Doors Are Opening

Olivia Howe has done a lot in her hockey career. As shown, the Moose Jaw native played with the NCAA's Clarkson Golden Knights from 2012-16 where she celebrated an NCAA National Championship in 2014 while posting 48 goals and 52 assists in 152 career games. She was an alternate captain in her final two seasons while winning the team's Ron Frazer Award, given to a player who has proven to elevate her game in key situations and who has made significant contributions to the team's success. She's a tremendous hockey player, and today she's shifting into a new role through hockey as she has become the first woman to be hired in the WHL as the Moose Jaw Warriors named Howe as an assistant coach!

Howe had been an assistant coach with the CSSHL's Notre Dame Hounds prior to this opportunity with the Warriors, and Warriors general manager Alan Millar said Howe's role with the team will be to "act as an eye in the sky during the games for our coaches, providing information. She'll work with Scott King in terms of getting on the ice and doing some skill development, player development with our players".

With Cammi Granato hired as a scout for the Seattle NHL team, Hayley Wickenheiser working in the Toronto Maple Leafs system, and now Olivia Howe joining junior men's hockey, the door preventing women from even considering jobs in men's hockey is starting to swing open.

Howe spoke to Claire Hanna of CTV Regina about how this opportunity arose. She said, "Alan asked me to do the training camp, and it was really exciting. I didn't hesitate obviously, just needed to get out there and be at this level of hockey, being working with the males out there. It's been really exciting. It's definitely a lot different coming from the female game, so a lot to learn."

Howe joins former NHL player and last year's World Junior Championship head coach Tim Hunter behind the bench in Moose Jaw. Hunter is no stranger to big games as he won a Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Calgary Flames while playing in the Final on two other occasions. When asked about Howe joining his staff, Hunter was excited to bring Howe aboard.

"It's great to have another perspective in the dressing room and in the coach's office — a female that's played at the highest level in the NCAA and won a national championship," Hunter said.

While the WHL makes it sound like progress is being made by hiring Howe, the fact is that there likely could and should have been women coaching at the major junior hockey level already. The changes that happen in junior hockey at the coaching level are numerous each season, and the CHL is a great springboard league for any coach - male or female - to learn the game in order to move to the next level. Olivia Howe was a fantastic playr at the NCAA level, and I can see her transitioning that skill and knowledge of the game into a very long and very successful coaching career.

Congratulations to Olivia Howe on her appointment to the Moose Jaw Warriors coaching staff, and I'm looking forward to seeing her ascend the ranks in the WHL to go higher!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!