As a guy, I grew up passionate about playing hockey and following my favorite pro team (you can probably guess which team). But now I probably watch twice as many women's games as men's games (mostly college games but there is nothing better than a Canada/US game). I asked myself what it is that makes the women's game more interesting to me now, and came up with a surprisingly long list of reasons that I love the game. I am always surprised at the relatively low fan turnout, however, so I am curious: what got you started following women's hockey and what keeps you coming to the games (live or video) now? Why don't more people share this passion?
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Why Do You Watch Women's College Hockey?
- Thread starter hab
- Start date
I didn't grow up with hockey. My now husband is the one that started taking me to games. We went to men's college games and I began to learn that the women's team was just as good and no one was paying attention. I'd played soccer growing up in the 80's when I was the only girl, so I saw a lot of parallels and it just pissed off my feminist sensibilities. That's what got me started.
What kept me coming back? The fluidity and finesse. Now I've been watching pretty exclusively women's hockey so long that I kind of hate watching men. They truly are such different games. I just prefer seeing a team move the puck up ice with great stick handling and passing than seeing someone knock someone else down to clear the path. I really try not to be a snob about it - folks like what they like - but I have a hard time understanding how someone can watch the women's game and prefer men's. I just really enjoy the flow of the women's game.
What kept me coming back? The fluidity and finesse. Now I've been watching pretty exclusively women's hockey so long that I kind of hate watching men. They truly are such different games. I just prefer seeing a team move the puck up ice with great stick handling and passing than seeing someone knock someone else down to clear the path. I really try not to be a snob about it - folks like what they like - but I have a hard time understanding how someone can watch the women's game and prefer men's. I just really enjoy the flow of the women's game.
Just feels like home to me.
Less violence, on and off the ice in the womens side.
I do love learning the history of the programs, rinks, schools… but that has nothing to do with gender.
it’s also fun- there’s a community here I like spending time with.
what’s on your list hab?
Less violence, on and off the ice in the womens side.
I do love learning the history of the programs, rinks, schools… but that has nothing to do with gender.
it’s also fun- there’s a community here I like spending time with.
what’s on your list hab?
Big fan of both the women's and men's Gopher teams. Attend virtually all home games of each, with this season marking 50 straight as a men's season ticket holder! For the women I'm now in my 17th, having jumped on board when the likes of Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell were dominant. And a few seasons later, watching the Gopher women compile their historic 62 game winning streak, was unbelievable.
ARM
Fan of chipmunk-like mascots.
During the second season of Minnesota's varsity program (1998-99), Providence visited Minneapolis for a series. I saw a small ad for this on the sports page, mentioning Sara DeCosta, whose name I recognized from the '98 Olympics. That was the one season Jenny Schmidgall played for the Gophers. At that time, I didn't have many chances to watch a college sport where each team featured an Olympic gold medalist, so I checked it out and returned the next day.
Things that I've found attractive about the sport over the years:
- for the women, NCAA hockey is typically a destination, not a stop along the way to something better;
- there is an appreciation for the opportunity to play at this level;
- the players are very selfless and value the achievements of teammates over their own;
- the people, both players and staff, are very high-character;
- you can get close to the game, with better seats, affordable tickets, drivable destinations;
- a fan can still watch many of the best players in the world.
Things that I've found attractive about the sport over the years:
- for the women, NCAA hockey is typically a destination, not a stop along the way to something better;
- there is an appreciation for the opportunity to play at this level;
- the players are very selfless and value the achievements of teammates over their own;
- the people, both players and staff, are very high-character;
- you can get close to the game, with better seats, affordable tickets, drivable destinations;
- a fan can still watch many of the best players in the world.
Timothy A
Let's go RED!
I've been a Wisconsin men's hockey fan for 40 years and 13 years ago my Sister says " Do you know Wisconsin has a women's hockey team?" I had no clue, even with me being in the men's forum since 2002. I went to a game and fell in live immediately. I love it because of its high quality of play, the game flows much better than the men's, I don't like heavy hits and fighting, it's very financially accessible, and you get to see Olympians play up close. I also like it because I feel like it's very personal to me since it's a niche sport, like its my little secret. When Mark Johnson sees you wear a Whaler jerseys and looks you in the eye and nods his head at you, that's freaking cool. And having Frosty sit next to me at the world Jr's was also a highlight.
Still Eeyore
New member
I've been a college hockey fan for more than 40 years. My father and I attended the men's Frozen Four every year from 1989 to 2009, no matter what teams were playing. We got turned off by how commercialized that event had become, and decided that we were going to do something else for our annual trip together. We considered switching to baseball. We considered D3 hockey. For reasons I cannot now remember, but may have had something to do with wanting to continue following the University of Minnesota, I chose switching to watching Gopher women's hockey, even though Dad, in Ann Arbor, doesn't have a team.
It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I had thought that I wouldn't like the game on the ice as much, but that it would be worth it to be rid of the crap. The only part I was wrong about is that I decided that no-check rules lead to a more interesting game.
The biggest part, though, was just that I found the players more appealing. I can remember the exact moment that I was completely won over. The booster club for women's hockey holds a postgame reception to introduce the freshmen early each season. The first one I attended, three weeks into that first season in 2010, overwhelmed me with the camaraderie amongst the team. Kelly Terry asking Baylee Gillanders to do her cow impression was that moment.
I now tell people that I'll believe that you're really obsessed with something when you feel compelled to write a novel about it.
It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I had thought that I wouldn't like the game on the ice as much, but that it would be worth it to be rid of the crap. The only part I was wrong about is that I decided that no-check rules lead to a more interesting game.
The biggest part, though, was just that I found the players more appealing. I can remember the exact moment that I was completely won over. The booster club for women's hockey holds a postgame reception to introduce the freshmen early each season. The first one I attended, three weeks into that first season in 2010, overwhelmed me with the camaraderie amongst the team. Kelly Terry asking Baylee Gillanders to do her cow impression was that moment.
I now tell people that I'll believe that you're really obsessed with something when you feel compelled to write a novel about it.
FiveHoleFrenzy
Well-known member
To ARM's point, Frost is one of the nicest guys you will ever encounter at the rink. I have had the privilege of conversing with him a few times at high school rinks.
As a father of two girls I didn't expect to be spending time in hockey rinks but our youngest daughter decided to play the game and ended up playing US college hockey (RPI). My wife and I travelled to a lot of the games and then I continued to be a fan of the team after our daughter graduated. Most of the reasons that I love the women's game are listed in the post by ARM, earlier in this thread. One additional reason is that the average fan can relate to the game: you can see plays develop, more clearly see the shots and saves. The men's game has become so fast and the shots so hard that you often have to watch a replay to see exactly how the play developed and how the goal was scored (e.g. was it a tip in etc.). It is similar to why, as a golfer, I prefer to watch the LPGA: it is hard to relate to how a golf hole is played when the men drive the ball 325 yards...its just not even close to the game that I play.
I agree with everyone! Also, with women's hockey, most of the players play for all four years of eligibility, so I can learn their names, where they're from, and follow their careers. They graduate and are the epitome of "student-athlete." And they are so gracious to their fans! On the men's side, so many players stay for only a year or two, never graduate, and never connect with their fans. And somehow the women seem to have a lot more joy than the men in playing their sport and this adds to the fan enjoyment. We have season tickets to both men and women but the experiences are completely different. We often skip the men's games but we never skip the women's.
TonyTheTiger20
#SOAR
I wrote this back in our near-undefeated season the day before the championship game (sad face
) and I think it sums up my answer to this question well: https://www.bcinterruption.com/bosto...golden-gophers
) and I think it sums up my answer to this question well: https://www.bcinterruption.com/bosto...golden-gophers
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I alternatively did play by play on the radio and worked for the SID during my years at school. They were the best team on campus and easy to get behind. I became interested in seeing the growth of DIII. The steps other programs took to try to play with the top programs in the division.
Watson Rink
Registered User
Angela Ruggiero was one of my goddaughter's first-year roommates; does that answer the question?
Also, of course, so many of the points made eloquently above resonate with me: the team-first ethos, the absence of helter-skelter play and goonery, choice seating and lines of sight whenever you choose to show up.......
Also, of course, so many of the points made eloquently above resonate with me: the team-first ethos, the absence of helter-skelter play and goonery, choice seating and lines of sight whenever you choose to show up.......
I was a fan of college hockey from my days watching the Cornell men's team play Sunday AM repeat of games on TV in Binghamton, NY in the 60's. Really became a super fan of the college game from my first year attending Clarkson in 1972. When Clarkson formed a Div I women's team in the 2000's I knew I would prefer the women's game for the reasons given by many of the posters. Can't say enough good things about Matt Desrosier's and his wife Shannon when she was the coach. Would attend the Clarkson Princeton games at Hobey Baker and they would always chat for a min or 2 after the game and would answer any emails I would send their way throughout the seasons. Hope to finally get back to seeing Clarkson play live for the first time since the pandemic this year at Hobey Baker.
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ZedLeppelin
Motormouth
Having been born and raised in Duluth, I grew up going to UMD men's hockey games in the 70s. I watched a lot of the Miracle On Ice guys play college hockey when they came to Duluth to play the Bulldogs, including UMD's own Miracle On Ice guys - current Mankato coach John Harrington, and the late Mark Pavelich.
I only became aware of women's hockey in the mid-2000s, when my brother (who still lived in Duluth at the time) was going to UMD women's games. That was before Penn State had a men's or women's D-1 team, but they did have club teams. I started going to the women's club games, and got a taste for hockey that's played without just being a series of big hits...and I liked it. I liked the flow of the game when it wasn't just players laying each other out. Women's hockey is also a much smaller and more intimate community, and I like that a lot. I want to see their fan base grow as much as anyone else does, but I do like the "family" sense of being a women's hockey fan.
I was ecstatic when Penn State announced that they were starting D-1 men's and women's hockey here! It's been a lot of fun getting to watch a program grow from the very start.
I only became aware of women's hockey in the mid-2000s, when my brother (who still lived in Duluth at the time) was going to UMD women's games. That was before Penn State had a men's or women's D-1 team, but they did have club teams. I started going to the women's club games, and got a taste for hockey that's played without just being a series of big hits...and I liked it. I liked the flow of the game when it wasn't just players laying each other out. Women's hockey is also a much smaller and more intimate community, and I like that a lot. I want to see their fan base grow as much as anyone else does, but I do like the "family" sense of being a women's hockey fan.
I was ecstatic when Penn State announced that they were starting D-1 men's and women's hockey here! It's been a lot of fun getting to watch a program grow from the very start.
Blown away by the number of positive posts on this thread, and the very thoughtful comments. So many of the most respected contributors to the USCHO fan forum have chimed in. Clearly women's college hockey has an enthusiastic following. I hope that the athletes understand that they have this fan base. It is unfortunate that it does not translate into greater attendance at the games because that is the more tangible form of support. If I lived within a couple hours of my favorite team's rink I would go to every game...but such is not the case.
thirdtime's . . .
New member
My two girls were part of a start-up team at high school that went from 2-12 to 3-11 to 4-10. We had one Assabet player and recruited heavily from the soccer team. One of my girls, a stalwart at the blue line, came over from figure skating. The coach worked security at the school. One year a girl from Pakistan wanted to play but couldn’t skate, so naturally she ended up in goal for a few periods. It was a gas. They all loved it. Our biggest win was a championship (!) at a four-team tournament in Martha’s Vineyard, a PPG at 14:59 of the 3rd. I emblazoned my scoreboard photo on team mugs. I still occasionally wear my Team Manager jacket presented by parents who were happy that I managed to get oranges and donuts on the bus after away games. Home attendance was about 12, away games maybe 6, though the Vineyard chaperones swelled our numbers to 8 at the bar, as I recall. What’s not to like when that’s your introduction to the women’s game?
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Timothy A
Let's go RED!
And all I did was try and annoy him by mentioning outloud all the great plays the future Badger players were making to my daughter. LOL and haha. We left me after the 2nd period. He went over and chatted with Mark Johnson for a bit then left. Watts a slacker.
RightbackatU
New member
I grew up watching the Men's game and still do, but as far as college goes IMHO the women's game is better based on the following factors.
A. You can see the skill of the college women's game compared Men's game you can throw a pass up into the middle of the ice fast and the player will catch it, and not get blown up by a head-on check!
B. You can get to know the players over 4 years and makes you root for them, not 1 and done like the men's trying to keep up on what and where the JR players are coming from
The rest is what ARM Nailed on
there is an appreciation for the opportunity to play at this level;
- the players are very selfless and value the achievements of teammates over their own;
- the people, both players and staff, are very high-character;
- you can get close to the game, with better seats, affordable tickets, drivable destinations;
- a fan can still watch many of the best players in the world.
A. You can see the skill of the college women's game compared Men's game you can throw a pass up into the middle of the ice fast and the player will catch it, and not get blown up by a head-on check!
B. You can get to know the players over 4 years and makes you root for them, not 1 and done like the men's trying to keep up on what and where the JR players are coming from
The rest is what ARM Nailed on
there is an appreciation for the opportunity to play at this level;
- the players are very selfless and value the achievements of teammates over their own;
- the people, both players and staff, are very high-character;
- you can get close to the game, with better seats, affordable tickets, drivable destinations;
- a fan can still watch many of the best players in the world.