hockey Association)

“I thoroughly enjoyed the We Are Coaches programming during the Pond to Podium series. I have taken coach courses in the past, but this was my first experience in an all-women coaching program geared toward coaching women. I took so much more away from this than I have in previous courses. It made me think about things that I hadn’t thought of, and the group dynamic created an atmosphere that allowed for collaboration between coaches across our country. It was motivating, inspiring and what I think is needed to get more women involved in coaching and, ultimately, to continue to grow the women’s game. Thank you so much for this opportunity!”

-- Kristy Provost, coach (Nampa Minor Hockey Association)

“The broad scope and variety of the Pond to Podium topics was impressive. Athletes, coaches and parents could all learn from the various sessions. For our athletes to hear from women at the highest levels speaking openly and honestly about their experience, the ups and downs they have gone through, was very impactful. I love that the focus for the players was off the ice (mental, leadership and off-ice workouts) and all were topics within their control to take ownership of and work on to improve. The sessions were inspiring to those of us who love the game, who are proud to be a part of Hockey Canada and who are driven to keep getting better.”

-- Ryan Essex, coach (Central York Girls Hockey Association)

Would you like to be kept in the know regarding the next Pond to Podium Development Series? Register below to receive more information as it becomes available.

Like so many other great ideas in 2020, the genesis of the Women in Sport Speaker Series came from finding ways to pass the time at home during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While some Canadians binge-watched their favourite shows or read a good book, Amy de Bree set about to use her newfound free time in a more fulfilling way.

“I spent a lot of time watching webinar series and just really trying to find a way to use the time to better myself, both as an individual and as a leader and as a coach,” she says. “And what I noticed was that as I watched all of these webinars, the female voices were really missing.

“I knew that there were some amazing women doing some great things in coaching and in really all aspects of sport from the research side to the business side. And so I wanted to give an opportunity for these women to actually have a voice.”

De Bree is herself one of those amazing women doing some great things in coaching. In addition to her teaching position at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in Vancouver, she is video coordinator for the women’s hockey team at the University of British Columbia, and coaches in the Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey Association and Vancouver Female Ice Hockey Association.

Add in her time with the B.C. Hockey provincial program, which has included roles as assistant coach at the 2019 National Women’s Under-18 Championship and as head coach at the 2017 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, along with a handful of provincial camps, and de Bree spends an awful lot of time behind the bench.

“I truly enjoy the game,” she says of why she coaches. “I enjoy approaching the game from different ways. But even more than that, I really just enjoy working with kids. I enjoy helping them reach their potential, whatever that avenue may be. As a teacher, I get to do that every day. And as a coach, we get a different angle to that.”

With her passion and her experience, it was little surprise – except to de Bree herself, who says she was shocked to get a call from Team Canada legend Cassie Campbell-Pascall – that she was selected as the B.C. winner of the BFL Female Coach of the Year Award in the high performance category.

While the national recognition was great, it was the $1,000 monetary prize that pushed de Bree to make her seminar idea a reality and move on to the next step – putting together a list of speakers.

She went to work reaching out to her contacts in the sports world, working connections in some cases and just relying on blind ambition in others.

“A lot of vulnerability, and just sending out emails to women and saying, ‘Hey, this is what we're doing. This is why we're doing it. We would love if you would participate.’ It was just a great experience of women helping women and bringing together some amazing voices.”

In the end, de Bree gathered 18 women across 10 different presentations for the Women in Sport Speaker Series, which ran virtually from July 20-24. The line-up included a Q&A with National Women’s Team alumna Vicky Sunohara, and sessions on being a Black female coach, consent culture, the advancement of women in coaching and loving your body as a female athlete, among others.

All of the Women in Sport Speaker Series seminars are available on the official website. 

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the push has already begun towards the 2021 series.

“It was fantastic to hear from the other women who tuned in and watched, and even the different men,” de Bree says. “One of our top referees in the area, he watched all of the talks and it was fantastic to see the different people engaging and kind of thinking through topics and just expanding their way of thinking.”

De Bree is working closely with Shiayli Toni, a fifth-year forward on the UBC women’s team who led the Championing Consent Culture webinar, to push forward and keep the conversation going.

A call went out in late August through social media, and nominations are being accepted for women who are making a difference in sports. Every month, one deserving woman will be celebrated on Twitter and Instagram.

For de Bree, the return of autumn means a return to the rink, albeit in a new-look hockey world thanks to the pandemic. While she navigates her way through another season behind the bench, she has a little bit of advice for girls and women who want to follow her path.

“One of the biggest hurdles that women have in getting into coaching is the time commitment. It can be really tough. And as women, when we come out of college or we come out of the end of our [playing] careers, we're still trying to financially set ourselves up. So find a role where you can start to get your feet wet and then build out that commitment. As soon as you make your name for yourself, you start to be able to find those roles where you do get financially compensated, so it makes it a lot easier to balance the work and life, and still be able to coach and give back to the game.”

The focus for Stéphanie Grenier has always been on getting more girls involved in hockey.

The mother of three has worn multiple hats for the Association hockey féminin vallée de Gatineau (AHFVG), including coach, registrar and recruiter, and her efforts earned her the BFL Female Coach of the Year Award (Community) for Quebec.

“It was a big surprise to me. I didn’t know that my association nominated me and put my name forward for the award,” says Grenier. “I was happy that my work was recognized over the years.”

The 40-year-old didn’t play the game growing up, got on the ice in her adult years and was quick to get involved when she signed up two of her daughters to play with the AHFVG.

She didn’t view herself as a “real hockey player,” but after being asked to help with her then four-year-old daughter’s team, Grenier has never stopped working with teams across the association.

“With the kids being so young they needed more coaches on the ice to help, and since I played hockey here and there, I decided to jump in and help,” she said. “The person in charge was happy to have women on the ice to set an example for the younger girls.”

Two years later, Grenier took over the Initiation (now Timbits U7) program for the AHFVG. For the past seven years she has been an assistant coach with her middle daughter’s team, supports her oldest daughter’s team, and is the head coach for her youngest daughter’s team.

Phew. That’s a lot of hockey.

On her nomination form, Sonia Bertrand, president of the AHFVG, said that Grenier is a positive role model for young girls. As the registrar and recruiter, she works hard to attract as many players as possible to promote and grow the game in Gatineau.

“I hope through the next few years, we can get more women involved with hockey. It is nice for the girls to have women on the ice with them and to have examples of hockey players in their community,” Grenier says. “It will give them a sense that they too can play university hockey or coach later in life.”

Not only does Grenier dedicate a lot of her time in recruiting girls to join the AHFVG, but she also actively looks for mothers to get involved with coaching their young daughters.

“When I learn that a mom used to play hockey when she was younger, I always try to get them involved,” she says. “I feel like some women don’t think they are good enough or whatever, but as soon as they get involved, they remember how much they enjoy being on the ice and usually stay involved.”

According to Bertrand, Grenier’s cheerfulness, energy and dedication represent all the qualities a coach must possess to help athletes progress along the path of life.

Even in the middle of a challenging season with few wins, Grenier was focused on the long-term development and little wins of each player.

“I love to see the improvements of the girls throughout the season,” she says. “I love to see them starting out and almost not being able to skate, and then at the end of the season, they make a stop – it is just so great to see,” she said. “I love being involved and seeing the girls smiling and them seeing what they are capable of doing.”

Life is busy at the rink for Grenier and her three daughters, but she wants to help grow the game in Gatineau.

“It is fun watching these girls come out of their shells as they play. It is great to see them make friends and keep playing year after year,” she says. “Hopefully, we can continue to grow our association.”

Home is where the heart is for Katie-Lynn Cummiskey, and it’s why she gives back to Pownal Minor Hockey.

It’s also a big reason why the 24-year-old took home the BFL Female Coach of the Year Award (Community) for Prince Edward Island.

“I was shocked,” says Cummiskey. “This will motivate me to continue to coach.”

Cummiskey has been coaching since she was 15. Last season she was behind the bench as head coach of the female Bantam A (now U15) Pownal Red Devils, as well as assisting with the NHL/NHLPA First Shift program.

“My dad was a big influence on me and thought it was a good thing to give back to the community,” she says. “Once I stepped on the ice the first time as a coach, I knew it was something that I wanted to continue.”

Cummiskey played hockey throughout her childhood with Pownal Minor Hockey and joined the women’s team at Holland College as she studied to become a kinesiologist.

She stepped away from coaching as school demanded more from her but was able to stay involved through the First Shift program, which ensures a positive experience for new-to-hockey families at a reduced cost.

Every player receives head-to-toe Bauer equipment and learns the basics in a fun on-ice environment.

“I thought it was a great initiative in getting kids into hockey,” says Cummiskey. “This program helps teach kids the fundamentals. With many coaches on the ice, none of the kids feel left out.”

Cummiskey has coached with the program for the past five years, and it is the excitement of the kids that keeps bringing her back.

“I get too competitive and lose touch with that initial feeling of why I love the game, but seeing their joy of learning a new skill and how their faces light up when they learn the sport is special,” she says.

Cory Barlow is a mentorship coach with Pownal Minor Hockey and nominated Cummiskey for the BFL award.

“She was the first person that came to mind when I saw the nomination application,” he says. “Katie-Lynn can pick a kid out of a crowd and make it so that they enjoy the game.”

An empathic approach is how Cummiskey connects with younger athletes. Barlow shared an example from the First Shift program when a child with a learning disability wanted to try the program but was uneasy about getting on the ice.

“I asked Katie-Lynn to work her magic, and within 10 minutes, this player was on the ice with the biggest smile,” Barlow says.

Cummiskey believes that sports are for everyone, and in this particular example, she didn’t want the little girl to miss out.

“My uncle was legally blind, and he missed out on a lot of things growing up, so it was personal for me,” she says. “A lot of times, kids can be excluded from activities. It [was] important to make sure this child was included and enjoying themselves.”

Cummiskey didn’t have a woman as a coach until she was in Bantam, and it made a world of difference to her to have a fellow female behind the bench.

“[Female] personalities match up a little better. They approach the game differently, especially in the teenage years,” says Cummiskey. “I do feel that when it comes to girls' sports, it is important to have a female – even if they aren’t a head coach – to talk to on the bench.”

Great coaching has the potential to inspire an athlete to participate in sports for life. It is in that spirit Hockey Canada has established the Women Master Coach Developer (WMCD) program, an initiative equipping 30 coaching leaders with the training to develop more women in coaching from coast to coast to coast.

“We believe emphasizing and providing instruction will create engaging and welcoming training experiences, remove barriers to coaching education for women and develop role models and leaders within the hockey community,” Teal Gove, manager of hockey development at Hockey Canada, says. “By dramatically increasing the number of women in meaningful coaching roles, we will create the infrastructure needed to support the participation of girls and women in hockey.”

The delegates selected for the WMCD program, which kickstarted in July, are currently completing courses that impart knowledge on facilitating coaching programs, evaluating coaches, keeping girls in sport, making ethical decisions as a coach and what it means to be a master coach developer.

Mercedes Watson, a coach developer with the Greater Toronto Hockey League, has completed two of the five courses thus far. An associate coach with the Toronto Aeros female U18 team, Watson says the Jumpstart Keeping Girls in Sport online module contained some insightful learnings.

“It’s dialling in on girls and what motivates them,” she says. “It is showing research about why girls participate and how to keep girls going as there some interesting differences between them and boys.”

Each one of the women in the program received the contact information for the 29 other ladies undertaking the journey. Linda Massie, the head coach of Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador’s female under-16 team, is intending on taking full advantage of the engagement component of the WMCD program.

“There are some pretty amazing individuals taking this program. I look forward to speaking with them and learning from them as well.”

While a significant portion of course content is delivered via interactive webinars, the 30 delegates will also complete some in-person sessions before the completion of the program. The coaches may also choose to complete the online modules together.

Each of the coaching leaders will be required to collaborate with their member branch to deliver a We Are Coaches women-in-coaching training program in their province or territory at the end of the program to receive WCMD certification.

Taryn Baumgardt, the female hockey coordinator for Hockey Alberta, says the We Are Coaches capstone project will be an empowering experience.

“It will be an opportunity to empower coaches and leaders among women in the game. Hopefully it will help grow the number of coaches as providing young athletes with role models to look up to in the sport will be huge.”

Fort Smith, N.W.T., product Jessica Cox, the lone delegate from Canada’s northern territories, has already delivered coaching clinics and participated in a We Are Coaches program out of a desire to grow the pool of women coaching in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Cox expresses that Hockey Canada is helping her work towards fulfilling this objective through the program.

“This kind of programming speaks to the fact that the organization recognizes the importance of developing coaches across the board, the impact those coaches can have at the grassroots level all the way up to the high-performance level and that good coaching is fundamental to good coaching programs.”

Learn more about Hockey Canada’s coaching programs right here.

What occurred on March 2 in Red Deer, Alta., was so special that it called for a commemorative photo.

Carla MacLeod, Noémie Marin and Delaney Collins – all of whom have extensive experience as players and coaches in Canada’s National Women’s Program – posed outside Servus Arena to celebrate leading their respective provinces to medals at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

MacLeod’s Team Alberta won gold on home ice with a 2-1 win over Marin’s Team Quebec. Earlier in the day, Collins led Team British Columbia to a 5-4 win over Team Ontario to capture bronze. It marked the first time at the Canada Games or National Women’s Under-18 Championship that all three medal-winning coaches were female.

Sharing the ice with MacLeod and Marin during the medal ceremony is a memory Collins will cherish for a long time.

”I believe we all value each other so much that it was a proud moment for me to have the three medals – gold, silver and bronze – be [awarded to] female head coaches who have worked for Hockey Canada.”

The ties run deep between the three: Collins and MacLeod played together at the IIHF World Women’s Championship; MacLeod and Marin shared the bench with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team in 2017-18; and Collins and Marin were assistant coaches for Canada at the 2015 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

All hired about a year before the puck dropped, Collins, MacLeod and Marin had a clear conviction on what it would take to win in Red Deer. The biggest task for each of them was compiling a cohesive 20-player team that would realize the golden goal.

MacLeod and her coaching staff knew Alberta needed to be the hardest working team.

“We adopted that sort of approach and mentality to everything we did,” says the two-time Olympic gold medallist, who also leads the female Midget prep team at the Edge School in Calgary. “We had a slogan that said, ‘Team culture is hard work and hard work is team culture.’”

The disciplined style of play was evident during the whole tournament. Composure was another element to Alberta’s success. The players did not allow losing two of their first three games to rattle them. They just kept perfecting their process, and that work paid off with playoff wins over B.C. (2-1 in overtime in the semifinals) and Quebec.

Quebec cruised to a 5-0 record to reach the gold medal game. Marin, who coaches the women’s team at John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., emphasized filling the roster with resilient players. Her decision-making paid off with rallies in the first two games.

“When you’re down 2-0 seven minutes into a game, it is tough to have the resiliency to stand up and fight, and I thought our girls showed great character by coming back in those games after tough early starts,” she says.

Quebec passed its biggest test by withstanding 38 shots from Team Ontario to earn a 1-0 semifinal win.

Collins, head coach of the Fraser Valley Rush, a female Midget AAA side in B.C., put a premium on identifying players with self-compassion, which is the ability to not let mistakes keep you down.

“We definitely want girls that are hard-working and mentally are able to show a lot of compassion for themselves,” Collins says. “At the end of the day, it is a game of mistakes. So, how do you respond after making a mistake? We are looking for athletes who are open to learning and are not too critical about the mistakes in the game.”

This approach inspired her squad to play an exciting style of hockey dictated by speed and creativity, which earned the province its first women’s hockey medal at the Canada Games since 1991.

The weeks following the Games have afforded MacLeod with time to think about the significance of three female head coaches sweeping the podium. She says a moment like this could be impactful.

“Hopefully, if we are doing our job correctly, the players we are working with today may, in 10-15 years from now, want to coach that team.”

The three award-winning bench bosses all credit Hockey Canada for empowering them to believe they can be successful coaches, and to provide different opportunities along the way.

“It helps us as a coach and even just as a person in the world,” Marin says. “I think Hockey Canada is doing a tremendous job.”

MacLeod says this support is particularly instrumental in helping women in their early years of coaching.

“I have been fortunate in my career to have tremendous mentorship from all sorts of people, and I think building that up will encourage it to continue to occur, and hopefully then if young coaches face a little bit of adversity early in their career, they can manage it and grow from it.”

Hockey Canada is passionate about creating more opportunities for women through its We are Coaches all-female coaching certification events. The initiative strives to provide women with the resources, mentorship and network to succeed. The program also seeks to remove the barriers preventing women from pursuing the coaching profession.

Anyone interested in participating in or hosting an all-female coaching clinic can reach out to the coaching contact who works for their Hockey Canada member branch.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with Samsung, unveiled Thursday the Hockey Canada Drill Hub, which gives coaches the ability to download hundreds of drills and construct practice plans.

Coaches can look for drills by using the search function, or by selecting from one of 16 categories. Drills can be combined into practice plans, and those plans can be shared through email, and through social media.

To create practice plans, coaches must register for a free Hockey Canada Drill Hub account at www.hockeycanada.ca/drillhub, PDF diagrams and descriptions are available without an account.

“This is a fantastic tool that will not only help develop the skills of young Canadian players, but help coaches share information from coast to coast to coast,” said Paul Carson, vice-president of membership development with Hockey Canada. “We’re excited to team with Samsung to continue to grow our development programs, and introduce what we believe is going to be an invaluable resource for coaches.”

“The drill hub is a tremendous tool which helps fuel the Canadian passion and skill set development for hockey players, coaches and parents alike,” said Mark Childs, chief marketing officer with Samsung Canada. “The drill hub ensures learning and coaching is informative, interactive and, most importantly, mobile device accessible. The way the game is taught has evolved over the past 100 years, and Samsung is proud to partner with Hockey Canada to help ensure Canada remains a leader in player development.”

The Hockey Canada Drill Hub includes drill that focus on skating, defence, puck control, shooting, scoring, passing, individual skills, individual tactics, team tactics, checking, small-area games, all ages, Peewee and up, Atom and below, warm-up and goaltending.

For more information on Hockey Canada and its development programs, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hockeycanada.

Canada’s economy has seen its slowest pace of growth in 60 years, and that impact has trickled down to impact Canadian families.

Some of the hardest hit by the economic slowdown are having to make difficult decisions about their children’s organized activities. All too often, those decisions result in kids who just can’t play.

Thankfully, there are programs like The Big Play, a coordinated effort between Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and the Hockey Canada Foundation. The Big Play provides up to $500 in funding for a child to take part in hockey, with the money available for either registration fees or equipment, which is provided by Canadian Tire stores.

The program helped fund hockey fees for more than 1,600 children in 2015 and over 1,100 in 2016. The program is currently in its third year of existence and, though official numbers aren’t available, it’s likely that another 1,000 children have been able to play hockey because of the program.

Has it made a difference? You bet.

Children from ages 4-18 can qualify for the program and funding has gone to kids throughout Canada. The program is based on a first-come, first-served basis, with annual funding of $500,000. Parents who qualify for financial assistance (based on the federal low-income cut-off guidelines) can visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca to apply for funding through The Big Play to help their child or children take to the ice.

The funding can only be used for fees associated with registered minor hockey associations through Hockey Canada.

The Big Play is just one part of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, which also has general funding for children to participate in the sport or activity of their choice, from ballet to cricket to soccer. CTJC funds more than 200,000 children each year across Canada. Since its inception, Jumpstart has helped almost 1.5 million children take part in sports across Canada.

Jumpstart works with numerous organizations and community partners, including the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Maison de la Famille. Individual Canadians and families can help support the program by making online donations or by hosting a community fundraiser. 

Every member of Canada’s National Women’s Team began their careers the same way: by playing at the grassroots of our game. Along the way, they had coaches that helped to shape their playing style and boost their love of hockey.

Here’s a look at two players, two coaches and two lasting impressions.

Kristen Campbell and Bill Brown

Bill Brown coached goaltender Kristen Campbell alongside his daughter through the Brandon Minor Hockey Association. Brown noticed Campbell’s talent early on and worked hard to grow the game in the province for her and other girls coming through the program.

Hockey Canada (HC): You started coaching Kristen at a very young age. What are some of your memories of her as a player back then?

Bill Brown (BB): I can remember when we did our draft, the fellow I was volunteering with, he said we have a girl and she wants to be goalie. It was perfect because we were [rotating through] everybody at the time. But Kristen, right from day one, she was a goalie and that's what she wanted to be. Being the old goalie that I was, I had someone in love with the sport who’s is in love with the position. The first thing I saw with Kristen, even at that very, very young age was just so much natural ability. It was things I was showing her about stance and gloves and how to hold your stick. It was like ‘Oh, she's already doing that.’ So, there’s just that natural ability.

HC: Is there anything that stood out to you about Kristen?

BB: When she was playing U18 and then she went to a prep school in Winnipeg, she initiated that change because she saw it as a way to make herself better. And then when [the University of North Dakota] folded [its women’s hockey program] and she was there, I remember messaging her at that time, ‘You'll keep going kid.’ Of course, she found a home [at the University of Wisconsin] and it turned out to be very, very good. But I think the one thing that I tried to pass on to my kids is if you want something, go get it. She's a shining example of wanting something and having the support in order to do it. All of us are so proud of her but she's done so much of it herself.

HC: Bill, what message would you give to Kristen?

BB: Enjoy the moment. Live in the moment, keep working hard and have fun because those moments, they're here and then they're gone. Enjoy the hard work you put in and where it's taken you and see how far it can take you now.

HC: Kristen, what message would you give to Bill?

Kristen Campbell: I would just thank him for everything he did for me when I was younger. I think he recognized potential in me from a young age, and he really pushed me to be better and knew that I wanted to get to the highest level possible.

Emma Maltais and Bradi Cochrane

After an injury during her NCAA hockey career, Bradi Cochrane transitioned into coaching to stay connected with the game. Cochrane helped the Oakville Hornets establish their high-performance program, where she coached forward Emma Maltais from U15 AA through to the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).

HC: Can you talk about how you started coaching Emma?

Bradi Cochrane (BC): We were trying to develop this high-performance program with our U15, U18, and U22 programs and Emma was playing U13 boys at the time and we knew she'd be around the transition [age] to come over to girls. We got lucky enough to have her in our U15 program. I'm coaching [in the PWHL] at the time and she was so talented, she played 22 games with me as a U15. So right from a young age when we first got her to the Hornets program, she was [playing in the PWHL]. And then she was with me for three years.

HC: When you first began coaching Emma, what qualities stood out to you?

BC: There's a word that always jumps to my head when I think of Emma and it's the word relentless. She's just relentless in everything she does. I honestly can't tell you that she’s ever had a bad practice. You fight the puck and all that type of stuff, but her effort level and her intensity never changes. And I think that's a special piece; obviously it's special because she is where she is right now. But yeah, relentless. Her work ethic on and off the ice. She's a gym rat, she loves to be in the gym. She loves hard workouts. She's just so passionate about anything she does. I personally feel blessed that I had an opportunity to help her develop.

HC: Bradi, what message would you give to Emma?

BC: First and foremost, I'm just so proud of her. I'm proud of the person and player that she's become. But I see so much more for her in the future, too. I feel like her national team career is really, truly just beginning. If my little [son] can grow up to be like Emma, I'd be pretty happy.

HC: Emma, is there a message you would like to give Bradi?

Emma Maltais: She's incredible. I still talk to her all the time. She's such a good hockey brain, just always watching the game. She really taught me not only how to play the game, but how to think the game. And that's really helped me moving forward into college and into the national level. I think she saw something in me and pushed me to look farther into the game, and look farther into my own future, to believe in myself so I could make it one day.

Looking to get involved behind the bench in your community? Contact your local hockey association and visit HockeyCanada.ca/Coaching for more information.