Girls' hockey gets boost with new all-female council

For the first time,girls' hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador will be overseen and developed by an all-female governing body.

The female council came into being during Hockey NL'sannual general meeting earlier in June, putting the female league on the same governing footing as minor, junior, and senior men's hockey, all of which are already run bytheir own councils.

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"This has been years in the making,"said BonnieKnott, the new council's representative for the western region.

"The six women on the council can now govern the female program themselves, of course with guidance from Hockey NL. But we can make our own decisions for the program and move the program forward."

Girls' hockey has grown steadily across the province. Girls now make up about 20 per cent of minor hockey players, with more than 2,000 taking part last season.

Changes and challenges

Although enrolmenthas increased, Knott, who has spent 10 years in behind-the-scenes hockey roles, called the issue "a struggle," and said the female council will be putting a priority on getting new girls in the game.

"Our focus for the future right now, for the near future, is recruitment," she said, pointing to the need to focus efforts on the initiation and novice levels, where players are sixto eight years old.

This has been years in the making.- Bonnie Knott

The female council is also making changes to its Peewee division, where players are 11-12.

"We have a lot of girls that try out for this age level, and a lot of girls aren't making the AAA program. And we don't want to lose those girls, because this is a development age," she said.

To that end, girls who don't make the AAA team could be offered a spot on a new AA program.

"So girls can still play and still learn and develop and not get discouraged," said Knott.

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