Builders in the women’s game

[Lindsay]

Who do you think of when you think of builders in the women’s game?

thinking about the hockey hall of fame and how we don’t have a builder from the womens side. I’m to the “not angry, just sad” phase of trying to understand this continued omission. One of the things I like about HHOF inclusion is it drives media coverage and telling the history of women’s hockey…so it’s a bummer on multiple levels.

Would love to hear stories of other builders you know about, not trying to make the case they are hhof’ers, just curious who you think of. Could be regional or local, to me the grass roots work is just as important (and interesting, because the same or similar story plays out in so many places) Need it all.

Will try to share my own thoughts when I have time.

ps - huge congrats to Ouellette on her induction!

 

[Lindsay]

Hmm you guys are as quiet as the HHOF on this issue. Anyway, girls hockey continues to grow, these phantom builders are having an impact. Looking at USA membership reports girls/women’s enrollment was 84,000 in 2019/20 and now is 91,000 for the 22/23 season, about 8.3% increase and that’s with having to endure and recover from a pandemic. Total USA Hockey enrollment for the same time periods actually declined from 562k to 556k. While there are numerous factors in the girls hockey growth some of that is likely a legacy of the 2018 Pyeongcheng Olympic gold for USA.

As an Ohioan I’m always interested in girls hockey here. Enrollment is up 30% from 2019/2020 going from 1,360 to 1,760 in that time. Again, various factors, one would be OSU success. Another is a grassroots program in Columbus called Central Ohio Girls Hockey. It started about 7 years ago, just some parents whose goal was to get ice time for girls and get them on the ice together. Not teams, not a league, just a starting spot for girls interested in hockey, a chance to get them on the ice together and help the girls build community as they navigate co-Ed hockey. It’s incredible the way their programming has built out since then. They now have sponsors and buy in and partnerships from CBJ and USA Hockey. Awesome stuff and just started with some parents. Alison Lukan wrote about the group years ago, it’s probably time for an update by the local media.

 

[Lindsay]

If I had to pick the first two builder HHOF people on the women’s side, well you’d have to forgive my North American lens here. There may be someone equally deserving elsewhere, but these are the two I’d go for: Fran Rider and Manon Rheaume.

Before getting to Rheaume, let’s start with Rider, and also acknowledge she had several contemporaries assisting her success over the years.

Fran Rider played hockey in the ‘60’s with the Brampton Canadettes, and built out a huge annual tournament for women’s teams in the 70’s. Her organization (Brampton) was so large and dwarfed the other organizations in the province that she felt no need to have Brampton join OWHA when it was founded in 1975. By the early ‘80’s sentiments had changed, Brampton joined OWHA, Rider went on to become executive director of OWHA, helped organize the 1987 World Championship and lobbied for and helped organize the first IIHF Worlds in 1990 in Ottawa.

Remarkably she is still president of OWHA today; OWHA had 38,000 players in 2019/2020. She has been “building” in 7 different decades, and had a local and international impact. Slam dunk for the HHOF except that the system to get women in is obviously broken. Nonetheless every girls and women’s hockey fan should know her name.

Next up Rheaume.

 

[ARM]

Hmm you guys are as quiet as the HHOF on this issue.

We're often told to write what we know; on this topic, what I do not know is a lot. Until girls hockey started to become a thing at the Minn. State High School level in the 1990s, I was largely unaware of the sport, so my knowledge on the roots of the women's game is mostly from getting bits of history over the last two or three decades. Even with that disclaimer, my regional bias is largely constrained to this state, so I can't adequately judge who has done the most to move the game forward around the world, or even the continent.

I do appreciate your efforts here and will faithfully read what you share. Thanks!

 

[BowWowWow]

Who do you think of when you think of builders in the women’s game?

Thanks for this, Lindsay! I did listen to a podcast where they said that Hazel McCallion, past mayor of Mississauga, ON, would be a great candidate for a builder. She played hockey and encouraged women’s hockey there. (The podcast was For Pucks Sake Podcast - Semi-Annual HHOF Rant.)

 

[vicb]

Builders of the women's game at Clarkson University. Clarkson College of Technology (CCT) was an all male college until 1968.
My first year there as a junior transfer in 1972 there were 12 women enrolled.

I will give you two people from CCT/Clarkson University.

The “Father” of Women’s Hockey at Clarkson, Ron Frazer, along with his wife Doris, played a highly significant role in establishing the foundation for the Golden Knights’ current Division I women’s hockey team.
With women’s sports emerging at the collegiate level in the mid-1970s, Frazer started Clarkson’s original intercollegiate women’s hockey program with nothing but true “walk-ons”. Drawing from the 184 women undergraduates on campus, Frazer gathered 17 student-athletes for Clarkson’s first women’s team in the winter of 1974.
Clarkson’s original women’s hockey teams played from 1974-1984 compiling a 77-72-3 record through 10 seasons. "Frazer’s Blazers" featured numerous talented players, including Pam Morin ‘76, a leading force for
women’s hockey at Clarkson, Kelly Priestley ‘81, an inaugural Clarkson Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, and Cathy
Champion-Demers ‘84, a top scorer for the Knights. Frazer was chosen for induction into Clarkson’s 2004 HOF while
Champion-Demers was a part of the 2007 HOF class. It wasn't until 2002 that Clarkson University started a Division 1 Program.

Cathy Champion-Demers ‘84 From the Clarkson University HOF Induction Ceremony:

A standout women’s hockey and lacrosse player for the Golden Knights in the early 1980s, Cathy Champion-Demers helped to establish a solid foundation for women’s intercollegiate athletics at Clarkson.
A native of Nepean, Ontario, Champion-Demers dominated on the ice at Walker Arena in the winter and led the play on the lacrosse fields during the spring as one of the most prolific scorers in any sport ever to attend Clarkson. From 1980-84, Champion-Demers put on an offensive show that rivaled any individual effort in the country. She paced the women’s hockey team in each of her four seasons and finished with a program-best 165 points on 98 goals and 67 assists playing for head coaches Ron Frazer ’45 and Lon Avery."Cathy was the best puck carrier I ever had," stated Frazer, a 2004 Clarkson Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. "She was just one of those people who had exceptional skill on the ice. Champ was by far the best player on the ice anytime we played." Following the hockey seasons, Champion-Demers continued to excel in the spring, leading the Golden Knights women’s lacrosse team. In just a 28-game career, she amassed 67 goals and 16 assists for 83 points, and still remains the program’s all-time leader in points per game with a 2.96 average. She was also a team leader, serving as captain of the women’s hockey and lacrosse teams in her junior and senior years. At the conclusion of her collegiate hockey campaign, Champion-Demers played in the third annual American Women’s Hockey Coaches Association All-Star game at Harvard on March 17, 1984. She scored a goal on a 30-foot wrist shot for the first goal in her team’s 5-4 victory.
After graduating from Clarkson in 1984 with a B.S. in management, Champion-Demers played on teams that went to Switzerland, Germany, Holland and England, and on the first team to enter the Czech Republic before the Iron Curtain fell. She served as President of the Ottawa District Women’s Hockey Association for six years, volunteered on the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association for three years and was on the organizing committee for the first Women’s World’s Hockey Championships that were held in Ottawa in 1990.

 

[KTDC]

Who do you think of when you think of builders in the women’s game?

thinking about the hockey hall of fame and how we don’t have a builder from the womens side. I’m to the “not angry, just sad” phase of trying to understand this continued omission. One of the things I like about HHOF inclusion is it drives media coverage and telling the history of women’s hockey…so it’s a bummer on multiple levels.

Would love to hear stories of other builders you know about, not trying to make the case they are hhof’ers, just curious who you think of. Could be regional or local, to me the grass roots work is just as important (and interesting, because the same or similar story plays out in so many places) Need it all.

Will try to share my own thoughts when I have time.

ps - huge congrats to Ouellette on her induction!

Who I think of that are builders in the women's game is Winny Brodt-Brown. She has worked extensively the last number of years in Minnesota developing girls in hockey. She started OS Hockey which you can read about from the link below:

https://oshockey.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winny_Brodt-Brown

 

[Lindsay]

Who I think of that are builders in the women's game is Winny Brodt-Brown. She has worked extensively the last number of years in Minnesota developing girls in hockey. She started OS Hockey which you can read about from the link below:

https://oshockey.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winny_Brodt-Brown

Yes, what she’s done is incredible! Didn’t realize she is credited with founding the Whitecaps as well. Impressive.

 

[Lindsay]

Even with that disclaimer, my regional bias is largely constrained to this state, so I can't adequately judge who has done the most to move the game forward around the world, or even the continent.

Yes it is difficult to assess, and I am no expert. If hockey is regional as they say, I say value the regional contributions and tell those stories / put them in. It’s pretty rare for an individual to have a continent wide or global impact.

Earlier today I came across two ACHA Awards that I had briefly knew about and had forgotten - the Joe Burke award and the Women’s Ice Hockey Founders award. I’ve been enjoying reading about some of those past winners, just by googling.

 

[Lindsay]

Builders of the women's game at Clarkson University. Clarkson College of Technology (CCT) was an all male college until 1968.
My first year there as a junior transfer in 1972 there were 12 women enrolled.

I will give you two people from CCT/Clarkson University.

The “Father” of Women’s Hockey at Clarkson, Ron Frazer, along with his wife Doris, played a highly significant role in establishing the foundation for the Golden Knights’ current Division I women’s hockey team.
With women’s sports emerging at the collegiate level in the mid-1970s, Frazer started Clarkson’s original intercollegiate women’s hockey program with nothing but true “walk-ons”. Drawing from the 184 women undergraduates on campus, Frazer gathered 17 student-athletes for Clarkson’s first women’s team in the winter of 1974.
Clarkson’s original women’s hockey teams played from 1974-1984 compiling a 77-72-3 record through 10 seasons.

Vic this is awesome! 1974, wow. Thank you for sharing.

when I started college in 2001 I thought all the programs were pretty new. Lol. I was AMAZED when we played at Brown and they had rows and rows of pictures of their old women’s hockey teams dating back to the 70’s at least.

 

[Sierra]

What Coach Halldorson has accomplished during her career at the Unuversity of Minnesota was something special.

3 National Titles
3 Final Face Off Titles
3 X AHCA COY
1 X ECAC COY

A few of the young women that Coach Halldorson recruited, coached, and developed. Brodt, Darrwitz, Kennedy and Muzerall. All of those women are currently worriors for growing the womens game. The young coaches that learned from Coach Halldorson as her two assistants were JJ and Frosty currently growing the womens game. Coach Halldorson is still continuing to grow the women's game in her roll at the U of M.

 

[Lindsay]

The Women's Ice Hockey Founders Award


This award honors a member of the hockey community or college coaching profession who has contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of women’s ice hockey in the United States through their enthusiasm, passion and selflessness.

2010	Helen Bert, Providence College
2011	Laura Halldorson, Princeton, Colby College, Minnesota, USA Hockey
2012	Walter Bush, AHAUS, USA Hockey
2013	Jill Pohtilla, Augsburg College
2014	Margaret "Digit" Degidio Murphy, AHAUS, Brown University
2015	Karen Kay, Providence, New Hampshire, AHAUS, USA Hockey
2016	Heather Linstad, Northeastern, Connecticut, USA Hockey
2017	Jackie Barto, PC, OSU, USA Hockey, AHAUS
2018	Paul Kennedy, East Coast Wizards
2019	Don MacLeod, Northeastern University, AHAUS
2020	John Marchetti, Providence, Yale, Mercyhurst, USA Hockey
2021	Michele Amidon, USA Hockey, Bowdoin
2022	Bill Driscoll, NAHA
2023	Judy Parish Oberting, Dartmouth

 

[Lindsay]

The Joe Burke Award


The Joe Burke Award was established in 1994 to honor those individuals who have shown great support and dedication to Girls/Women's hockey. Joe Burke has been an avid fan of Girls/Women's hockey since the late 70's. Joe Burke, a Dedham resident is a life-long hockey fan, who never actually played the game himself. He became hooked on the women's game when he attended the game vs. the University of New Hampshire and Boston College in 1978 at McHugh Forum. Since this game Joe was seen at every major Girls/Women's hockey event in the New England area. He is a true friend of the women's game and the people associated with it.

1994	Joe Burke, Women's Hockey Supporter, Fan
1995	John Dooley, Harvard University
1996	Bernie McKinnon, St. Lawrence University
1997	Joe Bertagna, ECAC/Hockey East, Harvard
1998	Carl Gray, Assabet Valley, USA Hockey
1999	Award not given out
2000	Award not given out
2001	Russ McCurdy, New Hampshire, Brown, AHAUS, USA Hockey
2002	Bette Blair, USA Hockey, volunteer
2003	Jane Ring, St. Paul, MN
2004	George Crowe, Dartmouth
2005	Bill Cahill, Rensselaer
2006	Charlie Stryker, Minnesota Amateur/Girls Hockey
2007	Sue Ring-Jarvi, MN Girls’/Women’s Hockey
2008	Maurice FitzMaurice, CT Polar Bears
2009	Bob and Kathleen Ridder, AHAUS, MN Hockey
2010	Kelly Dyer Hayes, AHAUS, Northeastern
2011	Kush Sidhu, Washington Pride, Northeastern
2012	Bob Allen, USA Hockey and Lake Placid Olympic Center
2013	Brian Schulz, USCHO
2014	Mary Ann Robinson, Wisconsin Amateur Hockey
2015	Lynn Olson, Minnesota Hockey, USA Hockey
2016	Bob Ewell, Colby, Princeton, New Hampton
2017	George Griggs, Women's Hockey Supporter
2018	Zo? M. Harris, ACHA Women's Hockey, University of Washington men's hockey, Western Washington Female Hockey Association
2019	Dave and Judy Ferwerda, Wisconsin Challengers
2020	Kathy McGarrigle, Anaheim Lady Ducks
2021	Barbara Huebner, Boston Globe
2022	Caroline Heatley, Lawrence Academy, Northeastern, Boston College
2023	Jan Gentry, NCAA

 

[Scott_TG]

Yes, what she’s done is incredible! Didn’t realize she is credited with founding the Whitecaps as well. Impressive.

My understanding from reading the history is that the Whitecaps were founded by the Brodts and Schmidgalls so Winnie and Jenny could have somewhere to play after college. In a way the team is a living monument to the power, will and resources of hockey parents through history

 

[Scott_TG]

The Joe Burke Award


The Joe Burke Award was established in 1994 to honor those individuals who have shown great support and dedication to Girls/Women's hockey. Joe Burke has been an avid fan of Girls/Women's hockey since the late 70's. Joe Burke, a Dedham resident is a life-long hockey fan, who never actually played the game himself. He became hooked on the women's game when he attended the game vs. the University of New Hampshire and Boston College in 1978 at McHugh Forum. Since this game Joe was seen at every major Girls/Women's hockey event in the New England area. He is a true friend of the women's game and the people associated with it.

[TD] 2017 [/TD]
[TD]George Griggs, Women's Hockey Supporter[/TD]
[/TR]

I miss his posts about the NESCAC, especially his Panthers ... very fitting they honored him and glad it was done in life.