Unless you were a player yourself or knew someone who was, women’s hockey didn’t truly burst into modern mainstream popular culture until its debut at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Though there had been moments where society was definitely made aware that women could be every bit as successful in hockey as their male counterparts, the Olympic debut felt like a true moment of arrival.
There, under the bright lights of the international stage with all eyes on them, it felt like the world finally got their first look at women’s hockey.
Unbeknownst to many who were just getting their first glimpse of women dominating the ice, girls have been in hockey for nearly as long as the game has existed.
Women’s history in hockey is long, interesting, and wildly impressive. It exemplifies a true love for the game and a burning passion to continue and push for equality, despite all the obstacles placed in their way through the last century. For International Women’s Day, we took a deep-dive all the way back to the very first recorded instance of a woman on the ice to gain a better understanding of just how deeply rooted women are in hockey history.
The results are amazing.
Happy International Women’s Day to all those who have blazed trails in the past, and to all those who are continuing to do so for a better future.
