Belarusian Women Want In

If you weren't aware that KHL team Dinamo Minsk changed their logo to the stylized "D" to the left from the bison logo they had last season, there's your update. This isn't exactly groundbreaking news, but what is shocking is that IIHF registration number show that just seven - yes, 7 - women are registered to play hockey in Minsk's country of Belarus. If that seems a little unfathomable considering Belarus' participation on the men's side of IIHF tournaments, you're in the same boat of disbelief as I am. Those are the figures as per the IIHF, though, but it seems like that number may be ready to explode after this weekend's World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend!

During Sunday's game between Dinamo Minsk and Ak Bars Kazan, 19 girls, aged 6 to 11, from hockey schools in 11 different towns and cities across Belarus were the guests of the Dinamo club and played an exhibition game during the first intermission of the KHL game. While no one is suggesting that these 19 girls played Olympic-calibre hockey, it is an encouraging moment for the efforts to get women's hockey up and running in Belarus!

According to an Andy Potts article on IIHF.com, Dasha Kolonchuk, 11, chose hockey over figure skating. She told Potts, "First my parents took me to figure skating, but I couldn't get into that. You just skate from one board to the other, there's nothing interesting. Hockey is a completely different thing. My dad took me to a hockey practice and I liked the game a lot. Even though I practice against the guys, I can always keep up with them."

While the focus of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association (BIHA) is to get younger women and girls interested in the game, the lack of a women's league or a women's professional team is making it harder for some of the adult women to find a place to play in the country. Irina Kavetskaya, International Development Officer at the BIHA, told Potts, "(W)e would certainly like to have a female team in Belarus again. The same goes for the Russian Women's Hockey League: there is no specific discussion about having a team from Belarus participate so far, but it might be a good option once we have a Belarusian club that can compete at this level."

The women certainly looked like they enjoyed their time in Botvinik Arena as you'll see in the video below!

If we're being honest, watching these young ladies skate is miles from what you'd see from 6-11 year-old players in Canada and the US. But the key here isn't that they need to be AAA players or league all-stars. Rather, the ladies are learning the game as best they can in Belarus right now. Some may figure this sport out and go on to play in the ZhHL in Russia or in another league while others may simply lay the groundwork for other generations of girls to follow. Simply having the option to play is something that women in Belarus haven't had for some time, so this is an excellent start for a country who has had some hockey history written about it.

We've heard women's hockey players in North America use the line "You can't be what you can't see". This is especially true in places where women's hockey is little more than a pipe dream, and it's encouraging to see men's professional teams embracing the women who want to play hockey. While the KHL could likely do more for these 19 women who made the trek to Minsk, giving them a chance to skate on the big ice in front of the Dinamo fans is a good first step. Follow it up with more, and women's hockey in Belarus will see palpable growth.

They're not looking for an Olympic berth nor any sort of international tournament spots. All the women in Belarus want is a chance to play the game they love. Dinamo Minsk and the KHL could do a lot to help these women achieve that goal. If not these women, then future generations of girls can benefit by seeing these women playing with and against one another and promoting the game within their communities.

The Belarusian women want in.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!