Hockey Saskatchewan is dedicated to implementing initiatives that foster diversity and inclusion within the hockey community. Our programs are designed to educate, support, and engage all members of our community, from players and coaches to fans and volunteers.

• Example Initiatives:
  • Women’s and Girls’ Steering Committee: Hockey Canada has formed a committee of stakeholders, chaired by current board member and National Women’s Team alumna Gillian Apps, to oversee a discussion paper that will lead to formal recommendations to guide the organization’s next women’s and girls’ hockey strategic plan.
  • Hockey Canada Foundation, U SPORTS launch new athlete-to-coach programs: The Hockey Canada Foundation is partnering with U SPORTS to launch Creating Coaches, a new program designed to increase the number of women in coaching positions in Canada.
  • Hockey Saskatchewan Seeking Feedback in Pursuit of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Hockey Saskatchewan strives to improve the state of our game and has identified three key areas that the Board of Directors are currently focusing on for this season and into the future. The items include examining Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) in relation to the current environment of hockey in this province.

Hear from members of our hockey community about how Hockey Saskatchewan's culture and inclusion initiatives have positively impacted their lives. These stories highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion in creating a supportive and enriching hockey environment.

Success Stories:

Embracing a New Life Through Hockey: Bridget Vales got her first taste of hockey when she went to her stepbrother’s practice shortly after she moved from the Philippines to White City, Sask., when she was eight years old, and pretty quickly she was interested in trying it out herself.

Girls’ Hockey Team on Big River First Nation Led by Indigenous Role Model: Simply being on the ice gives Kristen Bear-Wuttunee confidence as she coaches girls’ hockey on Big River First Nation (BRFN) in northern Saskatchewan. “I am not really much for speaking. It is different on the ice, though. … I am a different person,” she said. The 32-year-old volunteer has embraced being behind the bench and shines as a role model for female youth in a Minor Hockey Association (MHA) that’s making significant strides compared to when Bear-Wuttunee started playing the sport back in Grade 5.

Métis Hockey Royalty Giving Back to Game in Meadow Lake, Sask.: There is a Métis family in northern Saskatchewan whose love for hockey runs so deep that it extends across generations. Aside from their last name, the King family has risen to hockey royalty in the city of Meadow Lake, Sask., by making their mark at multiple levels of the game and giving back to the future of the sport.

An Aspirational Sister Act: Jordyn and Kyla, members of the Ochapowace Cree First Nation, are consistently sought out for advice about chasing after dreams by others on the reserve. The duo are already leaders in the community because their hockey skills have taken them to Penticton, B.C., to play for the Okanagan Hockey Academy.

Taking the Slurs Out of Hockey: Brock Weston is a gay athlete and medical student at the University of Saskatchewan. He shared his story with Sask Sport as part of Pride Month. He hopes people will be more accepting of the LGBTQ2SI+ community and will stop the use of slurs and anti-gay rhetoric.

Jessica Campbell’s Journey from Sask. to Pro Hockey: When Jessica Campbell walked into the Kraken Community Iceplex — the practice facility for the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and the team’s home base for their summer development camp — there was already a dressing room for female coaches waiting for her.