Supporting Women's Hockey

Whenever there is news about Canadian university women's hockey, I like to draw attention to it. After being involved in some discussions today about university hockey at another institution, the University of Manitoba published a nice article about the women to the right named Pattie Dickieson. Her name won't be known to most, but Patti's done incredible work over her career to help student-athletes at the University of Manitoba, and she's decided to move on to new adventures after in her retirement that officially starts tomorrow. And there's a great hockey tie-in for one of the Bisons hockey teams to honour Patti's legacy of incredible and tireless work for the students at the University of Manitoba!

Patti worked in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management where she was an academic advisor for students. As you know, Canada West and U SPORTS both have academic requirements when it comes to student-athletes while students have goals of their own when it comes to their education paths. Patti was the woman who worked to blend those two things - athletic requirements while students chased their future goals - for Bisons athletes competing across the complement of sports featured at the University of Manitoba!

With the University of Manitoba congratulating her on an incredible career where it's estimated that she advised and counselled "nearly 11,000 students throughout her tenure", I want to join the chorus of congratulatory praises for Patti Dickieson. I often talk about the coaches and parents on this blog who put long hours in to help these kids, but Patti is one of those behind-the-scenes people who never gets talked about when it comes to the efforts she makes to help student-athletes find success both on the field of play and in the classroom. She truly is an unsung hero to so many students.

34 years is a long time to be any place, but Patti's tenure should be a celebration. The 11,000 students she has helped have undoubtedly gone on to bigger and better with respect to earning their degrees and finding their paths in life, and that's a helluvan accomplishment for which we should be thanking Patti. She made this world better by helping kids achieve their dreams both in athletics and academics, and that's no small feat in today's world.

If you're waiting for the hockey tie-in, you're arrived at the paragraph where I discuss that. Patti didn't play hockey for the Bisons as far as I could find, but she will be helping the team and a player on the women's team immensely moving forward. From the linked article,

In honour of Patti's career, funds raised by faculty staff and student council will be donated to the Bison Women's Hockey Team's scholarship fund. Termed "The Patti Prize," $1,500 will be presented to a student-athlete in the near future.

How great is that? A player will have their education's financial costs eased somewhat thanks to Patti Dickieson's legacy at the school, and she'll once again be honoured each and every year for the amazing work she did for students at the University of Manitoba both in her career and beyond. For any student who receives this scholarship, she should be honoured to be "The Patti's Prize" recipient considering what Patti Dickieson did for the students that come before her. It's an incredible honour to receive in my humble view.

Whatever comes next for Patti as she begins a new chapter in her life will undoubtedly be filled with joy and happiness after spending more than three decades helping others. Her legacy at the university will continue with the scholarship named in her honour, but it will be impossible to find someone to replace Patti on campus after all she's done. Congratulations on an incredible career, Patti, and I wish nothing but peace, happiness, prosperity, and a long, enjoyable retirement for you!

Until next time, raise your sticks high for Patti Dickieson!