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Female participation in youth hockey in Steinbach has experienced some growth over last year’s fall registration. In particular, the game is being taken up by girls in the younger age groups, and Steinbach Minor Hockey hopes to build on that momentum with a free on-ice event later this month.
“It looks like it’s going to happen September 29th at 9:30 a.m.,” says Ryan Canada, Female Rep for Steinbach Minor Hockey. “It’ll be a girls’ ‘try hockey’ event and free to all participants ages 5 to 14.”
Qualified coaches will provide some instruction, and some female representatives from minor hockey in the city will talk about their experiences playing co-ed with boys. The girls will need to have skates, a helmet and a stick, although if prospective registrants require certain equipment Steinbach Minor Hockey will look to accommodate them.
Registration can be completed by emailing Canada at femalerep.steinbachmh@gmail.com with the participant’s name and age.
It’s all part of a broader initiative to grow the female game in the Southeast, and one Canada is personally invested in taking on.
“My own daughter’s favourite players are PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) players,” he says. “She doesn’t talk about NHL players; she talks about Natalie Spooner.”
He adds that enthusiasm for the PWHL has created momentum that can be leveraged to promote female hockey in the region.
“We should be pushing female hockey in this area and trying to grow our numbers here,” he says.
The larger goal is for Steinbach Minor Hockey to one day have girls-only teams. They play co-ed at present, starting in the U-7 age group. However, the organization has introduced a separate registration where girls can register for girls-only teams. Canada will then look to help place them on teams in the Eastman area. He says the hope for the future is that female numbers will continue to grow to the point that Steinbach can host girls-only teams itself.
Another program designed to make the sport more accessible is the Steinbach Minor Hockey Raffle, which provides families the opportunity to fundraise 100% of their child’s registration.
Raffle tickets are $20 each with early bird tickets available for a few more days. And, on September 26, the early bird draw will send a winner to a Winnipeg Jets game. The grand prize draw will take place November 8, awarding cash prizes of $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second and a $1,000 gift card towards service, tires and parts at Harvest Honda for third, in addition to 30 other prizes of $250 gift cards to local businesses.
Between the increase in registrations, the September 29 try-hockey event and the fundraising raffle, Canada has no shortage of good news to talk about when he meets with parents and other members of the community.
“I’m out there trying to talk with families,” he says. “We’re trying to get the word out with events like September 29th that minor hockey in Steinbach is open to females, and that we want female players to play minor hockey.”
Steinbach Minor Hockey can be reached by calling (204) 371-2298, and contact forms, registration details and other information are available on their website. Free registration for the September 29th event for female players can be sent by emailing the participant’s name and age to femalerep.steinbachmh@gmail.com.