Photo submitted by: PGHA
For a lot of young athletes, the launch of the Professional Women’s Hockey League is about more than sports – it’s about opportunity.
The PWHL, which is made up of six teams, opened its inaugural season on New Year’s Day in Toronto.
One person who was in the stands cheering loudly was Kim Docherty, President of the Peterborough Girls Hockey Association. Docherty admits this is something she has waited for her entire life and got emotional during the opening ceremony.
Down the road, Docherty says she’s hopeful some of the outstanding Ice Kats players will be able to fulfill their dreams of playing professionally.
Among those who will be pushing to get to the next level eventually is Molly Farace. Farace now plays for the Whitby U22 Junior Wolves but started her journey in Otonabee with a boys team.
Farace attended the Canadian women’s under-18 summer selection camp in St. Catharines last August.
PWHL rosters feature talent from around the world led by Canada (90 players) and the United States (53 players). The league also has 14 international players born in Austria (1), Czechia (5), Finland (1), France (1), Germany (1), Hungary (1), Japan (1), Sweden (2), and Switzerland (1).
(Written by: Jordan Mercier)
