It's Tough To Be A Girl In Sports

Almost a decade ago I was with my bff in Torino to partake in the 2006 Olympics; it was a little side stop on our 'backpacking Europe' trip idealistic youngsters insist on doing. Being Canadian, we of course, bought some hockey tickets, Canada vs. Italy, which turned out to be one of the best games of the tournament for Canadian fans. On our way in to the arena, we made our way through security in separate lines. As the lady searched through my bag, I looked over to the line my friend was in to see her wildly waving to get my attention and pointing to someone behind me. I turn, to see the great Walter Gretzky dressed, of course, in his black leather jacket covered with gold maple leafs. Oh. My. God. Walter Gretzky. He had to go through security too.

Emerging from security at the same time, we were about to quietly approach him to ask for a picture, this was Walter Gretzky, we had to. But out of no where, with enthusiasm, came this group of 3 Italians, "Walter Gretzky! Father of Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player to ever live!" They go their picture, we did not.

This weekend, I was lucky enough to watch my niece partake in Wickfest, the largest girls hockey tournament in the world, hosted by none other than Hayley Wickenheiser. My niece had just finished playing her last game and we were waiting in the halls outside the dressing room enjoying the many arena smells. Purposefully wandering around was an older gentleman holding up a pen trying to find coaches to sign game sheets. This older gentleman turned out to be Tom Wickenheiser. Tom Wickenheiser...father of the greatest female hockey player to ever live, Hayley Wickenheiser! Oh. My. God. Tom Wickenheiser. He fills out game sheets too.

After not getting my photo with Walter Gretzky, I didn't get my photo with Tom Wickenheiser either. I didn't want to make a big deal, he was, in fact, looking for other people's autographs and had a job to do, I didn't want to get in the way with fanfare. But in that moment, and in Torino, I found myself one degree of separation away from greatness, and since it was those genes that spawned greatness, technically I was in the presence of greatness itself. I know, awesome, right?

My dad used to be one of those dads, wandering arena halls looking for signatures on game sheets, making small talk with visiting teams because that's what you do in tournaments. But meeting my dad will not put you one degree of separation away from greatness. Despite my Olympic aspirations and Patrick Roy obsession growing up, I never became great. I loved hockey, but growing up in a small town, I was ridiculed by all the boys in my class for being a tomboy. I had short hair and could out duel most of the boys in my class in any athletic endeavour, which didn't win me many friends. After finally moving to a bigger town, ringette became a safe haven for me and something that was close enough to hockey to satisfy my desire. With no girls hockey program, I wasn't about to be ridiculed again, not when I didn't have to be. But now, decades later, I have no Olympic memories except for those that I have attended as a fan. I still love sports, but as a adult past her prime, my focus is on commentary.

But there are gender barriers everywhere in sports and working to knock those down is a task not easily achieved. As a fan at Wickfest and a mother of a daughter, I couldn't help but feel excited for her future and the future of women's sports. But as a commentator, the cynicism crept up on me. How much money do women make playing sports? How many female sports analysts do you see? How many guest hosts on Tim&Sid were female? How many sports played by women do we see on TV besides hi-lights from the Lingerie Football League? The answer to all of these questions is "not much." But when I was growing up, the answer would have been none. So cynicism aside, progress has been made.

Last season when I went to a Flames game, I sat awkwardly next to my dad (who has 3 daughters) while girls in short skirts and tube tops scraped the ice during commercial breaks. I noted to my dad how the men cleaning the creases were fully dressed in a track suit since it's probably cold at ice level. He agreed while he shook his head, knowing full well there were many young female hockey fans in attendance...because girls like hockey too. His daughter sitting next to him loves hockey. Instead of watching women play hockey, fix holes in the ice or participate as medical staff, we were watching them be used as sex symbols. Like girls don't get that enough. This season, sitting next to my dad again, the awkwardness was gone: the miniskirts and the tube tops were replaced by a cold weather appropriate outfit. Progress.

But what is progress? Girls cleaning the ice? No. But being just as excited about standing one degree of separation from greatness regardless of the gender of that athlete is a really good start. An all girls hockey tournament is another one. Something that treats female athletes like real athletes; educating them on physical and mental health and showing them possibilities by scrimmaging with a University team like Mount Royal, or watching a professional one like the Inferno is an even better start. Braver than I was at a young age, Hayley Wickenheiser is attempting to push down barriers that I was too shy to even walk up to when I was young. And for all those girls older than me, the same age as me, and younger, I say thank you Hayley Wickenheiser. Being a female in sports is tougher than it looks, having role models such as yourself make it that much more real to all those girls out there who are determined to be great. I know it would have made a difference to me and it will make a difference to my niece and my daughter.