Karissa Kirkup, coach of the Brandon U18 AAA Female Wheat Kings, is proud to see the growth of opportunity for women in hockey, but she also says there's room to push for more.
The dream of playing professional hockey or getting an education at an elite university while also playing the game they love, is something Kirkup believes is overdue. "I think it's an exciting time for female hockey. Clearly, in the last year and a half or so, people have really bought into being fans. It's on TV more, people are just seeing it and being spectators to the game more. It's a really exciting time and it's pretty cool to see some of the players that are growing up and seeing it. The growth of the game has come quick, it felt like a long time to get to this point, but it's exciting for the young ones coming up. I think it still has a long way to go when it comes to being a realistic, long-term financial piece that people can rely on for years to come. It's definitely headed in the right direction."
Having the opportunity to go to school and get a great education for free or a discount because of a scholarship is something Kirkup says girls at all ages are paying attention to and understanding those are achievable goals. "I know here in Brandon, that's what we're preaching. Regardless of the level that you're pursuing or getting interest from, girls from grades 9,10,11 or 12 are aware of it. I was talking to schools that have interest in girls from our team and they say it too, high-level education is a goal for young women from around the region and across the province. I've been lucky to have a lot of my friends get their degrees, either here in Canada or down in the States. They then want to give back to the people or communities that helped them get to where they are. It's a really special thing. Not everybody gets that opportunity. We're trying now on the coaching side to get as many players into the post-secondary side of things."
There have been some amazing role models for Kirkup, who's now become one herself being a coach, it's something she takes a lot of pride in and is looking forward to her future behind the bench or beyond. "I think that personally, I'm very proud of the last couple of years being the assistant coach of Team Manitoba. Being a member of the coaching staff for the 2022 Winter Games, and then going to Nationals this past year in New Brunswick. I'm just trying to keep climbing that ladder. I'm just so proud to be from Manitoba, and the hockey from within Manitoba has served me so well. It's given me so many opportunities, I want to give back to that program, to the coaches and players that put in so much hard work that has brought so much pride to our province. I'm going to be the Head Coach for Team Manitoba for the upcoming Nationals in November in Newfoundland, which I'm really honoured by."
At the end of the day, Kirkup is happy being home, doing what she loves to do surrounded by people who've supported her. "I love Manitoba, I love Brandon. You can never tell the future but the community I have around me here, plus the love and support from my family has been amazing."