Photograph by Ackerman + Gruber
Minneapolis Storm's 8-and-under hockey team
Until recently, the State of Hockey probably should have been called the State of Men’s Hockey. The NCAA didn’t recognize women’s hockey as one of its intercollegiate sports until the 2000–2001 season, even though schools like Princeton and University of Minnesota-Duluth created women’s teams in the 1970s. And the Minnesota High School League started sanctioning girls’ hockey only in 1994—a whopping 50 years after the boys’ inaugural season.
But Minnesota is working hard to change the game. Seven of the players who won Olympic gold last year for the U.S. women’s team claimed Minnesota ties. The Gophers’ women’s team has won seven national titles since its NCAA inception; the UMD Bulldogs, five. Minnesota even supports a National Women’s Hockey League squad, the Minnesota Whitecaps, who are currently playing their inaugural season. It starts young: According to USA Hockey, Minnesota counted 13,883 registered female players at the end of the 2017–2018 season. More than half of those skaters were age 10 and under.
What is it that draws girls and women to the sport? We spent a Saturday practice with some of the toughest girls we know, the Minneapolis Storm’s 8-and-under team, to find out more about their love of puck.
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Kaya Bois
Age 8, Second Grade
Years playing hockey: 5
“I like to get out there and get after the puck.”
Willa Wood
Age 7, Second Grade
Years playing hockey: 3
“When I first started, and I stepped on the ice, I fell down. But now I’m speedy!”
Tuula Soderberg
Age 7, Second Grade
Years playing hockey: 3
“I like playing scrimmages. They’re like when you play a little game against your own team.”
Nic Arends
Age 8, Third Grade
Years playing hockey: 3
“Once we went to this pizza place, and we were playing bubble hockey for a long time. Then I decided I wanted to join hockey.”
Isabelle Rathburn
Age 8, Second Grade
Years playing hockey: 2
“I like going fast the best!”
Marley Severson
Age 8, Third Grade
Years playing hockey: 4
“We sometimes have a rink outside. My dad practices some drills with me and my brothers.”
Casey Lefevere
Age 9, Third Grade
Years playing hockey: 4
“There’s a lot of teamwork. It’s good to learn to cooperate with other people.”
Helena Anderson
Age 6, First Grade
Years playing hockey: 3
“My very favorite thing about playing hockey is having friends.”
