7 Takes: Hockey's back, with the Unifor PWHPA Showcase

Day 1 of the Unifor PWHPA Showcase is in the books. It appears to be a success - there was merch, streaming, sponsors and fans, and world class hockey players. Showcases aren't the ultimate goal though, and it's a long season ahead of driving change. Still, a lot of fun to watch, while the players work for a league for the future.

As always my perspective is as a fan, mom of young kids, and someone who doesn't have local high level women's hockey to watch. Some reactions:

1- Those sponsors: Bravo to Unifor, Budweiser, Adidas Hockey, Secret, NHLPA, Dunkin', Tim Hortons, Bauer Hockey, Bio Steel Sports, and Magellan Corp for making these showcases happen (New Hampshire and Chicago coming in October). It's impossible to know the extent of what is being contributed but it at least looks like a great start. I'm sure I'm missing some, like the Leafs and OWHA and who knows who else. I'm hoping more brands jump on board, as like anything, it takes a village. I've always got my eye on the NHL, Hockey Canada and USA Hockey - what role will their sponsorship play in the final product?  Is the PWHPA leadership group the one to finally convince USA Hockey and Hockey Canada to partner with a pro women's hockey league, the way the NHL and the two governing bodies partner with each other? Time will tell.

🗣This wknd kicks off the #DreamGapTour in TO! Details ⬇️ The beginning of more greatness to come. SO to sponsors helping to make it happen @adidashockey @UniforTheUnion @SecretDeodorant @BudweiserCanada @NHLPA @dunkindonuts @TimHortons @BauerHockey @BioSteelSports @MagellanCorp https://t.co/vahTNGqp0L

— Meghan Duggan (@mduggan10) September 21, 2019

2- Those threads - Shea Tiley is growing up. Gone are the green and gold Clarkson pads, she's now looking sharp in a mostly white with red accents Bauer setup (though the mask is still Clarkson). Who knows if it was Tiley, Hockey Canada, or Bauer Hockey funded, but she - and her game - looked sharp. And she wasn't the only one. The Adidas jerseys were very simple, one team in white and another in blue. They looked like really (really) nice practice jerseys, albeit with sick PWHPA logo, and NHLPA and Adidas logos too. I like the simple look - this is a gap year, this is not what the final product should look like (as the very humble setting they played in further reminds us). But the best part about the jerseys: the numbers and names showed up well on the stream. That's often a problem in streamed sports from dark arenas, so well done PWHPA, getting that right.

The Bauer pants, gloves, and helmets looked sharp too. Thought I saw an NHL patch on the back leg of the pants, on something on instagram? Lacquette stood out, rocking the same new longish Bauer mask that many wore, but hers had light paint....also stood out with her shot from the point as usual. Nice ricochet goal in the first, that started with a bomb from Lacquette on the point. 

3- I saw some conversation online about how to refer to this group. People say the N, the C.....are these guys the P? PWHPA flows fine for me, but I always called the CWHL and the NWHL the see-dub, and en-dub. So, I vote for pee-dub, if the full acronym is too long. Or maybe.... a whole new properly funded viable league called the WNHL. Just my two cents.

4- That merchandise - Yes, there was merchandise. Adidas brand black hoodies and pucks with the PWHPA logo and #ForTheGame hashtag. Apparently the hoodies sold out. I'm really hoping they sell this stuff online, AND that they sell it in a size that fits little girls. Sorry if I've ranted about this before but my son has worn licensed men's pro sports apparel since birth. My daughter waited until she was 5 to get an Alex Morgan jersey, and it's all she's got. Need to change it, and PWHPA merchandise that fits her and benefits the players would be a start. Cute story....before the game yesterday my daughter was excited because she thought she was going to see Alex Morgan play. The seasons are changing, and we'll get her hyped up on Hilary Knight again today. Need a T shirt though, too.

5- Ron MacLean was in the building - people talk about icons, and refer to Ron as such. For me, he was essentially the first and most consistent face of the NHL, its link to the fans who watched at home. I don't remember the NHL without him. It's really nice to see his support of #ForTheGame and a brighter future for women and girls in hockey. I remember when the gap year was announced, how air time was devoted during the playoffs, to a live Ron MacLean interview with Cassie Campbell and Brianne Jenner. Ron said, "it's a revolution," and he's right. And it was nice to see him there again yesterday with another vocal supporter of women's sports, Tara Slone. I don't want to project progress where it might not be, but several things yesterday suggested that the culture change that needs to take place in Canada about the value of women's sports, and the value of showing up for them, is happening.

6 - I definitely cheer for hockey moms. Meaghan Mikkelson was back, after her maternity leave for her second child. She has a son and a daughter. I haven't seen the footage, but in the stream today Knox referenced Mikkelson's comments about how #ForTheGame and the #DreamGapTour is personal to her, being a mom to a girl.

It's interesting, I think the movement is about a lot of things, it's for women, it's for girls, and it's about a better society in general where we rethink who is worthy of attention, visibility and investment. But someone like Mikkelson is unique I think, in how she very much represents both parts of the movement. She's a working mother, challenging our perception of the work a mom who has given birth might do, reminding of us of the part of the mission that is bigger than hockey, and about women. At the same time she is linked as closely as possible to the part of the mission that is about the future, returning home to an infant and preschooler at night. The #ForTheGame movement also includes moms Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux, Meghan Agosta, Melodie Daoust, and soon to be mom Meghan Duggan.

7 - I feel like I could keep writing point after point. I just want to say how awesome it is that hockey is back. After a summer break, my time line exploded with hockey yesterday - Mercyhurst had  a preseason game, CBJ is back, and so are the women pros. I loved seeing all the women fresh out of college, Gabel, Pozzebon, Boissonault, mixed in with some old faves - Howard and Spooner, Jess Jones, Jenna Dingledein, Amanda Makela, and on and on. 

I am so impressed by what the PW (see what I did?) has done so far. Gotta keep rolling, and building momentum, 'cause the women's movement never stops.