Unfemine?
The following ladies have been playing their sport for 5+ years and do not plan to stop anytime soon. They have noticed discrimination and think it is really ignorant and frustrating. All the girls were asked a couple questions to summarize their experiences.
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
Been playing Hockey for 10 years
2. Where did you start?
Belleville Girls Hockey
3. Who started you in the sport?
Parents
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
Two OFSAA silver medals
5. A quick resume
10 years rep, Belleville Bearcats
Five years in High school Hockey
6. Why do you love your sport?
Meet new people, you’re apart of a team, make so many memories, you have a blast.
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
Never ever.
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
Never judge a book by the cover, girls hockey gets stereotyped all the time because the girls look butchy but if that’s how they want to dress so be it. Don’t include everyone in that statement, because not every girl is butchy. Ex. me haha
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
This will be my seventh season
2. Where did you start?
I started in high school gr 10
3. Who started you in the sport?
One of my friends mentioned it to me
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
Always being a starter
5. A quick resume
Played four years high school one year college and this will be my second summer season
6. Why do you love your sport?
Because its a challenge, you push your body to the limit and farther every game and practice
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
I'll stop playing when I'm dead
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
I think the people who give that stereotype are just jealous or intimidated because us girls who play hockey or rugby aren't afraid of what people think or the injuries...we just love our sport.
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
I've been rowing for 9 years.
2. Where did you start?
I started rowing at Leander Boat Club's Learn-to-Row program.
3. Who started you in the sport?
One of my hockey coaches, Nicole Alderson, was going on a full scholarship to Louisville for rowing and suggested I try it.
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
I won Nationals four times in high school, I went on a scholarship to Barry University in Miami, we won Sunshine State Conference Championships and went on to compete at the NCAA Championships.
5. A quick resume
I've rowed lightweight, midweight, and heavyweight. I rowed for St. Mary's four years, Leander Boat Club four years, St. Catherine's Rowing Club, Ryerson University, Barry University, and Palm Beach Rowing Association. Also played hockey (rep and high school) while at St. Mary's and at Ryerson.
6. Why do you love your sport?
I love rowing because I love being on the water. It's the ultimate team sport because everyone has to move together in exact synchronization.
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
I don't think I will stop rowing. It's a low impact sports and most rowers keep going till their 80's. I have a single boat and I can go out and row whenever I have free time.
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
I think that maybe ten or fifteen years ago that stereotype was more true. But in our generation, especially growing up in Carlisle, everyone played hockey! Girls aren't afraid of being athletic or muscular anymore so it's great. I love seeing my American friends' reactions when they find out I played hockey. In Canada and the Northeast USA it's not butchy to play hockey!
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
15 years
2. Where did you start?
Belleville, Ontario Girls House league
3. Who started you in the sport?
I followed in my brothers footsteps, my dad pushed me to start
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
Been to Provincials twice, been to two Prospect Camps, Associated with a scout from University of Toronto for many years.
5. A quick resume
Played 12 years in Belleville Ontario - two years house league, the rest of them REP, Played four years at St. Theresa High school, Played two years at Loyalist College
6. Why do you love your sport?
It pushes me beyond my limits. I love stepping on the ice and playing as hard as I can every shift. It's always challenging in a different way each game, whether its strenuous on the body or learning to play your game while playing a team not as good as you.
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
I don't plan too, I want my kids to become hockey players and I want to teach them!!!
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
That stereotype is STUPID. Girls that play hockey are the exact same as girls whom play volleyball they may have just have more attitude, and the picture will prove that!
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
I have been playing rugby for over five years
2. Where did you start?
I started when I first started high school
3. Who started you in the sport?
My sister's boyfriend told me I would do well in rugby so I gave it a shot and it looked super fun
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
Accomplishments would be winning OFSAA three years in a row in high school , winning mvp in college
5. A quick resume
I've played four years of rugby in high school and one year at loyalist , played volleyball in high school , always practicing with boys when it came to rugby
6. Why do you love your sport?
I love the sport because its fun , its challenging , its rough , people I've met were so much fun to play with
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
Ill try and keep playing as much as I can
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
I think its ridiculous that today's society still sees women in sports are not good enough or butchy , I don't think women In hockey are butchy people need to get over it and start accepting women as athletes !!
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
14 years
2. Where did you start?
Trenton house league - women's league a year later for the cold creek comets
3. Who started you in the sport?
Brother and parents
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
Defenceman of the year- been to provincials 3 times. Coming 4th, 2nd and than finally first place. Been to CF Nationals twice being picked up twice
5. A quick resume
Cold creek-2 yrs, Flamb sabres- 3years , Uni intermurals-4 years, Kingston icewolves- 2 years (when at rmc) , Belleville Bearcats 1 year and intermurals at 8 wing- 1 year, Intermural at Moose Jaw/Portage - 2 years, 8 wing hockey (women's, noon hour, intermural)-1 year
6. Why do you love your sport?
Because its fun. A sport where you have to equally use your hands and feet
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
Nope - not until my knees give out or I am pregnant
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
I believe it a generation thing. I was lucky enough that in my generation it was okay to be a girl who played hockey. I can see how ladies older than me by five plus years needed to prove that they were tough to play with the boys, which meant they had to act butchy
1. How long have you been playing your sport?
19 years
2. Where did you start?
LMHA: Lindsay Minor Hockey Association (Boys League)
3. Who started you in the sport?
My 3 older brothers (Mark, Eric, & Adam) – I had to be better than my brothers at everything, I was super competitive and whenever they said I couldn’t do something, I would just to prove them wrong -- & my parents (Len & Margie)
4. What are some accomplishments you are proud of in regards to your sport?
I won an award every year I played in the boys league (age 3-15) – I won 7 Most Valuable Goalie Awards while playing in the LMHA. I won the MVP award for my high school team twice. I was named Captain of my high school team, which felt extra special because it’s uncommon for goalies to be captains. I was offered a full ride scholarship to a private high school for my senior years.
5. A quick resume
Guys hockey - LMHA Age 3-14[Out Player: age3-7 Goalie: 7-14] (House League, Rep AE & Rep BB)
Girls Hockey – Lindsay Girls Hockey Association (Lindsay Lynx) 15-17(Midget Rep C& B)
Women’s League- Year Round- Sunday Night Summers & Sunday Morning Winters – Age13-19
High school Varsity Girls Hockey – St. Thomas Aquinas Titans Gr.9,10,11 and victory lap year
Loyalist Sharks- 3 years : 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012
6. Why do you love your sport?
There’s too much to even list… Ultimately hockey was an escape from everything bad in life, you get on the ice and nothing else really matters, you need to completely focus on the game. It’s a sport truly about being in the moment, you have to focus on the play at hand, every shot and every save as it comes. I loved the competitiveness and the challenge. I fell in love with the sport because I was naturally good at it -- I could prove that I could play with the boys and be just as good and even better than some of them. It was a means of acceptance and respect. I love that I meet a lot of people and travel. Road trips, hotel stays and tournaments are my favourite. Now that it doesn’t come naturally to me I appreciate the physical challenge, one of my favourite feelings is of complete and utter exhaustion after playing a tournament and knowing there’s nothing else left you could physically offer.
7. Do you ever think you'll ever stop playing your sport?
I worry I’ll run out of places to play. There are a limited number of girls leagues and opportunities once you’re passed Midget and not going to school—especially to play at a competitive level. I’ll play pick up and pond as long as I can but that won’t be enough to satisfy my love of the game—I prefer competitive over pickup and rec leagues.
8. What do you think about the stereotype that girls who play hockey are butchy?
I find it incredibly frustrating. It’s a stereotype that has resulted in internal conflicts and self-doubt throughout the majority of my life. I always felt like if I wanted to be a respected athlete I couldn’t be girly or pretty. I felt restricted, like somehow if I wanted to play hockey that that was all I could do or be. When I dress up, I still sometimes feel that similar guilt, that by doing so I’m betraying myself identity as an athlete. The girlier I become, the less I think/try to be a successful dominant athlete. I got teased a lot playing in the boys league, especially by the figure skating club (from 12-15, I had to share a change room with the figure skating coaches, and these were grown women and they’d make fun of me for playing hockey). No matter how good I was or how many awards I got, there were people that didn’t respect a girl playing with the boys. The idea that I was able to play just as good as the boys and not have the same level of respect bothered me -- it still bothers me. I hate being judged for being a girl, and it’s discouraging, I’ve always felt that that lack of respect (because I’m a girl) isn’t restricted to sports.
